This policy applies to all Kentucky State University students enrolled in all in-person and online credit-bearing courses and to all faculty, staff, and administrators who track, report, or act on attendance and engagement data.

DEFINITIONS:

• Attendance: Presence in class (in-person or virtual).
• Academic Engagement: Participation in instructional activities including assignments and interaction.
• Excused Absences: University sanctioned activities (athletics, band, academic events) with advance written documentation from the sponsoring office
• oReligious observances with timely notice
• oMedical, mental health, or emergency situations with documentation from a licensed healthcare provider
• oMilitary service, with official military orders
• oLegal obligations such as jury duty or court appearances, with official documentation
• oFamily bereavement, with documentation such as an obituary, funeral program or similar
• oTitle-IX relate absences, coordinated through the Title IX Coordinator's office in accordance with KSU's Title IX policy
• oDisability-related absences authorized through the Office of Accessibility Services

PROCESS:

Students must notify the instructor as soon as practicable, and no later than five [5] business days after the absence occurs, except in cases where the nature of the emergency prevents timely notice. For foreseeable absences (religious observances, university-sanctioned activities, military service), students must provide advance notice no later than five [5] business days before the absence.

FACULTY AUTHORITY:

• Attendance policies must be published in the course syllabus and distributed to students by the first day of class.
• Attendance policies must not violate student rights as defined in this policy, ADA/Section 504 accommodation requirements, or other applicable university policy.
• Policies resulting in automatic course failure due solely to absences must be reviewed and approved by the relevant department chair and dean prior to implementation and included in the syllabus.
• Faculty may not apply attendance penalties retroactively or for absences not defined as unexcused in the course syllabus.
• Faculty must apply attendance policies consistently and equitably to all enrolled students.

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Faculty are responsible for the following attendance and engagement actions:

Communication

• Publish attendance and engagement expectations in the course syllabus by the first day of class.