• Ideally, you should let your instructors know as far in advance as possible if you will need to miss class.
• If you are ill or an emergency has occurred, reach out to your instructors as soon as you are able to let them know of your absence.
• Review the syllabus to see if your instructors have a preference on how you should communicate with them.
  • Be sure to use their title when you contact them, you should not address instructors by their first name unless requested. 
  • Email is a great first step, but you might also want to stop in and see your instructor during office hours or request to set up a time to meet via Zoom or speak over the phone. 

We recommend that students talk with their instructors up front to help bridge the gap between a short-term health concern, illness or injury, or any other matters that may be impacting ability to temporarily attend classes, focus on classwork, and/or meet academic deadlines.

To assist with communication to your instructor(s), we recommend the following tips:

• Email the instructor using your S&T email address or through Canvas, whichever they have deemed as their preferred or means for communication. 
• Use clear, concise, and discrete language in communicating.
  • Describe the health concern, need for grief leave, or other unexpected circumstance for which you need a short-term absence.
• Long-term absences should be discussed with the instructor, academic advisor, and Student Accessibility and Testing if a disability accommodation is needed.
  • Further consideration should be given to whether the course fundamental requirements can be met or if incompletes or a withdrawal is an option.
• Utilize the instructor’s office hours or ask to schedule an appointment to follow-up about the need and to discuss missed coursework.
• Plan as much as possible and openly discuss any missed work: quizzes, assignments, exams, class participation.
• Create an action plan after consulting with the instructor.
• Continue to follow-up with your instructor(s).
• Decisions about class absences or the potential to make up missed work remain at the discretion of each instructor.  Students with remaining questions about instructor determinations may be directed to the department chair

• Review the syllabus to see what you missed or will be missing.
• If you know about your absence in advance, try to get the work done ahead of time or complete missed assignments as soon as possible. 
• When you talk with your instructor, provide them with a proposal on how you will get caught up. Include specific dates of when you will turn in missed assignments or days/times that you are available to make up a missed lab or exam.
   
  Reminder: It’s still up to them if they are going to excuse your absence and permit you to make up the time or work. While you are proposing a plan, you are still asking for their permission, so be respectful.
  
  
• If you are worried about falling behind or need some extra support, consider working with a Student Success Coach, LEAD or Knack Tutoring, or making an appointment with the Writing Center.

• It’s always a good idea to try to get the contact information for at least one person in each of your classes. 
  • At the beginning of the semester, introduce yourself to someone sitting near you and ask if you want to exchange contact information in case one of you needs to miss class.
• This way you can ask them for any notes or to share anything you might have missed while you were out.