Class Attendance

• At the first-class meeting of a semester, students shall receive in print or electronically the course syllabus including the participation and attendance requirements for the course.
  • Both may factor into the evaluation of the student’s performance and achievement for the course.
• Students must not schedule work, or other obligations, leisure activities or vacations during the scheduled in-person or online synchronous academic course or session or, the final assessment period.
• Students, seeking accommodation regarding the class attendance policy, must register with the Office of Specialized Services. The OSS will retain documentation as necessary and work with faculty on appropriate adaptations.
• Financial aid recipients who never attend one or more of their classes or who stop attending all of their classes will be paid a reduced amount of aid and are subject to forfeiture of their financial aid.
• Students enrolled in Joint Programs, such as NJCU/ Rutgers and NJCU/NJIT, must follow the rules and regulations established by NJCU as well as the affiliated clinical, governmental, accreditation agencies, professional associations and any other institution, agency, or organization participating in the Joint Program.
• Non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal from a course. Students who cease attending and otherwise participating in class activities may earn failing (“F”) grade.

Class Absence

• In all circumstances, it remains the student’s responsibility to initiate discussion about absence and arrangements for making up any missed work in a timely manner.

Excused Absence

• Instructors must provide fair and reasonable opportunities for students to make up an excused absence, examples include illness, injury, bereavement, or similarly compelling personal reasons.
• A student may need to schedule advanced absence from class to attend a religious observation, participate in a field trip, conference, academic or athletic competition or other sanctioned University event.
  • The student should communicate with the instructor in advance of the event and arrange to make up missed work.
  • Instructors may require documentation to verify the reason for an absence.

• Student participation in authorized University events is considered academic in nature and reasonable accommodation should be made to allow completion of assignments including exams.
• Athletic competition should be treated like an absence for an official college event in alignment with Excused Absence requirements.

Note: Club and intramural activities are not considered to be official NJCU activities with respect to absences.

Extended Absence Requirements

• Student absence from three class sessions is to be reported by the student, or his/her responsible designee, to the Dean of Students office. 
• The dean of students will notify the
  • The student’s instructors,
  • The student’s academic advisor(s), and
  • The Dean’s office of the student’s school.
• The University may request supporting documentation for short-term and extended absences and consider said documentation at their discretion.
  • Students need to provide requested documentation in a timely manner.
• Course withdrawal, or an incomplete grade are not automatically applied to extended absence. The student must consult with the course instructor and his/her academic advisor to discuss best options based on current academic policy. 
• Students may be advised to withdraw from a course due to extended absences, failure to withdraw resulting in a F grade may not be considered for late withdrawal or change of grade.