Emergency Excuse Request and Procedure

The Office of the Dean of Student Life (ODSL) should be notified by the student or, in the event the student is incapacitated, by a friend or family member if the student misses class due to serious illness, hospitalization, serious illness or death of a close family member, military responsibilities, or court orders that threaten the student's academic progress. The office is available to ease the burden of family members acting on students' behalf when they cannot do so themselves.

When a student has missed consecutive classes for an extended period—defined as six missed classes in a course that meets three times per week, four missed classes in a course that meets two times per week, or two missed classes in a course that meets one time per week—the student or designee must complete the Emergency Excuse Request (EERP) and return it to the ODSL within five business days from the last date of missed classes. The request must be accompanied by appropriate documentation. Please review the information under Emergency Excuse Classifications for directions. The ODSL will not accept information for excuses for the last 4 weeks of school unless the situation occurred during that period. It will not accept documentation during finals week unless it is an emergency or extenuating circumstance and students cannot take finals. The Dean of Students reserves the right to grant or reject EERP submissions based on adherence to these procedures. Before an excuse is emailed to an instructor or professor, approval shall come from the Office of the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Absences not covered by these guidelines should be addressed directly with the instructor or professor. If this proves challenging, the ODSL can advocate for the student, but the ODSL will not issue excuse letters for non-emergency situations such as minor illnesses, regular doctor visits, or dentist appointments.

The EERP must be submitted to the ODSL to verify the circumstances, take action, and advocate on the student’s behalf. The office may contact medical providers or others to validate any submitted documentation. Students may be asked to provide a permission waiver form from the medical establishment to allow the ODSL to request medical records. False documentation submission violates the Student Code of Conduct and may result in disciplinary action. Once the information has been received, verified, and approved, an excuse letter will be sent to the faculty, requesting an opportunity for the student to make up for missed assignments and exams. Communication will be disseminated via UAPB e-mail.

The student is responsible for following up with faculty members to discuss arrangements for completing missed academic course assignments. If the student requests an incomplete grade (“I”), they must submit a written petition, which is separate from the EERP, to the instructor or professor as outlined in the ‘Academic Regulations and Guidelines’ section of the ROAR. The final decision regarding an incomplete due to extenuating circumstances will be determined by the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Once grades are submitted to the Office of the Registrar, a student can no longer request an incomplete grade unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Any requests for accommodations due to a qualified, documented disability or military leave should be submitted to the Office of Disability Services and Veteran Affairs, whose contact information is (870) 575-8089. Pregnancy is handled by the Office of Affirmative Action/Title IX, whose contact information is 870-575-8052

                                                             Emergency Excuse Classifications

Medical Emergency – Students may request an excuse for specific dates due to illnesses or special medical circumstances. Documentation must be provided indicating that the student is under the care of a physician. This documentation must be presented on medical practice letterhead, include the name and phone number of the provider/practice, be signed and dated by the attending physician, and specify the dates of treatment as well as the student's anticipated date to return to class.

Personal/Family Emergency – Students may request an excuse for specific dates due to special circumstances involving an immediate family member (such as a spouse/partner, parent, sibling, child, grandparent, custodial aunts/uncles, guardians, etc.). The Office of the Dean of Student Life (ODSL) must be able to establish the relationship between the student and the immediate family member to advocate for academic accommodation.

In cases of family illnesses, students must provide medical documentation. This documentation must be presented on medical practice letterhead, be signed and dated by the attending physician, and include the dates of treatment. Additionally, the ODSL must be able to verify the student’s relationship with the immediate family member.

In the unfortunate event of losing an immediate family member, students must provide an obituary, memorial service pamphlet, or other documentation identifying the student’s relationship to the deceased. Such documentation must include the date of the family member's passing, the funeral/memorial service date, and the city and state where the services were held. Approval for students to be away from class due to the passing of a family member is typically granted for 3 to 5 days.

Military Leave – Students may request an excuse for specific dates when called to military duty. They must provide copies of official military orders signed and dated by a commanding officer or designee. These orders must be sent to the Office of Disability Services and Veteran Affairs for verification.

Court Orders—Students may request an excuse from classes when called to jury duty or subpoenaed to appear in court as a witness, plaintiff, or defendant. They must provide copies of official court documents to the Office of the Dean of Student Life (ODSL) for verification.

Incomplete Grades – A student may request the assistance of the Office of the Dean of Student Life (ODSL) when submitting a request for incomplete grades for all courses within the current term. Requests for an incomplete grade may be considered for students with a documented extenuating circumstance that prevents them from meeting the specific requirements for a course and who must pass the class at the time of the request. Please refer to the ROAR Student Handbook for complete information about the incomplete grade requirements. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your request not being approved. (Revised June 26, 2024)

If requesting an incomplete grade ("I") in a class for extenuating circumstances, please provide the course and faculty name:

If requesting an Emergency Excuse Verification, please provide course and faculty name: