How to Approach Pre-Planned Class Absences
Before the semester starts, you may be aware of the days you are going to miss a class (or two). Do not panic! This post is designed to help you manage this situation and create a plan so that missing a class does not end up being a challenge for you.
The first thing to note is that not all pre-planned class conflicts are treated equally. There are some absences that faculty may be more willing to accommodate you with (potentially due to equity issues and established university policies) and other situations that faculty may not be as flexible even if you have proper documentation or when you have notified your professor well in advance. Below are some common pre-planned reasons to miss class and steps to consider for ensuring a successful return.
Potential Pre-Planned Absences
Religious Holidays
Religious holidays that prevent you from attending your class must be accommodated by your professor. You may need to work with the dean’s office in order to have documentation of this circumstance. Most likely, the course policy for religious holidays will be listed in the course syllabus or university website.
Graduate School Visits or Job Interviews
As a senior, you will be spending a significant amount of time engaging in activities that concern your post-graduation life. As such, you may need to go in person for graduate school visits or job interviews. (Make sure you check out my previous post on strategically planning your semester to ensure you are not overwhelmed when you have interviews for jobs or visit graduate schools).
Jury Duty
While you are a student, you may be summoned for jury duty. Unfortunately, being a college student is in some cases not a legitimate excuse to be excused from this essential public duty. A few states, like my home state of Maryland, allow students to be excused from jury duty if the student provides their class schedule to the court system. So, make sure to check your state’s rules regarding acceptable excuses if you truly need to attend your class!
Student-Athlete Game Conflict
Student-Athletes sometimes have games that may or may not require travel, during the week that conflict with their class schedule. Check with your coach or athletic department to determine if they are in touch with your faculty or if you need to reach out about these conflict(s).
Pro Tip: Even if the athletics department does manage communication with faculty, it is still prudent to reach out and communicate with your faculty. This shows that you are mature and able to manage your work independently.
Medical Procedures/Doctor’s Appointments
Due to the nature of the semester, class times, and doctor availability, you may need to schedule an appointment and need a day or more off from school.
Pro Tip: My advice is if you need more than two days out of class either plan the procedure on the Thursday before a scheduled break (spring break or Thanksgiving break) or long weekend. The other option would be, if it is possible, to wait until winter or summer break to address these issues.
I would suggest working with your Dean of Students office if you need major surgery or will be out for three class days or more. Lastly, consider rescheduling a regular check-up for a doctor's appointment to a date where there is no conflict so you can avoid missing class. Missing class for an annual physical appointment is unnecessary and more often than not can easily be rescheduled so it will not conflict with your class.
Major Family Events (e.g., Sibling or Parent Wedding, Burial, Grandma’s 100th Birthday, Memorial)
Faculty do not view all family events similarly. Out of all the items on this list, this reason will probably receive the least amount of accommodation from faculty. If your sibling or parent is getting married, hopefully, your faculty will be understanding. If a cousin or more distant relative is getting married this may not be acceptable. When it comes to a burial or memorial, you may need (or want) to provide documentation about the person who passed like an obituary. In the case of a family death, depending on your university’s policies, you may need to contact the Dean of Students Office or Advising Office - make sure you ask your faculty member. Be aware that some of these types of absences may be held against you when it comes to your grade in a course. Ensure that you keep track of how many unexcused absences you are allowed for each class you are missing. This information can likely be found in the class syllabus. (Make sure you check out my previous post on how to thoroughly read a college syllabus)
So, Let's Say You Have a Class Conflict Approaching, What Do You Do?
Check your class syllabus to see what assignments are due on the days you are missing. (Make sure you check out my previous post on how to thoroughly read a syllabus)
Email your faculty in advance of the event. The earlier, the better. Preferably, you should try to email your professor at least a month before the event. See my email template and examples below.
Make sure to ask about lecture notes and the best way to approach getting this information. Consider whether you should get the notes from a classmate. Can this lecture be recorded for you to view later or is it already recorded and posted online? Can you meet with the professor and/or TA to go over the content individually?
Share the maximum amount of class time you will miss in this communication.
Follow up that email with an in-person conversation. This can happen right after class, during office hours, or during an appointment.
Note whether your class is already recorded and posted online? Could you virtually attend class? Do you have access to PowerPoints prior to class? Can you ask a friend to take notes and share them with you? Will you need to meet with the professor/TA to review the content?
Make a plan for submitting your assignment(s), if applicable.
Consider if you need to submit your assignment (virtually or a physical copy) prior to leaving. Can you submit it electronically while you are out? Do you need to have an exam proctored by someone on campus? Will you need to meet with classmates for a group project in advance?
Keep in mind that you may want to go to a tutoring center, your faculty’s office hours, or meet with your professor/TA prior to submitting your assignment.
Remind your faculty via email two weeks before the class you are missing as a courtesy.
Do what you can to independently learn the content from the class knowing you will miss the lecture.
Do the assigned reading(s) and take strong notes on the content
Meet with your professor/TA to review the readings in advance
Research the course topic(s) on YouTube, Khan Academy, or other online learning tools.
Miss your class- only the ones that are necessary. After the missed class, follow through by handing in assignments, attending future lectures, and being an exemplary student.
Pro Tip: Do not let this excused missed class start a trend of unexcused missed classes. It is easy for a single absence to become a trend by having the mindset “well I missed last lecture, so I do not want to not know what is being reviewed in this next lecture.” If you follow my steps above, you should be on track despite missing some class meetings.
Pro Tip: Check the syllabus for the professor’s preferred contact method and use that to get in touch. In most cases it is email.
Pro Tip: If you can, refer to the class syllabus to schedule when you are going to miss class on a day with a lighter assignment or on a date the professor has already canceled.
Email Template to Send to Professors or Faculty for Pre-Planned Absences
Hi Professor _____,
My name is _[first and last name] [(student identifier number)]_ and I am in your _[class name, section, and meeting days/times]_ class. I am reaching out to inform you that I will be missing class on _[date(s)]_. During this time, I will be _[insert reason here]_. (Optional: I have submitted the required documentation to _[office name]_.)
With this in mind, I want to _[insert plan for meeting]_ to discuss missing lecture and submitting _[assignment name]__ on [specific alternative due date]_.
Thank you in advance for your flexibility,
_[First Name]_ _[Last Name]_
Example Number 1 Email Based on the Template
Hi Professor Marks,
My name is Robert Frank (Student ID: RF21031) and I am a student in your Cognitive Psychology course (PSYC 320) that meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:00 am. I am reaching out because I know I will be missing class on October 19th. During this class, I will be visiting a potential graduate school for their official program visiting day.
With this in mind, I want to come to your office hours on Thursday this week to talk about missing the lecture on October 19th and submitting the in-person quiz that will be taking place in the class that day on October 20th. I was hoping that you would be willing to record this lecture and I can meet with you afterward if I have any questions about the content covered.
Thank you,
Robert Frank
Example Number 2 Based Off Template - Multiple Classes Missed
Hi Professor Marks,
My name is Robert Frank (Student ID: RF21031) and I am a student in your Cognitive Psychology course (PSYC 320) that meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:00 am. I am reaching out because I know I will be missing class on October 19th, October 21st, and the discussion on October 22nd. During these sessions, I will be undergoing a medical procedure. I have provided documentation to the Dean of Students Office and the Office of Student Disability Services to coordinate my accommodations.
With this in mind, I want to make an appointment to discuss lecture content as well as make a plan for the assignments due that week and the ability to submit them at a later deadline, October 27th, once I have fully recuperated.
Thank you,
Robert Frank
Image credit: Katerina Holmes via Pexels.