Attendance is a necessary element of a Palmer student’s education. The College recognizes excused and/or exempted absences for a limited set of circumstances. Palmer College must comply with related state and federal laws and regulations regarding a student’s attendance.
Federal regulations require that students earn their financial aid funds by attending and actively participating in courses. To verify financial aid eligibility, attendance information is collected by the Office of the Registrar. If notification of non-attendance in any course is received, the determination of federal financial aid eligibility will be re-evaluated and may result in financial aid forfeiture and/or a balance due to the College. If a student is not attending classes, the student is expected to complete the official withdrawal process of the College.
Students must report all excused or exempted absences to the Office of the Registrar within five business days of the absence. The Registrar’s Office may require supporting documentation from the student. The Registrar’s Office will notify the faculty of the student’s absence.
Palmer College recognizes excused absences for jury duty, short-term military duty, pregnancy-related conditions and childbirth, exempted absences for mandatory religious obligations, unavoidable events and College-supported activities approved by the Dean of Programs. Students called for documented jury duty or short-term military duty will submit official notification of service to the Office of the Registrar in advance of the absences.
The Office of the Registrar will notify faculty of the absence. Notification of services will be maintained in the student’s file. The returning student is responsible for contacting the course instructor, who will provide the appropriate make up assignments for the days missed. Absences outside the designated time frame will not be excused.
This policy does not in any way release students from the responsibility of satisfying all requirements necessary for the successful completion of any course.
Absences for pregnancy-related conditions or childbirth are excused when the student’s licensed health care provider deems the absence medically necessary. The student will provide supporting documentation to the Office of the Registrar, who will communicate the excused absence to the course instructors. Requests for adjustments or modifications are managed through the Student Disability Services Coordinator.
Students absent due to mandatory religious obligations, unavoidable events and College-supported activities approved by the Dean of Programs must contact the Office of the Registrar prior to the absence when the absence is foreseeable. The Office of the Registrar maintains a list of College-supported activities approved by the Dean of Programs.
Extended absences that do not allow the student to meet the course requirements may prompt the College to issue an administrative withdrawal. Students on extended excused absence will be given a reasonable amount of time to make up the work they missed or be allowed to re-enter the program at the point where they left.
