Class Attendance Policies

Registration and Records
In this Section
UW-Stout Class Attendance Policies

This will apply to all students enrolled at UW-Stout.  

  1. Regular attendance is the responsibility of each student, and it is assumed that students will attend all classes for which they are enrolled.*

  2. The attendance policy of each instructor is to be submitted in writing to each student at the beginning of the course. It may be discussed with or explained to the students. Attendance is likely to affect the student's achievement and it is at the instructor's discretion as to how class attendance and participation are factored into the student's overall grade for the course.  

  3. It is the student's responsibility to notify instructors of any situation that causes the student to miss class. Students should follow the policy outlined in the syllabus for missing class.  

  4. When a student is absent for three days or longer because of lengthy illness or a family situation, notification for student absences will be issued by the Dean of Students Office, (715) 232-1181 or Dean_of_Students@uwstout.edu. This notification does not change attendance policies put in effect by the instructor and is a courtesy memo only, informing the instructor of the student's whereabouts. This courtesy memo is not an excused absence, rather a documentation of the absence.  

  5. A university-sanctioned activity is defined as an activity that has been verified by the class instructor or divisional head prior to the activity.  Such activities include, but are not limited to: course related field trips, intercollegiate athletics, Student Association conferences, forensics tournaments, and music tours. Student participation in these events is recognized as an integral part of the educational experience. To minimize conflict with other instructors, the dates of these scheduled activities should be provided to participating students and academic departments early in the semester. 

    The determination of student qualifications for or participation in these activities is the responsibility of the class instructor or organizational advisor.

    Instructional staff must allow the student to make up missed activities/course work at the convenience of the instructor.  Class periods missed by attending a university-sanctioned activity should not be treated as an absence. 

    Students are expected to notify their respective instructors in advance of classes which they will miss due to participation in a university-sanctioned activity and at the convenience of the class instructor, will assume the responsibility for making up work missed due to such absence.

    *Students who register for a course but do not attend the class and do not officially withdraw are given a mark of “FN.”
First Day Attendance Policy

Students who do not attend the first class meeting of a course, or who do not notify the instructor or department chair that they will be absent for special reasons, may, at the instructor's discretion, be dropped from that course if, and only if, other students are waiting to enroll at that time. Instructors may use this form to drop absent students. Please note, however, that many instructors do not use this option. Do not assume that a course will be dropped automatically if you do not attend.

This policy does not apply to students who have permission to return after Labor Day due to work commitments. Please be sure to check the list provided with the class rosters before exercising your option in this policy.

Religious Observances
  1. A student shall be permitted to make up an examination or another academic requirement at another time or by an alternative method, without any prejudicial effect, where:
  • There is a scheduling conflict between the student's sincerely held religious beliefs and taking the examination or meeting the academic requirement; and
  • The student has notified the instructor, within the first three weeks of the beginning of classes (within the first week of summer session and short courses), of the specific days or dates on which he or she will request relief from an examination or academic requirement.
  1. Instructors may schedule a make-up examination or course requirement before or after the regularly scheduled examination or another academic requirement.
  2. Instructors shall accept, at face value, the sincerity of students' religious beliefs.
  3. Student notification of instructors and requests for relief under par. 1 shall be kept confidential.
  4. Complaints of failure to provide reasonable accommodation of a student's sincerely held religious beliefs as required by this rule may be filed under institutional complaint and grievance procedures adopted pursuant to Chapter UWS 6 and Chapter UWS 13.

Examination or other academic requirement is defined as any course requirement established by an instructor which will be considered in awarding the student's grade in the course.

Questions should be directed to the Office of the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at (715) 232-2421 or the Dean of Students Office at (715) 232-1181.