Professors must now accept students’ self-signed notes excusing them from class at least once per semester due to a University Senate vote yesterday, even though ill students have been allowed to print out such notes for seven years.
After the University Health Center stopped issuing sick notes for single absences in 2004, students have been left with the option of missing class unexcused or attending class while sick. But after a senate subcommittee crafted legislation to overturn the vote two years ago, members finally saw the policy passed with a 75 to 4 vote in favor of providing students at least one self-excused absence as well as health center-issued notes on test and presentation days.
Many students said this would alleviate worry and provide them with the healing time they needed.
“I think it’s a good idea, especially for classes that are attendance-based,” said sophomore kinesiology major Kesley Cofsky. “You can feel fine one day and then wake up the next day feeling lousy. It happens. Everyone needs their day.”
The new policy will require professors to outline guidelines in their syllabi for medical absences and allow students to print one note per class from the health center website stating the date and reason for absence that professors must accept. The policy also states that the health center must provide students with an excused note for absences that are more than seven days, which is already required by the university.
Matthew Stamm, who chaired the committee that devised the legislation over the past year, said students will not abuse the system, saving their one absence for a day they really need it.
“This would give students the ability to excuse themselves from class without overburdening the health center,” he said. “The way we view it is like sick leave — you can excuse yourself from work for a day or two as long as you don’t abuse it. As long as we give this to students once a semester, they’ll use it responsibly and not expose other students to whatever they have.”
Before 2004, the health center issued notes granting students permission to miss a single class. Officials said students abused this policy and would ask for notes simply to get out of class; the health center employees ended up spending nearly a quarter of their time writing such excuses.
And while health center officials said they are anticipating an increase in the number of requests for sick notes because they are required to issue notes for absences on test and presentation days, they will comply with the passed legislation.
“We’re one step closer to making a sort of more concerted effort on behalf of the university to treat our students like adults,” health center Director Sacared Bodison said. “I think we will try to do our part and make sure that we follow the new policy.”
Many senators threw their support behind the updated measure at yesterday’s meeting and said they trust students to adhere to the honor code.
“We’re teaching these young students to be adults in the workforce, and as adults, we need to regulate ourselves to say, ‘I’m tired, and I need one day to rest,'” said senator Gloria Coates, a staff member. “I have a daughter who is of college age, and she had a cold, and if she had taken the one day rest, then it would not have escalated, so I think this is a wonderful policy.”
However, other senators said they were afraid students would abuse the right to issue a self-signed note.
“My concern is that this could be negative on a bit of a bigger scale as far as underage drinking goes,” said student senator Vas Blagodarskiy. “If you’re hungover and don’t want to go to class, this gives students a way out.”
Supporters said students are still accountable for making up the work.
“I think we should be held responsible to take our own sick leaves,” said Alex Miletich, an undergraduate student senator. “We’re still missing material, we’re going to have to catch up, so there aren’t reasons to skip a class just because.”
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