COP – ATTENDANCE POLICY

Policy Number: 3349-AC-503
Effective Date: 07/01/2026
Updated: —
Reviewed: —
Responsible Department: Office of Education, College of Pharmacy
Applies To: COP Students

A. Purpose

1. Course attendance is expected of students enrolled in the College of Pharmacy (COP). This policy outlines the attendance expectations for students and the associated process to use when they cannot meet course attendance requirements.

B. Scope

1. This policy applies to students who are enrolled in credit-bearing courses within the College of Pharmacy in which a final grade is assigned and appears on a student’s official transcript.

C. Definitions

1. “Absence” refers to missing or not attending a scheduled class session, assessment, or clinical experience.
2. “Committee on Academic and Professional Progress” (CAPP) refers to the committee that evaluates students’ academic performance, assesses professional readiness for continued studies, and determines appropriateness of curricular leave. (NEOMED Appendix G, College of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy Standing Committees)
3. “Experiential Curriculum” refers to any course or component of a course that involves assignment to clinical care settings, often involving various clinical partners (e.g., ambulatory practices, hospitals, etc.), involving real or simulated patient experiences.
4. “Course Director” refers to any instructor who is responsible for assignment of a course grade or a major component thereof to a student, or a person responsible for contributing to a promotion decision regarding a student.

D. Policy Statement

1. Attendance requirements vary for different components and sessions of the curriculum. Attendance is at the discretion of each Course Director, and attendance policies for each specific course will be included in the syllabus materials. In some course activities, participation may be a factor in determining the grade. Respect for faculty, as shown in part by punctuality and attendance, is an important component of student conduct and professional commitment.
2. Students unable to attend a mandatory class or session due to illness or an emergency have to contact the Course Director and complete an Absence Notification Form. Failure to notify the Course Director may affect the course grade. In cases where a student is unable to attend a scheduled session of a course, the student is responsible for all material covered during his/her Absence.
3. Concerns about attendance or tardiness may be a student conduct issue, in which case students will be directed to meet with the Course Director and/or with the Associate Dean of Student Success and Community Pharmacy Transformation for the College of Pharmacy and/or the Dean of Students. Concerns regarding professional commitment or aggregate conduct may be referred to the CAPP.
4. Students who are ill or experience an emergency when an examination is scheduled must contact the Course Director in advance of missing the examination or as soon as possible. The Course Director will then determine if the Absence will be excused and will work with Academic Services to determine when the examination must be rescheduled.
5. Students may be granted up to five (5) days of Absence time during each year of the P1-P3 years to non-campus-based professional development activities that are intended to enhance the student’s professional career. Student-specific exceptions to this policy will be approved by the Vice Dean or their designee. Unless there is an emergency situation, students should submit an Absence request form and discuss an alternative plan with the Course Director before the Absence occurs.
   1. The decision about whether a professional development activity is eligible for approved Absence is determined by the Course Director(s). If there is disagreement between Course Directors, the Vice Dean will make the final decision. Based on the course requirements and schedule, Absences may or may not be approved. No travel plans should be made until final approval by the Course Director(s) has been granted for any Absence. Students who obtain Absence approval but do not attend the professional meeting will be deemed to be in violation of the Expectations of Student Conduct and Professional Commitment. Students requesting exceptions to this policy must do so through the College of Pharmacy’s Vice Dean or their designee.
   2. Any Absences that are longer than five (5) consecutive days will adhere to filling out the Request for Leave of Absence Form.
6. When in the Experiential Curriculum, time off is to be taken only with the PRIOR approval of the preceptor at the site. Students must document any Absences from an experiential rotation within CORE ELMS. Failure to document Absences can represent unprofessional conduct and can be grounds for rotation failure. This is to be completed a minimum of five (5) business days before a planned Absence. Completed Absence forms must be sent to the director of Experiential Education for review. Students should complete the required number of hours for the learning experience and must make up any missed experiential hours.
7. Due to the intensity of each rotation and the need to achieve rotation objectives, it is advised that students avoid taking time away from their rotations. However, it is recognized that students may need time off from rotations for professional or personal reasons. Students should complete the required number of hours for the learning experience and must make up any missed experiential hours.
   1. Approvable Absences from rotations are those which the preceptor deems important to the professional development of the student (e.g., interviews, attendance at a professional meeting) or for a personal illness/wellness or a family-related emergency. Absences related to on-campus activities, such as college committees, are approvable at the discretion of the preceptor. Time off for personal vacations, weddings, honeymoons, family reunions, etc., should not be planned during rotations and therefore will not be approved by the preceptor.
   2. Students will be allowed no more than nine (9) days of approved Absences — including personal illness, wellness, or emergencies — from their assigned rotations over the entire nine-month Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) program. The nine (9) days are not meant to be an entitlement and cannot be used or saved for an extended break from rotations, including personal or family vacations. Each student is responsible for assuring that the maximum number of days away from the nine-month program is not exceeded. Exceeding the maximum number of days can result in a student not successfully completing the requirements of the APPE program necessary for graduation.
   3. Students will be allowed no more than two (2) days of approved Absences during any one month. Exceptions to this requirement, as in the case of interviews, can occur only if approved by the preceptor and director of Experiential Education prior to scheduling an interview. If additional Absences are allowed, the preceptor may require the student to work extra time at the site or complete additional activities to ensure achievement of rotation objectives.
   4. Students with approved Absences are still expected to complete all rotation objectives or responsibilities and must make accommodations to do so. The preceptor may require the student to make up any Absence time from the rotation.
   5. Time off is to be taken only with the prior approval of the preceptor at the site. Students must document any Absences from an experiential rotation within CORE ELMS. This is to be completed a minimum of five (5) business days before a planned Absence. Completed Absence forms must be sent to the director of Experiential Education for review.
   6. Students are granted specific holidays off from rotation (refer to the P4 APPE Academic Schedule for a list of approved student holidays). Preceptors should allow the students to be off for these approved holidays.
   7. In the case of personal illness or emergency, the student is required to notify the preceptor or their designee as soon as possible prior to the scheduled arrival time at the site. The method of notification (e.g., email, phone call) should be predetermined by the preceptor and communicated to the student at the start of the rotation. If the student is absent for more than two (2) days from the rotation due to illness or emergency, the student must notify the director of Experiential Education. The Request Form must be completed upon the student’s return to the rotation.
   8. Time off for religious reasons is allowed in accordance with NEOMED policy. Students requesting time off for this reason are required to receive approval from the Vice Dean or their designee before the start of the fall and spring semester, prior to the start of the time off. The student is required to inform the preceptor of these approved Absences before beginning the rotation. Students will be required to make up any missed time resulting from these types of Absences at the discretion of the preceptor.
   9. Unexcused Absences include any failure to be present on a scheduled rotation day(s), failure to notify the preceptor of an illness or emergency in a reasonable period of time, or any Absence that was not approved by the preceptor. Unexcused Absences will not be tolerated and may jeopardize the student’s successful completion of the program. Any unexcused Absence may result in failure of the rotation in which it occurred. Preceptors should immediately notify the director of Experiential Education if unexcused Absences occur. The Office of Experiential Education will contact any student who has an unexcused Absence.
   10. Requests for time off between rotations for travel to or from a distant rotation are to be arranged only within that rotation at the discretion of the preceptor. Generally, no more than one (1) business day should be taken for travel.
   11. Any exceptions to the above policy require approval of the director of Experiential Education in cooperation with the preceptor.
8. The Vice Dean of Pharmacy or their designee may approve Absences for circumstances that conflict with the above-stated policy but are deemed in the best interest of the student.
   1. A formal, written request, including the rationale for the Absence, must be submitted to the Vice Dean of Pharmacy or their designee as much in advance of the anticipated Absence as possible. On the rare occasion that approval is not sought in advance of the Absence, a written request must be submitted within two (2) calendar days of returning to class.
   2. No more than five (5) days will be approved for exceptional circumstances during an academic year.

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