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View Bill 14-15-21

Senate Bill 14-15-21

Bill ID: 14-15-21
Name: Proposed Policy on Excused Absence
Proposed: 01/13/2015
Sponsor: Ann Smith
Proposal: To create a new umbrella Excused Absence Policy that would apply to all types of excused absences and would replace the current Religious Observance Policy and the Student Medically Necessitated Absence from Class Policy.

The current policies and practices related to excused absences are described in three different places:

Religious Observance Policy
http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/iii510a.html

Student Medically Necessitated Absence from Class
http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/docs/V-100G.pdf

Undergraduate Catalog
http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1540
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Status

Status: Completed
Completed On: 05/06/2016

History

Approval(s):
Presidential Approval: 05/06/2016
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Reviewed By: Senate
Received: 04/21/2016
Decision Date: 04/28/2016
Decision: The Senate approved the policy as amended.
Next Step: Presidential Approval
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Reviewed By: Senate Executive Committee (SEC)
Received: 04/12/2016
Decision Date: 04/19/2016
Decision: The SEC voted to forward the proposal to the Senate for review
Next Step: Senate Review
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Reviewed By: Academic Procedures & Standards (APAS) Committee
Received: 08/26/2015
Decision Date: 04/09/2016
Decision: The APAS Committee decided to forward its recommendations to the SEC for review.
Actions: The APAS Committee reviewed the amendment to the existing charge in early fall 2015. APAS also reviewed the memo on military obligations from the Student Affairs Committee in October 2015.

APAS reviewed this topic during the 2015-2016 academic year. APAS reviewed similar policies and procedures at peer institutions and discussed the possibility of the creation of an online, centralized reporting/request mechanism at the University. APAS
reviewed the text of the current relevant policies, as well as the information in the Undergraduate Catalog. APAS also discussed various aspects of excuse absence procedures and practices on campus and at universities nationwide. APAS carefully reviewed the text of the proposed policy as submitted by Undergraduate Studies
and decided to craft its own umbrella policy for discussion. After numerous iterations of a draft policy, on April 9, 2016, the APAS Committee voted in favor of forwarding its recommended policy on excused absence to the Senate for consideration.
Next Step: SEC Review
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Reviewed By: Student Affairs Committee
Received: 08/26/2015
Decision Date: 10/02/2015
Decision: The Student Affairs Committee voted to send a memo with suggestions to the APAS Committee for consideration.
Actions: The Student Affairs Committee reviewed the proposal related to military obligations in September and October 2015. The committee reviewed the language in the proposal, and considered the impact of proposed changes on students. The committee voted to approve its recommendations via an email vote on October 6, 2015. The Student Affairs Committee submitted its recommendation to the APAS Committee regarding the proposed language.
Next Step: APAS Committee Review
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Reviewed By: Senate Executive Committee (SEC)
Received: 08/19/2015
Decision Date: 08/26/2015
Decision: The SEC decided to amend the existing charge to include consideration of military obligations.
Actions: The SEC reviewed a proposal called, "Request for Extension of the Excused Absence Policy for Military Service" (Senate Doc. No. 15-16-03) at its August 26, 2015 meeting. The SEC voted to amend the existing charge to APAS and Student Affairs to include consideration of military obligations. In light of this additional request, the SEC also decided to extend the APAS Committee's final deadline to February 15, 2016.
Next Step: APAS Committee and Student Affairs Committee Review
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Reviewed By: Academic Procedures & Standards (APAS) Committee
Received: 02/23/2015
Decision Due By: 11/06/2015
Actions: The APAS Committee received a memo from the Student Affairs Committee at the end of the spring 2015 semester. APAS will continue to review this issue in fall 2015.
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Reviewed By: Student Affairs Committee
Received: 02/23/2015
Decision Date: 04/29/2015
Decision: The Student Affairs Committee voted to send a memo with suggestions to the APAS Committee for consideration.
Actions: The Student Affairs Committee worked on this charge during the spring 2015 semester. The committee met with the proposer, reviewed the language in the proposal in detail, and considered the impact of proposed changes on students. The committee also considered whether students should be assured bereavement leave and how that leave could be incorporated into the proposed policy. On April 29, 2015, the committee voted to approve its recommendations. Per the charge, the Student Affairs Committee will submit a recommendation to the APAS Committee regarding the proposed language.
Next Step: Academic Procedures & Standards (APAS) Committee Review
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Reviewed By: Senate Executive Committee (SEC)
Received: 02/05/2015
Decision Date: 02/12/2015
Decision: The SEC decided to jointly charge the Student Affairs Committee and the Academic Procedures & Standards (APAS) Committee with review of this proposal.
Actions: The SEC reviewed the proposal from the Office of Undergraduate Studies at its meeting on February 12, 2015. The SEC also reviewed a similar proposal it had recently received regarding the creation of a student bereavement policy, which had been submitted by the Provost's Student Advisory Council.

The SEC voted to charge the Academic Procedures & Standards (APAS) Committee and the Student Affairs Committee with the proposal from the Office of Undergraduate Studies, and to include the proposed student bereavement policy as an element of the charge.
Next Step: APAS Committee & Student Affairs Committee Review
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