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FSD-16-13 Military Service Excusal Policy

December 9, 2016

Purdue University Northwest Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Document 16-13

Submission Date: 12/9/2016 (Student Affairs)

Senate Action and Date:

  • For Discussion, 1/13/2017;
  • Approved, 2/10/2017

To: Faculty Senate
From: Student Affairs Committee
Re: Absence for Military Service

The Student Affairs Committee recommends the adoption of the attached policy on absences by students for required military service.  This document was previously passed by the Purdue North Central Senate (FSD 15-12), but never considered by the Purdue Calumet Senate.

Military Service Excusal Policy

Military Service Excusal Policy for Students

Policy Statement: Purdue University Northwest recognizes that those who are actively serving in the Reserves or National Guard of the United States are required by their military contract to attend mandatory training, with failure to attend punishable under law. The University therefore provides the following rights to students required by their military contract to attend mandatory training through the Military Absence Policy for Students (MAPS).

MAPS Policy:

Students will be excused for mandatory military training and given the opportunity to earn equivalent credit and to demonstrate evidence of meeting the learning outcomes for missed assignments or assessments in the event of a schedule or class conflict due to mandatory military training. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester of the potential for mandatory military service conflicts. In the event of active duty deployment, the student may withdraw from their courses.

Scope:

Students are eligible for up to fifteen (15) days of excused absence per academic year, with no more than ten (10) days taken consecutively, for their mandatory military training or deployment. If a longer period is required, to provide military service, either an Incomplete status shall be granted (I grade) or the student may withdraw from courses without penalty.*

In addition, students may be granted additional absences to account for travel considerations, to be determined by the distance of the verified military training or service from the PNW campus, as follows:

Within 150 mile radius of a student’s home Purdue Northwest campus, no additional excused absence days. Between 150 – 300 mile radius of a student’s home Purdue Northwest campus, one additional excused absence day. Beyond 300 mile radius of a student’s home Purdue Northwest campus, two additional excused absence days. Outside the 48 contiguous United States, four additional excused absence days.

A student should contact the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS) to request that a notice of the leave be sent to instructors as soon as he or she is informed of the dates of mandatory military training.  The student will provide documentation of the mandatory military training in the form of orders or equivalent documents as proof of legitimate absence to the ODOS as soon as these documents are available.  If necessary, the ODOS may consult with Veterans Services about the nature of the documentation.  When documentation is presented to the Office of the Dean of Students a verified absence notification will be sent to the student’s instructors.

The student may provide verbal information about the leave to the ODOS and an unverified preliminary (non–MAPS) notice will be sent to instructors for planning purposes only.  MAPS will be applicable only when the student has returned to the ODOS with substantiating documentation and ODOS has sent a verified absence notification to the instructors.

With a verified absence notification from the ODOS, the instructor will excuse the student from class and provide the opportunity to earn equivalent credit and to demonstrate evidence of meeting the learning outcomes for missed assignments or assessments. If the student is not satisfied with the implementation of this policy by a faculty member, he or she is encouraged to contact the Department Head and if necessary, the ODOS or Veterans Services, for further review of his or her case. In a case where grades are negatively affected, the student may follow the established grade appeals process.

*Note: Tuition refunds will be granted in the event of course withdrawals in accordance with University policy

Approved:

  1. Elmendorf (Chair)
  2. Jakubowski (SGA)
  3. Kuhn
  4. Rezak
  5. Spores

Disapproved:

None

Absent:

  1. Dobrowski
  2. Fathizadeh
  3. James
  4. Sida Diaz (SGA)
  5. Tan