Policy for Medical and Other Excuses from Class

Each professor has his or her own attendance policy, and if it is not printed on your syllabus, you should ask about it. It is your responsibility to know each professor’s policy and what counts as an excused absence.

If you are too sick to go to class, you should notify your instructor. If you go to Bucknell Student Health (BSH), and the doctor determines that you need to be out of class for two days or more, s/he will call the appropriate Dean’s Office so that we can notify your instructors that you will be out. The doctors will not provide excuses for routine illnesses that do not require you to miss class.

If you feel ill on the day of an exam, presentation, or other significant academic exercise, you should notify your professor in advance and go to Bucknell Student Health for an evaluation. If the doctor concludes you are too sick to take the exam, s/he will call your academic Dean’s Office (Engineering or Arts and Sciences) and they will send a memo to your instructors. Presenting to Bucknell Student Health alone does not guarantee an excuse from class or from an exam. One must meet significant clinical criteria as judged by a medical professional.

Please note that the Deans will not be able to provide medical excuses to your professors unless they are notified by a doctor.

If you need to leave campus for treatment, please call your academic Dean’s Office to let them know when you are leaving and how long you will be gone. They will send a notice to your professors. Please have your doctor(s) at home contact Bucknell Student Health so that we can keep important information about your medical history in your file here on campus.

If you need to leave campus for a non-medical reason such as a funeral, wedding, graduation, or family emergency, please call your academic Dean's Office as soon as possible so they can alert your professors.