Dean's Excuses

Policy

Fundamental principles regarding the issuance of Dean’s Excuses (DEs) in Trinity College:

1.     Responsibility for class attendance and completing course work on time rests with the individual student, and at times students may have difficult choices to make between fulfilling the obligations of their courses on time and engaging in extra-curricular activities that conflict with those obligations.

2.     Because the issuance of DEs obliges instructors not to penalize a student and because failure by students to complete work as assigned can be inconvenient for instructors and potentially disruptive to the courses in question, the academic deans will use the DE judiciously, particularly when a situation arises that is more or less beyond a student’s control and that temporarily prevents the student from discharging his/her academic responsibilities.

4.     In less compelling, more voluntary situations, when DEs are adjudged inappropriate, the denial of a DE should not be interpreted to suggest that the student activity or situation in question is not meritorious.  

5.    The decision to deny a DE should be understood as a judgment that the University is not justified in authorizing the postponement of academic work in the circumstances and, thus, compelling the instructor to accommodate and not penalize the student.

6.   Students may still be able to appeal directly to their instructors for permission to postpone completion of assigned academic work.  If an instructor agrees to accommodate a student request to miss class or complete work late, this is his or her decision and a private matter between the student and the instructor.

In accordance with faculty policy, if you miss a graded assignment for one of the following reasons you  may be eligible to receive a so-called “Dean's Excuse” issued by your academic dean:

A Dean's Excuse does not exempt you from completing the assignment missed. Rather, it insures that you are not penalized for failing to complete it when it is due and makes you eligible for accommodation according to the policy set by the instructor in the course.  How students who receive a Dean’s Excuse are accommodated can vary considerably.  In some cases, instructors will permit you to take a make-up exam or test.  In others, the instructor may choose to ignore the missed assignment and weight other work in the course more heavily.  In the case of a paper or report, you may simply be permitted to turn the work in late. 

No Dean's Excuses are issued for missing classes, only graded assignments. However, in the case of long-term illness or personal or family emergency, it may be appropriate for your academic dean to notify your instructors that you will be away from class for a period of time.

Procedure

It is generally best to contact your instructor first if you are expecting to miss an assignment for one of the three reasons noted above.  Your instructor may be willing and able to accommodate you without the need for a formal Dean’s Excuse. To discuss whether you are eligible for a Dean’s Excuse and to receive a Dean’s Excuse form if eligibility is established, contact the office of your academic dean.

Short-Term Illness

In October of 2003, the Arts & Sciences Council and the Pratt School of Engineering approved a new policy for notifying instructors when you miss graded work due to short-term illness. For full details on the policy, see Short-Term Illness Notification Procedure. Dean's Excuses are not issued for short-term illness.

Varsity Athletic Participation

Similarly, Dean's Excuses are no longer issued for participation of varsity athletes in competitions off campus.  Instead, varsity athletes are expected to submit a Notification of Varsity Athletics Participation prior to each competition off campus when graded work is missed.