Appropriate documentation must be submitted to the Dean of Students Office prior to our office sending any notification to faculty.  Documentation submitted more than 30 days after the absence will not be verified unless there are extenuating circumstances that prevented submission.  Examples of appropriate documentation include notes (on letterhead) from treatment providers, hospital discharge forms, police reports, and/or obituaries. Documentation should be written or typed on official letterhead and contain the following information— date of service, student name, date of birth, and date of return— when applicable.  Please know that submission of documentation does not guarantee that a notification will be sent by the Dean of Students Office.  DoS staff has the discretion to request additional documentation if needed.

For chronic or ongoing medical or health issues, students will be referred to Student Access and Accommodations to discuss classroom accommodations.  If a student has an accommodation related to attendance, faculty do not have the discretion to deny the accommodation but must engage in the interactive process with the student and the Student Access and Accommodation Office, while taking into consideration the essential elements of the course in determining how much flexibility can be provided.

Please use this link to submit your documentation: SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION.  Supporting documentation can be uploaded in the following formats- .png, .jpeg, or PDF.  HEIC files should not be submitted.  Students, submission of false documentation is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and may result in conduct charges.

After you submit your documentation, you must communicate with your faculty about the absence.

When a student is absent to represent the university (as in athletics, chorus, band, national or state meetings of organizations represented at TCU), then an Official University Absence may be granted by the Dean of Students Office. Faculty members are required to permit students to make up work missed because of Official University Absences.

Holy Day. In accordance with Texas Education Code Section 51.911 Religious Holy Days, an institution of higher education shall excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day.  TCU’s policy for the Religious Observances and Holidays states that students must notify faculty or staff the first two weeks of the semester of their intention to be absent from class or the required event on their day(s) of religious observance.  A faculty member may appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignment or examination within a reasonable time after the absence.  For more details on this policy, please visit the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life’s webpage.

Active Military Service. In accordance with Texas Education Code Section 51.9111 Excused Absence for Active Military Service, when a student is called into active military service, including travel associated with that service, an institution of higher education shall excuse the student from attending classes or engaging in other required activities, including exams. The student may not be penalized for the absence and shall be allowed to complete assignments and exams within a reasonable time after the absence. The Dean of Students can assist students with verifying the excused absence by collecting and storing appropriate documentation and then notifying the student’s professors. Faculty are encouraged to work with the student to help them satisfactorily complete assignments and exams within a reasonable time. If assignments and exams are not completed within a reasonable time, faculty make take appropriate action.