Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend all meetings of all classes (including lectures, seminars, laboratories, and drills) in which they are enrolled. The specific attendance policy in each course, however, is determined by the instructor of the course, subject to the section on University Holidays below. At the start of each semester, the instructor is responsible for describing the class attendance policy in the syllabus and distributing it to students.

Academic events sponsored by the University under supervision of faculty advisors include, but are not limited to: theatre/dance and musical performances, debate, mock trial, model UN, conference attendance, ROTC field leadership exercise, and Oldham scholar travel. Because such events and varsity athletic competitions are recognized as integral to the educational experience, the appropriate coordinate college dean will provide official notification of student participation in these activities. It is also the student's responsibility to request such notification and to deliver it to the faculty member as early as possible in the semester. Faculty members will honor notification from the college deans that a student is to be excused for participation in a University-sponsored event. All other absences will not be officially announced by a dean, but may be excused at the discretion of faculty. Examples include, but are not limited to, class field trips, illness, funerals, and family functions. The University policy regarding absences related to University or religious policies is stated below. The University encourages students to weigh the consequences of missing class and other sponsored academic or varsity athletic events, and to make their choices accordingly.

Misrepresenting the reason for class absences to a professor is a violation of the University's honor code.

A student will be held responsible for all work of a class or laboratory missed during any absence.

Note: Students enrolled in business school or School of Continuing Studies courses must attend at least 75 percent of the class meetings-regardless of the reasons for absence-to be eligible to receive credit for the course.

University Holidays

With the increasing diversity of the University community and the limited flexibility in setting the academic calendar, it is not possible to avoid conflicts with some religious and secular holidays that are very important to some members of our faculty, staff, and student body. However, the University is very sensitive to the special needs of those who need to observe such holidays and will make accommodations for them to make up the time missed if arrangements are made in advance.

The University is officially closed on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas. In addition, some schools are closed for classes on Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day, while others hold classes on those days. (See the appropriate academic calendar for specifics.)

Other holidays affecting University community members include Martin Luther King Day, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first two days of Passover, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. In consideration of their significance for our students, students who observe these holidays will be given an opportunity to make up missed work in both laboratories and lecture courses. If a test or examination is given on the first class day after one of these holidays, it must not cover material introduced in class on that holiday. Faculty and staff should be aware that Jewish and Islamic holidays begin at sunset on the evening before the published date of the holiday.

The University recognizes that there are other holidays, both religious and secular, which are of importance to some individuals and groups on campus. Such occasions include, but are not limited to, Sukkoth, the last two days of Passover, Shavuot, Shemini Atzerat and Simchat Torah, as well as the Islamic New Year, Ra's al-sana and the Islamic holidays Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha.

Students who wish to observe any such holidays must inform their instructors within the first two weeks of each semester of their intent to observe the holiday, even when the exact date of the holiday will not be known until later, so that alternative arrangements convenient to both the student and the instructor can be made at the earliest opportunity. Students who make such arrangements will not be required to attend classes or take examinations on the designated days, and faculty must provide reasonable opportunities for such students to make up missed work and examinations. To facilitate this, faculty will announce and distribute all anticipated test and examination dates on the course syllabus, distributed at the beginning of each semester. Students should be aware that faculty may need to adjust these dates as necessary.

Addendum to the University of Richmond Academic Calendars 2008-2010

The list below is intended to familiarize the University community with major religious holidays affecting many throughout the campus. Inclusion on this list does not imply that the day is a University holiday but is provided to alert members of the Richmond community to possible scheduling conflicts. See the Class Attendance and University Holidays section of the catalog for details.

Jewish holy days, religious festivals and the weekly Sabbath begin at sunset the preceding evening. On these days, observant Jews do not engage in daily activities or fulfill routine commitments.

Many Jews who do not observe all holy days prefer to celebrate at their synagogue or at home on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the first two evenings of Passover.

**This holiday does not require absence from routine commitments.

All Islamic dates begin at sunset the preceding evening.

The Islamic year is based on the lunar cycle, consisting of 12 months of 29 or 30 days each, totaling 353 or 354 days. Each new month begins at the sighting of a new moon. Actual dates may differ by a day or two from the above dates. In many places, the moon sighting is often determined in advance by astronomical calculations.