An Emergency Notification is:

  • An e-mail notification from the Office of the Dean of Students to a student's faculty members and academic advisers that is sent to the student, as well.

  • An announcement of an emergency situation that has taken a student away from campus/classes (their own hospitalization, assault, accident, death in the family, etc.).

  • A source of information for you so you can anticipate the absence and, sometimes, if/when you can expect the student to return to class.

  • A written reminder for students that they should work with you to figure out how they will proceed in your course given their absence.

     

An Emergency Notification is not:

  • A notification for non-emergency situations (car problems, planned absences, minor illnesses, a past absence).

  • A requirement for students. If a student notifies you that they are in an emergency situation, you can work out the details with them and do not need to involve our office.

 

Office of THE DEAN OF STUDENTS staff does:

  • Ask for some details from the person requesting the emergency notification so we can assess the situation and offer advice about what should be done to make the student's transition back to class easier.
  • Often follow up with students after the emergency notification process. Knowing their situation can help us tailor our follow-up, get them the help they need, and help them be better prepared to re-enter your class.

 

Office of THE DEAN OF STUDENTS staff does not:

  • Investigate when we receive requests to send out emergency notifications; we do not contact hospitals, doctors, or family members to assess the validity of an absence.
  • Serve as a proxy between the student and their faculty throughout their absence to identify assignments and class expectations that need to be met.

 

When the student returns to class:

We recognize that you have the academic freedom to make decisions about absences and how they will affect a student's grade. However, please keep in mind that students who utilize the emergency notification service are typically recovering from a crisis and would benefit from your flexibility.