Students are expected to be diligent in their studies and regular in class attendance, including online courses. The university has no policy allowing a certain number of excused absences or cuts. Instructors will announce their attendance policies at the beginning of the course, including what constitutes attendance in online courses. A student whose absences are determined by the instructor to be excessive may be dropped from the course with a grade of W or F. In the event a student may have unusual absences, it is the student’s responsibility to contact instructors.
Absences caused by participation in a university-sponsored activity are considered official if the sponsor of the activity has received approval from the administration. The student must make up the work missed even though the absences are official.
Absences due to Religious Holy Days
The University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) respects the religious observances of students even though they may conflict with university class meetings, assignments, or examinations.
UHV excuses a student from classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day or religious activities, including travel for that purpose. A student whose absence is excused under this policy shall be given the opportunity for make-up work and examinations consistent with other course policies related to excused absences.
Students should inform instructors in writing about upcoming religious holy days or religious activities early in the semester to enable planning and coordination of class assignments and examinations. Instructors should specify reasonable time periods for make-up work (including examinations) in the course syllabus and should specify the consequences of a student’s failure to meet such requirements. If a student and instructor disagree about whether the absence is for observance of a religious holy day or religious activity, or if they disagree about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor should appeal in writing to the Academic Dean or his/her designee. All parties must abide by the decision of the Dean or designee.
UHV may exclude from these policies and procedures any student absence for religious holy days, which may interfere with patient care.
Eligible religions are those whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation.
The state law regarding Religious Holy Days can be found online:
Texas Administrative Code (Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter A, Rule §4.4)
Texas Education Code (Section 51.911, www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/ED/htm/ED.51.htm#51.9111)
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