Class Absence (What to do)

If a student will miss more than one day of classes due to illness, family emergency, or other issues, they should notify their instructors of the absence by submitting a Course Action Notice (CAN) via Path@Penn. In addition, they should notify the Office of Academic Services (OAS) via email (ugadvising@engineering.upenn.edu) or phone (215-898-7246).

For absences due to illness, the student should be seen by Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) for medical evaluation or submit appropriate documentation to SHAC (if seen by an outside health provider) for record-keeping. Once SHAC has received and reviewed the documentation, the student may request (of SHAC) that a representative of the Office of Academic Services send a notification to all the student’s instructors. Note that during peak advising periods, requests may take more than one day to process. This notification does not constitute an excused absence; students are still responsible for following up with faculty to discuss completing any missed work. Please do not submit medical documentation directly to instructors or OAS.

To submit documentation to Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), you can submit information via one of two methods:

1. Box – using the following instructions
   • UPLOADING: Go to https://upenn.box.com and sign in with your PennKey.
     • In the All Files section (homepage) of Box, click New + button in the upper-right corner.
     • Select File Upload.
     • Select the file(s) you’d like to upload.
       • You can select multiple files for upload by holding the Command or Control key (Mac or Windows, respectively) while selecting files.
     • Click Open or Upload.
   • SHARING: Once you’ve uploaded your file, you can select who you would like to share it with by following these instructions:
     • Open the Share window.
       • To do this, in your All Files view, hover over the row of
         the file or folder you wish to share. On the right, click the Share arrow. The Share window will then open.
     • In the Share window, under Invite People, click Add names or email addresses. To securely share your file with Wellness at Penn, add Terema Robinson (terema@upenn.edu) as the recipient.
     • Click the Invite as drop-down menu. Box displays a list of roles. Click the Viewer role.
     • In the Message field, type a message of up to 750 characters for the collaborator.
       • You will need to include your name, Penn ID, that you are Engineering student, the dates you have/will miss class, and any other important information you feel should be shared with SHAC.
   • SENDING: Click Send.
2. MyPennChart Portal – If you have questions or need guidance on submitting documentation and notifying your school(s), you can reach SHAC by phone at [215-746-WELL (9355)].

Students should refer to their course syllabi for policies regarding other types of absences.

Please note: In addition to submitting a CAN, students who will miss more than five days of class for any reason should contact the Office of Academic Services (OAS) by phone at 215-898-7246 or by email at ugadvising@engineering.upenn.edu to discuss the impact of this extended absence on their schoolwork and academic progress.