1. Students will be excused from class for funeral leave in the event of the death of a close friend or member of the student’s family or household. The number of excused absences allowed is determined by the distance of funeral services from Muncie, Indiana, as follows:
    1. Three school days - Within 150 miles radius of Muncie
    2. Four school days - Between 150-300 miles radius of Muncie
    3. Five school days - Beyond 300 miles radius of Muncie
    4. Seven school days - Outside of North America
  2. If the student is unable to attend the funeral services, the student will be allowed three school days for bereavement.
  3. Given proper documentation, the instructor will excuse the student from class and provide the opportunity to earn equivalent credit for assignment missed. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome, he or she may appeal as outlined in this policy.
  1. Ball State supports the responsibilities of citizens and encourages students to engage in the Muncie and home communities. One expectation of citizenship is jury duty.
  2. Ball State University advises students summoned for jury duty to contact the court as soon as possible and to request a deferral if jury duty will interfere with classes. Many jurisdictions allow college students to defer service to a later date, or may even exempt college students from serving on juries.
  3. Absences will be excused for students who are summoned to report for jury duty or to serve as a witness in court during class time. Official documentation of jury service dates or a copy of the subpoena to be a witness must be submitted to instructors in order for absences to be excused. Students are expected to make up academic work.

Ball State does not discriminate against any student on the basis of pregnancy or related conditions. Absences due to medical conditions relating to pregnancy will be excused for as long as deemed medically necessary by a student's doctor and students will be given the opportunity to make up missed work. Students needing assistance may contact the Associate Dean of Students/TitleIX Coordinator (Mrs. Katie Slabaugh, 765-285-1545).

Note: Military/Veterans' Attendance

The policy below was placed into the Faculty and Professional Personnel Handbook by action of the Faculty Council on April 15, 2021 in accordance with Public Law 116.315 which went into effect August 1, 2021. The policy below is section 108.3-4 of the 2021-2022 Handbook and may be found on p. 259. It is referenced here for greater access; please confer with the current Handbook for the most accurate text.

  • 108.3 Detailed information regarding requirements for Veterans' attendance may be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. This information is kept current by directives received from the Administrator of the Veterans Administration, VACO, Washington, D.C.
  • Veterans’ Affairs Public Law 116-315 Statement - Federal law requires that academic institutions who receive GI Bill funding must allow for students to be gone for both long and short periods of time due to military service obligations students must fulfill for active-duty service members and Reservists. In addition, these academic institutions must allow Service members and reservists to be readmitted to a program if they are temporarily unable to attend class or suspend their studies due to service requirements.
  • 108.4. Detailed information regarding attendance requirements for student financial aid may be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
  • By action of the Faculty Council April 15, 2021

Absence Notification to Faculty

Students should review each instructor's course syllabus regarding absence guidelines and follow those guidelines. In general, students are expected to notify all of their instructors once they anticipate being absent for any reason (e.g., funeral) or as soon as possible after the absence begins (e.g., unexpected injury or illness). The student will provide documentation to each instructor if requested.

Procedures for Appeals Regarding Leaves

  • To initiate an appeal regarding a leave, the student must request a review of the dispute by contacting (in person, by phone, or by letter) the faculty member, or in his or her absence the department chairperson. Students are strongly encouraged to request the review as soon as the conflict becomes apparent but must request the review no later than ten (10) school days after the start of the next academic (fall, spring, or summer) semester following the semester or summer session in which the conflict occurred. The faculty member, or in his or her absence the department chairperson, must respond to the student’s request within ten (10) school days after receipt of the request.
  • If the matter cannot be resolved with the faculty member, the student must inform the department chairperson of the disagreement with the faculty member and present the student’s side of the dispute. The department chairperson will then attempt to resolve the dispute by consulting all affected parties.
  • If the department chairperson cannot resolve the dispute to the student’s satisfaction, the student may continue with the appeals process by contacting the Dean of the College in which the department resides. The Dean will then attempt to resolve the dispute by consulting all affected parties. If the Dean of the College cannot resolve the dispute to the student’s satisfaction, the student may appeal to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will consult all affected parties. The decision of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs is final.
  • In the case that the faculty member involved in the appeal is the administrator next in the line of the appeal process, then the appeal will move directly to the next level.