Case 3: Possible Flu

Class Absence Excuse Discussion, ECE400, Spring 2012

A student emails you in the morning prior to the lecture. He states that he has a high fever, most likely some type of flu, and would prefer not to come to class and contaminate others. He would also prefer to just stay home and get better, instead of going to the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) merely to prove that he was sick, thus again potentially contaminating others. (Note that PUSH notes do not contain any details about the nature of the visit.)

• Shicheng Guo, response
  • I would allow this if it the email was sent at least a half hour before the beginning of class. However, if the student began using this excuse excessively, I would void all of them.
    • But then, what prevents students who are not actually sick to use that excuse to miss class? -pm

• Artyom Melanich, response
  • I wouldn't allow this unless there is a proof, if he can't go to the hospital call the doctor to come and visit you and I don't think that flu is that contagious so that it would affect someone on the way to the PUSH.

• Cody Cusic, response
  • I would not allow this if the student never went to PUSH or another doctor. In order to heal in a timely fashion from the flu, you will need to get some kind of medication. A student could use this excuse all of the time if he didn't need to have a doctor's note just to blow off class. It is not that hard to drive to PUSH and get the note.

• Seth Strege, Response
  • I would classify this case a valid excuse. It's not worth the risk to put others in danger of contamination if the student tries to come to class. Since the student did not visit push either, I would give the student a bonus opportunity to make up for the missed class when he/she returns.

• Zhanibek Bekmurat, Response
  • I would not allow this case as an excuse. It is too easy to write down an email couple hours before the class and say that you are feeling sick. I would think that this person woke up to write down an email and go back to sleep.

• Upsham Dawra, Response
  • This kind of an excuse is way too easy to make up and take advantage of. Therefore, I would not give this student the attendance point unless he is able to provide some comprehensive proof later. Just a verbal excuse is no excuse at all.

• Keegan McGraw, Response
  • PUSH is a clean environment that is built to have sick students and staff in it all the time. I believe an excuse like this requires a little proof such as a doctor's note to verify it before it can count as excused.

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