Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Student Health Services changed its policy on notes excusing illness or injury. The new policy took effect at the beginning of this semester.
According to a flier sent out last spring by Student Health Services, students would receive only notes verifying their infirmity if two conditions were met.
First, the patient must have received treatment by Student Health Services or provide documentation of treatment by another health care provider. Second, the patient must have been absent for three or more consecutive days.
Patricia Denning, chief of staff at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said that in the past, a large number of appointments had been made by students who wanted only a class note for an illness the Health Center never treated them for.
“They may well have been sick, but I didn’t see them, which made it hard to validate,” she said.
Denning said the change was made to lower the amount of appointments so students who needed actual medical attention would receive care in a timely manner.
Denning said the University of Kansas was the only school in the Big 12 with an illness- or injury-note policy, but the part of the policy requiring three or more consecutive absences followed federal guidelines.
According to the flier, students who were treated at Watkins, but were absent fewer than three days could complete an authorization for use/disclosure form. The form allows students to receive a copy of their medical record proving they received treatment. Processing the request could take up to 10 days.
Students throughout campus had mixed reactions to the change.
“I hate it,” Cody McCullough, Wichita junior, said. “I think it’s unfair because if you are sick, it can be for less than three days and still be legitimate.”
Cassie Fernandez, Olathe sophomore, said she thought the change was a good idea.
“I guess it will make it harder for students to skip,” she said.
Bradley Carter, professor of humanities and western civilization, said the new policy would not make a difference in his classes, because he allowed his students only three absences, no matter the cause.
“I’ve tried to avoid adjudication whether an absence is excused or not,” he said. “Overall, I think it’s a good policy change for those teaching staff who do excuse absences.”
Allan Hanson, professor of anthropology, said that if a student could not produce a note because they were absent fewer than three days, he would work it out on a case-by-case basis.
“I think that when a student visits the health center, they should be excused,” he said.
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