RISD’s class absence policy is located here
- Instructors are encouraged to be flexible and attentive to student health and wellness during the pandemic.
- Per our usual policy, students who miss a class or classes due to unavoidable circumstances must personally contact their instructors in a timely fashion to inquire into the possibility of making alternate arrangements, in advance whenever reasonably possible.
- If students do not attend the first class meeting and fail to either notify faculty beforehand or explain their absence within 24 hours, then faculty can drop them to accommodate other students on the waiting list who do show up to that first class.
- If a student misses an excessive number of class meetings and/or is unable to complete a meaningful amount of work for the class due to absence for any reason, they may be withdrawn from or fail the course even if the absences are excused. Note: if the student is an international student studying on an F-1 visa, check in with the Office of International Student Services before any action is taken, as dropping below 12 credits may negatively affect the student’s immigration status.
- The Registrar’s office has created an electronic ‘Faculty Request to Remove Student from Course’ form to use as appropriate (instead of the paper based ‘Unexcused Absence Form’ that has been used in the past). The date in which the Registrar’s office receives the request determines whether the student is given a ‘W’ or an ‘F’ grade.
Access the ‘Faculty Request to Remove Student from Course’ form here (available beginning the first day of the semester)
Access instructions for faculty for using the ‘Faculty Request to Remove Student from Course’ form here
Office of the RISD Registrar 