Attendance in classes may be mandatory. During the first class meeting, instructors are required to inform students about attendance requirements and policies for that course regarding absences and assignments, and the attendance policy must be clearly stated on the syllabus. Students absent from class for any reason are expected to complete all assigned work in the course.

Student Athletes
Participation on an intercollegiate athletic team is a sanctioned college activity that enhances the student’s educational experience at Purchase College. It is a high-impact, outside-the-classroom learning experience that is credit-bearing and meets the health and wellness requirement in the core curriculum. Student athletes are required to meet with their professors before the start of their sport season to discuss any schedule conflicts and develop a plan to make up any missed work. The student athlete’s professor is required to sign the Intercollegiate Athletics Professor Acknowledgement form, which the student athlete must return to his or her coach before athletic competitions begin.

From time to time, students participating in intercollegiate athletic competitions may provide a faculty member with an approved absence excuse letter, signed by the athletics director, explaining an absence due to a game or match (not a practice) that had to be rescheduled. The student athlete still assumes responsibility for all work missed. If the student is not doing well in the course, the faculty member has the right to tell the student that he or she cannot miss class.

Other Student Activities
Operating on the same principles as student athletic participation, students involved in credit-bearing activities that include high-impact, outside-the-classroom obligations (e.g., internships, performing arts ensembles, etc.) are also required to discuss schedule conflicts with their faculty at the beginning of the semester. Students may not miss classes for rehearsals or practices, and should plan with faculty to make up work missed due to performances or tours required in another course. As with student athletes, if a student is not doing well in a course, the faculty member has the right to tell the student that he or she cannot be absent for such activities.

Attendance on Religious Holidays

New York State Education Law § 224-a: Students unable because of religious beliefs to register or attend classes on certain days.

1. No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to an institution of higher education for the reason that he or she is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to register or attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirements on a particular day or days.
    
2. Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.
    
3. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
    
4. If registration, classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday after 4 p.m. or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study or work requirements or opportunity to register shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study or work requirements or registration held on other days.
    
5. In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his or her availing himself or herself of the provisions of this section.
    
6. Any student, who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section, shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institution of higher education is located for the enforcement of his or her rights under this section.
    
   
   1. It shall be the responsibility of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to give written notice to students of their rights under this section, informing them that each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to such student such equivalent opportunity.
      
      
7. As used in this section, the term “institution of higher education” shall mean any institution of higher education, recognized and approved by the regents of the university of the state of New York, which provides a course of study leading to the granting of a post-secondary degree or diploma. Such term shall not include any institution which is operated, supervised or controlled by a church or by a religious or denominational organization whose educational programs are principally designed for the purpose of training ministers or other religious functionaries or for the purpose of propagating religious doctrines. As used in this section, the term “religious belief” shall mean beliefs associated with any corporation organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes, which is not disqualified for tax exemption under section 501 of the United States Code.