Excuse Note Policy
Student Health Services utilizes a "No Note" policy. We do not issue medical excuse notes for academic deficiencies. In the event of illness or injury that is expected to result in significant academic disruption, the student is advised to contact their professor(s) as soon as possible to notify them of the anticipated delinquency. Whether the disruption is a missed test, late assignment, or absence from class, early notification of the professor is very important.
Why we do this
This well-received and successful policy was adopted in 1998 for several reasons.
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First and foremost, is the highly regarded Honor System at Rice. Feigning illness is a form of cheating. An ill student is the only one to determine if they are too ill to fulfill expected academic responsibilities. The student must honestly decide whether or not they can do their work and take responsibility for this.
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From the Code of Conduct:
Students are expected to govern their conduct by standards of considerate and ethical behavior so as not to harm or discredit themselves, the University, or any other individual. Moreover, just as the learning environment does not end at the classroom door, the exercise of individual responsibility, civility, and honor is limited to the academic domain. In all disciplinary matters, the primary question is whether the student involved met (or failed to meet) the expectations Rice has for its students, as described throughout this Code and in other University policies, regulations, and statements. -
From the General Announcements:
The university expects all Rice students to exercise personal responsibility for their actions. Their behavior should reflect respect for the law and their contractual obligations, a consideration for the rights of others, and shared standards of considerate and ethical behavior.
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Furthermore, the academic relationship between the student and professor must remain in the classroom. The professor is in the best position to know the student and to judge the student's academic performance. The physicians at Student Health cannot function as independent and omniscient arbitrators regarding whether a student feels too ill to do their work.
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An additional consideration is the appropriate utilization of limited healthcare resources. A student should not be required to seek medical care solely to obtain an excuse note.
Exceptions
In cases of medical conditions causing severe academic disruption, (e.g., withdrawal from school, taking an incomplete, or dropping classes), appropriate documentation will be furnished to the Committee on Examinations and Standings if requested by the student. In all cases, strict patient confidentiality will be followed.
Revised 2018