Northwestern’s Undergraduate Catalog establishes that students are “expected to attend all sessions” of their registered classes each quarter, with “excessive absence” being “cause for failure” in a course. 

But some students face health issues that make it difficult to meet this expectation.

Absence policies at NU additionally vary across classes, since they’re determined by individual professors. Often, professors set attendance policies that allow students to miss a specific number of classes before their overall grade is affected. 

NU recommends that students who are ill seek care from NU Health Services or urgent care in Evanston. If illness prevents class attendance or completing assignments, a doctor can provide a note to formally excuse the absence.

However, getting a doctor’s note is not always easy, especially when symptoms are not predictable or might involve mental health, Weinberg sophomore Devi Karunakar said. She said the fear of losing participation points has pushed her to attend class even when she was not  well enough to be there.

“When I’m sick with a cold and really don’t want to get others sick, it becomes a tough call,” Karunakar said. “I know that if I stay home, I might lose points to my grade, but if I go, I’m pushing myself when I shouldn’t be.”

Karunakar said she supports the idea of attendance guidelines, but wishes more professors offered built-in mental health days rather than requiring an absence note.

SESP Prof. Emma Adam said individual class structure plays a major role in shaping attendance rules.

Adam, who has taught courses that meet once a week for three hours, said missing a single class in that format can mean losing one tenth of the course’s content. To offer flexibility, she typically provides one “freebie” absence that requires no explanation.

“There is something called an upside-down U-shaped curve, which means the right balance of stress,” she said. “If you have no stress or challenges, you don’t perform well. But if you have too much stress or challenge, that impairs your performance.”

Adam said many professors she knows aim for that balance, challenging students enough to keep them engaged, but not to the point of overwhelming them. While she believes participation and classroom presence support learning, she said flexibility and case-by-case understanding are important.

Other faculty members, like SESP Prof. Claudia Haase, stressed the academic value of in-person attendance. Haase said students learn more deeply when class is social and collaborative.

“What we know about the science of learning is that humans learn best and most deeply if learning is a relational activity,” Haase said. “Students pay more attention and are more tuned in when other people are around.”

Haase said discussion-based classes rely on students’ perspectives to support learning, which can be difficult to replicate through online formats or making up missed assignments. She said in-person classes allow for connection, peer insight and real-time engagement that shape the academic experience.

Attendance expectations are not universal, nor do they have to be, Haase said.

“Circumstances really vary depending on the class,” Haase said. “There are models out there. If you look at sick leave policies in Germany, you can take unlimited sick leave. When you are sick, that’s something nobody chooses to be. The policies we have in the U.S. are not the only way to go.”

As students balance health, academics and varying course expectations, Adam said clearer guidelines and more flexibility would reduce stress. 

She said attendance policies should reflect the nature of the courses. Some classes are lecture based, while other discussion-based courses require more active participation.

“It’s really up to the professor and what works best for their content,” Adam said. “Flexibility is key, and it’s important to take individual circumstances into account.”

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