Some students will do almost anything to get an excused absence from class. It appears that some have gone to great lengths to achieve this, which will soon result in notes no longer being provided at the Health and Wellness Center.
Between the first day of school and Sept. 24, the Wellness Center had received 290 absence note requests. This is a 40.7 percent increase when compared to the amount of notes requested in the same time span last year, according to Gina Firth, associate dean of wellness.
However, there was an increasing number of cases in which students weren’t sick, but they just made an appointment in order to get a note for their professors.
According to the Health Center, this has caused three large problems. Students who are actually sick might not get an appointment, the liability on the Health Center staff increases and students sometimes make up or exaggerate symptoms in order to be seen for a note, which makes it difficult to evaluate what is actually occurring.
Due to the abuse of this policy, starting in the spring of 2014, notes will no longer be given to students to confirm that a visit to the Health Center actually took place, according to Firth.
“If there is concern, however, regarding contagious disease, for example, testing positive for influenza, an electronic message will be sent to the professors,” Firth said. “The Health Center will work with students for the rest of the semester on a case-by-case basis.”
Students who worked at the Health Center were approached but had no comment. Many other UT students were outraged by the change in policy.
“Professors are very strict about absences, and it could affect our grades, and for the Health Center not to give us notes could possibly affect us negatively when we are sick,” said Nicole Mascenik, a UT senior and elementary education major. “So yes, I disagree on [the policy change], and we should not be punished for others’ stupidity.”
While some students think they should not have to suffer because of the carelessness of others, some feel indifferent about the subject.
“ln my opinion it doesn’t matter,” said freshman and industrial psychology major Amanda Lee.
“People should just go to class,” Lee said. “It’s not that hard and you’re paying for it. If you’re sick then maybe it’s different, but since people abused it they ruined it for actual sick people.”
UT does not have any specific policy on the amount of absences a student may have. UT allows each instructor, according to the needs of their class, to make their own rules on attendance. Students who don’t show up to class enough and do not withdraw receive a failing grade in the course.
While there are varying views on how this change in policy will affect students as time goes on, students fear that those who are actually sick may have a more difficult time getting excused from class.