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If you don’t find the answers to your questions here, please contact the Office of the Dean of Students.
Read the Faculty Notification Request Guidelines Here
Not looking for the faculty notification request?
You might be looking for the Student Institutional Excuse or the undergraduate grades in progress or incomplete grade policies.
Need to miss a class?
Learn more about NAU’s Faculty Notification Request (FNR)
The Office of the Dean of Students offers the service of a Faculty Notification Request when a necessary absence, illness, or extenuating life event occurs. Students are not required to take advantage of this optional service. Submission of this request in no way implies or guarantees any action on part of the instructor. Any excused absences, an extension on assignments, or make-up work is solely at the discretion of the instructor. Students should contact their instructor directly to discuss makeup work, extensions, etc. This service does not apply to clinicals, internships, student teaching, or practicums. Students should contact their faculty member or the academic department directly concerning those areas.
What life events qualify for an FNR?
Inpatient Hospital Stays and Surgeries Accordion Closed
Acceptable Documentation: Discharge papers specifying admittance, discharge, and any restrictions.
Unacceptable Documentation: Doctors’ notes not specifying the length of hospitalization or restrictions post-surgery.
Dates Provided to Faculty: Length of stay and any restrictions as outlined on medical documentation.
Concussions Accordion Closed
Acceptable Documentation: Doctors’ notes and documentation stating required restrictions related to concussive symptoms.
Unacceptable Documentation: Doctors’ notes not specifying concussion or concussion-related requirements.
Dates Provided to Faculty: Concussion related restrictions.
Death in the Immediate Family Accordion Closed
Who’s included in the immediate family? Parent, Grandparent, Spouse/partner, and Sibling. If you are seeking an FNR for someone with a relation not listed, please reach out to our office directly to discuss your options.
Acceptable Documentation: Obituary or Funeral/Memorial bulletin/Death certificate.
Unacceptable Documentation: Case by case basis.
Dates Provided to Faculty: ODOS will provide faculty with the verified date of the family member’s death. Communication about the impact of death on academic deadlines is the responsibility of the student and any modifications are at the discretion of the faculty.
Significant Personal Event Accordion Closed
What is a significant personal event? Some examples are family crises, involvement in Sexual Misconduct/Title IX case, subpoenaed court appearances. If you are seeking an FNR for a personal event not listed, please reach out to our office directly to discuss your options.
What is not a significant personal event?
- Emergency room/clinic visits where the student is not admitted to the hospital. Outpatient surgery requiring no restrictions.
- Doctor’s Office/Clinic visits diagnosing colds, migraines, other illnesses not requiring an inpatient stay.
- Traffic jams, car trouble, or inability to find parking.
- Absences related to weather.
Acceptable Documentation: Police report, order of protection, statement of support from an NAU Office, court orders/subpoenas, medical documentation, etc.
Unacceptable Documentation: Case by case basis.
Dates Provided to Faculty: The dates impacted by the crisis.
COVID-19 Quarantine or Isolation Accordion Closed
Documentation may be required in order to process your request. You will be contacted with further information if your circumstance needs documentation. To avoid delays, please submit all COVID-related documentation you have at the time of submission.
Dates Provided to Faculty: Faculty will be provided the verified date of positive COVID-19 test or first date of verified isolation/quarantine recommendation. The student will need to communicate the end date of isolation/quarantine to the faculty member.
Contagious Illness Accordion Closed
Acceptable Documentation: Positive test result for mono, strep, influenza, or other contagious illness. If possible, please provide a copy of the test result. A doctor’s note that states 1) the contagious illness diagnosed, and 2) the date of your positive test result.
Unacceptable Documentation: Doctor’s note that does not indicate a positive test of a contagious illness. The type of illness must be listed. Common colds diagnosed without a test result will not be approved.
Dates Provided to Faculty: Faculty will be provided the verified date of a positive test. The student will need to communicate the end date of isolation with the faculty member.
How do I apply for an FNR?
- Review the FNR guidelines to confirm that your event qualifies.
- Gather the required documentation as outlined in the FNR guidelines.
- Complete the Faculty Notification Request form.
- Contact your faculty as soon as possible! Let faculty know that you’ve submitted an FNR. Check out the help guide for talking to faculty about absences.
- A team member from the Office of the Dean of Students will contact you within three (3) business days of your submission with any follow-up questions or to update you on the status of your request.
I don’t qualify for an FNR. What can I do?
Not all life events qualify for an FNR. You can still get support. We encourage all students to reach out to their faculty when they need to miss class.
- Check out the help guide for talking to faculty about absences. This guide provides insight and guidance for students seeking faculty support.
- Contact our office. The Office of the Dean of Students is here to work with you to ask faculty for the assistance you need.
- FNRs are not a replacement for the Student Institutional Excuses policy.
- If your absence is related to a disability, even a temporary disability such as an injury or chronic illness, you may want to connect with Disability Resources to find out what support they may be able to provide.