Students are expected to attend all classes for which they are enrolled unless excused by the instructor. No extensions of vacation periods are given to students regardless of the location of their homes. Non-attendance of classes caused by late registration is considered the same as absence. Students are not allowed to attend classes for which they are not properly enrolled.

The University does not have a policy permitting a specific number of cuts or absences from class. Each instructor establishes an attendance policy for his or her classes and must inform students in writing of the policy at the beginning of the term. However, the student’s grades shall not be affected negatively solely due to absence from class because of participation in University-sanctioned events. Class absence due to University-sanctioned participation does not in any way excuse students from completing class preparations, assignments, examinations, projects, etc.

Although students may drop classes on their own initiative within time lines established by policy, faculty members have the right to withdraw students for non-attendance. For additional information, see Faculty Initiated Student Withdrawal. 

Last Date of Attendance

Colorado State University Pueblo does not require that faculty take attendance. However, the U.S. Department of Education requires (34 CFR 668.22) the Office of Financial Aid to determine if a student who receives financial aid and fails to earn a passing grade in a course has actually attended and/or completed the course, or if they withdrew from a course without providing the university official notification.

In addition, for students who officially withdraw, we are required to document that they also began attending the course(s) from which they withdrew in order to determine the type and amount of financial aid they may be eligible to retain. Since a student could be a financial aid applicant at any point during the academic year, we must collect this information for all students so that financial aid eligibility can be accurately determined.

The Department of Veterans Affairs also requires the institution to determine if a student who receives Veterans Educational Benefits stops attending class. If so, the student is no longer entitled to benefits. Section 21.4203 of Title 38 Subsection (d) states “when a veteran or eligible person interrupts or terminates his or her training for any reason, including unsatisfactory conduct or progress, or when he or she changes the number of hours of credit or attendance...” this fact must be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs by the school.

Military Leave of Absence

If a student member of the Armed Forces receives orders to deploy or temporally transfer stations for an extended period, that student may be afforded a Military Leave of Absence. The student must notify CSU Pueblo of military service and their inten­tion to return to school as follows:

Notification of Military Service

The student (or an appropri­ate Officer of the Armed Forces or official of the Department of Defense) must give written notice of such service to CSU Pueblo as far in advance as is reasonable under the cir­cumstances by completing the Military Leave of Absence Form. This notice does not have to indicate whether the student intends to return to CSU Pueblo and may not be subject to any rule of timeliness. (Timeliness will be determined by the facts in each case).

No notice is required if precluded by military necessity, such as service in operations that are classified or would be compromised by such notice. If this situation occurs, the student should submit an Attestation of Military Service that necessitated the student’s absence from CSU Pueblo at the time of readmission.

Notification of Intent to Return to School

The student must also give written notice of intent to return to CSU Pueblo by completing a Military Leave of Absence Readmission Form.

The student is required to enroll in courses within three years after the completion of the period of service. Exceptions may be granted to students hospitalized or convalescing due to an illness or injury incurred or aggravated during military service.

A stu­dent who fails to apply for readmission within these periods does not automatically forfeit eligibility for readmission, but is subject to CSU Pueblo’s established Leave of Absence Policy and general practices.

CSU Pueblo has designated the Office of Admissions as the main point of contact so that a student may provide notification of service and notification of intent to return. CSU Pueblo will promptly readmit the student to the semester chosen on the Military Leave of Absence Readmission Form. If the student’s intended semester is in progress, the student will be admitted to the next available semester. Students who have completed coursework during the Military Leave of Absence will be required to submit official transcripts before the readmission will be processed. 

CSU Pueblo must admit the student with the same academic status, which means:

• To the same program to which the student was last admitted or, if that exact program is no longer offered, the program that is most similar to that program unless the student chooses a different program,
• At the same enrollment status, unless the student has completed additional coursework while on military leave,
• With the same number of credit hours previously completed, unless the student is readmitted to a different pro­gram to which the completed credit hours are not transferable, and
• With the same academic standing (e.g., with the same satisfactory academic progress status).

If the student is readmitted to the same program, for the first aca­demic year in which the student returns, CSU Pueblo must assess the tuition and fee charges that would have been assessed for the academic year during which the student left CSU Pueblo.