“It … shows that this policy is absolutely necessary at Michigan State University,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Emily Bank, who was quoted in the article, in an email.

Bank said a grief absence policy would give students time to make up exams and assignments after the loss of a loved one so they don’t have to choose between attending a funeral or passing a class.

The policy was passed by ASMSU last year and currently is in discussion in a University Committee on Undergraduate Education ad hoc committee, within Academic Governance, the policymaking body for the university.

According to the article, about one-third of college students lost a loved one within the past year.
In addition, a Purdue University study showed a correlation between student loss of a loved one and lower grade-point averages in the same semester.

Matt Pontifex, an assistant professor of kinesiology and a member of the ad hoc committee looking at the policy, said The Chronicle of Higher Education article’s focus on grief absence policies shows the importance of discussing the issue.

He said although the proposed policy is not far enough through the process in Academic Governance for him to be certain if or when it could become actual university policy, ASMSU has been working hard to balance the concerns of all members of the university.

Among other things, the ad hoc committee has suggested that ASMSU consider including other reasons for emergency absences in the policy, Pontifex said.

Should the policy pass, grief absences will be handled by the dean of Undergraduate Studies, according to the grief absence policy outlined at an ASMSU General Assembly meeting.

Three days of excused absences during a consecutive five calendar days will be allowed with the death of an immediate family member or an extended family member who lives in a student’s house, according to the outlined policy.

Students will be given a single day of excused absence in the death of an extended family member who does not live in the student’s household.

The same outlined policy allows for more excused absences based on the distance of the funeral.

Absence involving deaths of other loved ones can be petitioned and approved by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies’ office on a case-by-case basis.

The policy, which was drafted by Bank, is based off of the fellow Big Ten school Purdue University grief absence policy.

“I believe that one of the reasons grief absence policies made national news is because there are not enough schools who have these kinds of policies,” Bank said. “It is so important that students have the opportunity to make up work and are not penalized for going to the funeral of a loved one.”

Bank said she hopes the policy will be passed by the end of this academic year.

ASMSU President and Chairman Evan Martinak said in an email ASMSU’s inclusion in The Chronicle of Higher Education article shows the group’s commitment to students.

“I am certain we will continue to push this agenda within the (Academic Governance) standing committees, and hope the university community will join us in supporting this policy for the betterment of students’ academic life,” Martinak said.