Important Faculty and Staff Information from the Dean of Students

As we begin a new academic year, the Office of the Dean of Students provides the following information for faculty and staff.

1. The Student Regulations for the current academic year are available on the University website. These Regulations state the rights and responsibilities for students and can be found on the Dean of Students Intranet page and on the SAS external website. All students are required to read and adhere to the Regulations. For ease of access to information, document navigation is available on the left side of the PDF by selecting the bookmark icon.
2. Our office provides a number of student resources, including SafetyNet, Emergency Relief Fund, and Clarkson Food Pantry. Resource information can be found on the Dean of Students Intranet page. If your interaction with a student leads you to believe they may benefit from our assistance, please complete a SafetyNet report, encourage them to review our Intranet page, or refer them directly to our office.
3. In an effort to encourage faculty and staff engagement with students, our office manages the Dr. Robert A. Plane Endowment Fund. This fund provides modest grants used to help offset personal costs for refreshments/meals at student gatherings held in employee homes or on campus. Creating opportunities for students to build connections may ultimately affect the student experience at Clarkson and student retention. The Dean of Students is authorized to reimburse up to $150 of expenses incurred for events held at an employee’s home or $100 of expenses incurred for functions held on campus. For additional information regarding this fund or to apply for funding reimbursement, email us at deanofstudents@clarkson.edu.
4. One of the many resources our office provides is Notifications of Absence. We remind everyone to review the Attendance Policy in the Regulations (III-F. Attendance, page 12) related to absence notifications from the Dean of Students. Notifications will be considered for serious illness, hospitalization, family emergency, or sensitive circumstances. Should a student miss a couple of days of class due to minor illnesses, our office will not provide absence notification. Our office is working on updating this policy to ensure students understand their responsibilities related to class attendance and when it is or is not appropriate to request a Notification of Absence. When updating your syllabus or speaking with students regarding illness or absences, please ensure that you are adhering to this policy when referring students to our office for notifications. 
5. While we were in the midst of COVID-19 isolation and quarantine guidelines, a daily notice was sent to faculty informing them of students who would not be in class due to isolation or quarantine. As we look to the future of living with COVID-19, these daily notifications have been sunsetted. Instead, students are expected to communicate directly with instructors regarding their absences. Only in the event a student is unable to communicate with their instructors will a Notification of Absence be provided related to COVID-19.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of the Dean of Students at deanofstudents@clarkson.edu or 315-268-6620.