(a) Upon notice from a student required to participate
in required military service, an institution shall excuse a student
from attending classes or engaging in other required activities, including
examinations.
(b) A student shall not be penalized for an absence
which is excused under this subsection and shall be allowed to complete
an assignment or take an examination from which the student is excused
within a reasonable time after the absence.
(c) Each institution shall adopt a policy under this
subsection which includes:
(1) the retention of a student's course work completed
during the portion of the course prior to the student being called
to required military service;
(2) the course syllabus or other instructional plan,
so that the student will be able to complete the course without prejudice
and under the same course requirements that were in effect when the
student enrolled in the course;
(3) a definition of a reasonable time after the absence
for the completion of assignments and examinations;
(4) procedures for failure of a student to satisfactorily
complete the assignment or examination within a reasonable time after
the absence; and
(5) an institutional dispute resolution process regarding
the policy.
(d) The maximum period for which a student may be excused
under this section shall be no more than 25% (twenty-five percent)
of the total number of class meetings or the contact hour equivalent
(not including the final examination period) for the specific course
or courses in which the student is currently enrolled at the beginning
of the period of required military service.
(e) Institutions are directed to develop and publish
policies and procedures to ensure that students enrolled in distance
learning, self-paced, correspondence, and other asynchronous courses
receive equivalent consideration for the purposes of determining acceptable
duration of excused absences and time limits for the completion of
course work following an excused absence under this section.
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