Policy

Out-of-Class Notification Policy for Athletes

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Policy # 
Out-of-Class Notification Policy for Athletes

Original Issuance Date: November 25, 2025
This Revision Date: November 25, 2025
Next Review Date: Fall 2030

1. PURPOSE

This policy describes how student-athletes, coaches, and instructors document and support student athletes who must miss class due to participation in UW-Oshkosh athletic event.

2. RESPONSIBLE OFFICER

Assistant Chancellor of Athletics

3. SCOPE

This policy applies to all student athletes, their coaches, and their instructors who are affected by student absences due to athletic commitments.

4. BACKGROUND

UW-Oshkosh encourages students to participate in athletic activity as a D-III institution and members of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Such participation may result in student-athletes having an athletic competition commitment during a normal class period for their schedule. Coaches and instructors want such student-athletes to have the opportunity to learn material from any missed classes and earn credits available from activities that take place during missed classes. Coaches and instructors also want student-athletes to have agency and responsibility for working with instructors to plan around absences in advance and agree on alternate deadlines and/or submission methods.

Instructors want verification that student-athletes are in fact on specific athletic teams and that those teams have events on specific dates that will lead to missed classes. Instructors want a straightforward way for coaches to provide that documentation.

5. DEFINITIONS

N/A

6. POLICY STATEMENT

At the start of each athletic season, the coaching staff of an athletic team will prepare a memo similar to the one shown in the appendix. The memo will include:

    1. The team name
    2. The coach’s name and contact information (email)
    3. The student-athletes’ names who are team members
    4. The dates when team members will be out of class (including specifics as available, such as a 12:00 noon bus departure that would enable the student to attend morning classes)
    5. Possible dates, as available, that may be added should the team qualify for any post-season events

Note that a student-athlete cannot miss classes for practice due to NCAA rules and all scheduled absences are for competition events.

  1. The coaching staff will provide all members of the team with a copy of the memo.
  2. Team members will provide their instructors (preferably in a face-to-face discussion) with a copy of the memo from the coaching staff. This communication or meeting should occur at least one week prior to the first scheduled absence. Then, preferably also at least one week prior to each scheduled absence, the student-athlete and instructor will work together to find a way for the student-athlete to engage with the affected class material and earn any available credit for class activities. Instructors are not obligated to accommodate student-athletes who do not make the request at least one week before the scheduled absence.

7. REFERENCES

N/A

8. REVISION PROCEDURES

The Faculty Senate Executive Committee will initiate a review of this policy every five years or in response to significant concerns from instructors, coaches, or both. The review will include consultation with Athletics and Shared Governance. Proposed revisions to the policy will go into effect upon approval by Shared Governance and the Administration representatives and the five-year review cycle will reset. A shared acknowledgment that no changes are necessary will also reset the five-year review cycle.

9. REVISION HISTORY

N/A

 

Appendix – Template for Coach’s Documentation Letter

Dear Professor:

Pursuant to the UW-Oshkosh Out-of-Class Notification Policy for Athletics, the students listed below will be traveling with the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh [XX Team] on the date indicated. Students in your class should provide you with a copy of this letter at least a week before the first scheduled absence.

Then, the student should work with you at least one week prior to each scheduled absence to find a way to engage with the affected class material and earn any available credit for class activities. It is up to the student to initiate the discussion, and it is your responsibility to find mutually acceptable ways to enable the student to engage with and succeed with the class material.

202X-202Y UW-OSHKOSH XX TEAM MEMBERS

[Roster]

SCHEDULED COMPETITION ON CLASS DAY

Date                                                    Excused Time                          Destination

October 31, 2025                                11:30 a.m.                               AWAY, Bloomington, IL

November 7, 2025                              3:30 p.m.                                 HOME, Oshkosh, WI

November 11, 2025*                          TBD – postseason                     TBD – postseason

Please note this schedule may change due to unforeseen circumstances. I will make every effort to provide team members with an updated version of this letter to give to you if necessary.

Thank you for your assistance in the development of these student-athletes and for your interest and time.

 

___________________________
Head Coach – [sport]

 

___________________________
Assistant Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics