If you are absent from class (including not attending on-demand classes), have not submitted a report, or have not taken an exam, and if any of the following apply to you, you may request that your instructor give consideration so that you will not be disadvantaged in the evaluation of your grades by going to the IPS Office and following the procedures listed below.
After receiving approval from the Office, you must submit a written request to your instructor at the classroom (or via Message My Teacher on Waseda Moodle, etc. ) for consideration of your absence. However, the final decision on the treatment of absences will be made by the instructor in charge of each course.
1. Absence from Classes
◆Bereavement Leave
（1）Scope
This policy applies to all full-time students currently in the Waseda University system.
（2）Number of days
Students are eligible for up to seven consecutive class-meeting days for the death of a first-degree family member (parent, child), second-degree family member (sibling, grandparent, grandchild), or spouse (if international travel is involved, extra days may be granted).
（3）Procedure
Obtain a “Notification of Absence due to Bereavement” from the office of your affiliated department within ten days of the end of the period for which consideration is sought.
Promptly fill out and submit the completed “Notification of Absence due to Bereavement,” along with appropriate documentation, such as a funeral acknowledgment card, to the IPS Office.
*In the event the deceased is your guardian, it will also be necessary to follow the procedure to change guardians.→「Change of guardian」
Obtain a “Special Consideration Request for Absence due to Bereavement” from the office of your affiliated department.
Submit the “Special Consideration Request for Absence due to Bereavement” to your course instructor and seek special consideration for academic work missed during your bereavement leave.
◆Infectious diseases that should be prevented in schools
If you contract an infectious disease classified as an “infectious disease to be prevented at school,” you must suspend your attendance in accordance with the School Health and Safety Law to prevent others from contracting the disease. If you are subject to (1) below, please follow the procedures described in (2).
(1) Subjects
Persons who have contracted any of the infectious diseases listed on the following website
Types of infectious diseases and criteria for the period of suspension of attendance (Health Center website)
(2) Procedures
- Fill out the application form below and report to the university. *Please log in My Waseda
【IPS】Report of confirmed infectious diseases - In cases requiring absence from face-to-face classes, etc., explain the situation to the teacher in charge of each subject via “Message My Teacher” on WasedaMoodle and ask for instructions.
- After you are permitted to come to school or after the suspension period is over, ask the doctor who diagnosed you to fill out the “Certificate of Permission to Come to School for ‘Infectious Diseases to be Prevented at School” and submit it to the IPS Office.
◆Jury Duty
(1) Scope
This policy applies to all full-time students in the Waseda University.
N.B. College students may use their right to refuse such duty (under the right of civil law).
(2)Procedure
Notify the IPS Office and submit the “Notice of Term of Service (Summons)” you received.
2. Absence for personal and compelling reasons
The “personal and unavoidable reasons” here refer to unavoidable reasons not directly related to the university, such as medical treatment at home or hospitalization due to illness or injury, legal affairs of relatives, return home, job hunting, etc. (Excluding absences for socially acceptable reasons, such as tardiness due to simple personal reasons or personal responsibility).
This procedure is voluntary. If you are going to be absent from a class or an examination at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, please follow the procedures below.
Please note that this procedure does not guarantee that consideration will be given to your grade. Absences from class for personal reasons will be determined on an individual basis by the instructor in charge of each course.
If you know in advance that you will be absent, please contact your instructor in advance. If you are unable to contact the instructor in advance due to an unforeseen accident or unavoidable circumstances, please notify the instructor after the fact. If you are instructed to take alternative measures, please follow the instructions.
The instructor will determine the impact of the absence on the grade evaluation, taking into consideration the reason for the absence.
If requested by the instructor, please obtain official documents to prove your absence (“doctor’s certificate,” “invitation letter from a wedding or funeral,” “certificate of participation in employment interview or employment examination issued by the company where you wish to work,” etc.) and present them to the instructor when reporting your absence. In addition, it is advisable to present this document in advance when contacting the instructor.
Please contact the Sports Center of the Athletic Department regarding the procedures for absences due to games, etc. in the Athletic Department.
◆How to contact
For face-to-face classes, it is possible to speak with the faculty member in charge of teaching. You can also contact the instructor via “Message my Teacher” or “Waseda Mail” with your student ID number, your name, and a detailed inquiry about the class.
*Manuals can also be accessed from the [Manuals] section of the MyWaseda menu.
Log in to MyWaseda
└ Homepage Right-side menu [Manuals]
└ [ Waseda Moodle manual (for student) ]
3. Class Cancellation due to Severe Weather
Any decision to cancel classes, postpone examinations, or enact other contingency measures due to severe weather is the responsibility of the University and will not be based solely on warnings and advisories issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
However, when weather conditions are severe (heavy rainfall, flooding, high winds, blizzard conditions, heavy snow, etc.) or when a warning has been issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency and a determination has been made by the University that current conditions pose a danger to the safety of students, faculty, and staff, the University will enact contingency measures such as the cancellation of classes and postponement of examinations, etc. Please be aware, if there is no special directive issued by the University, classes and examinations will typically not be cancelled or postponed.
- If the University decides to enact contingency measures such as the cancellation of classes, postponement of examinations, etc., the University will inform all students of the decision at least 60 minutes prior to the start of each affected class period or examination via the emergency communication channels shown below. Whenever possible, the University will make efforts to inform students, faculty, and staff of cancellations and postponements, etc. at least two hours prior to their scheduled time.
- Based on the prevailing weather conditions during a typhoon, heavy snow, etc., where forecasts with reasonable accuracy can be made, the University may issue an emergency bulletin a day in advance to cancel classes, postpone examinations, etc. In such cases, a decision will be made by 7 p.m. and a notification posted for students via the emergency communication channels shown below.
Emergency Communication Channels
- Waseda University Website
- Waseda University Emergency Bulletin Website (Yahoo! Japan Blog) (Mobile phone-compatible)
- MY WASEDA
- Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems, Waseda University（IPS）
Special Exemptions to the Cancellation of Classes and Examination Postponements
- On-Demand courses : Directives to cancel classes do not apply.
Procedure
In general, during severe and dangerous weather conditions, the University will issue a directive to cancel classes, postpone examinations, etc. All affected students are expected to keep themselves informed and heed such directives. Students are advised to delay their commute or to refrain from coming to the University when their commuting routes (to the campus where their respective classes are taking place) are under any severe weather warnings issued by the Meteorological Agency, and they feel that commuting will endanger their safety. In such cases, the student should process a completed Report of Absence Form (Kesseki-todoke) with his/her affiliated undergraduate school (graduate school), and ask the course instructor in question for due consideration regarding his/her absence.
Sources of Weather Information
- NTT telephone service (Tel: 177)
- Meteorological Agency web site
- Japan Weather Association web site
- Television, radio and other mass media
4. How to Check Class Cancellation Information
Please refer to “Support Anywhere” for how to check course cancellation information.
