Medical Excuses

The primary responsibility of Student Health Services is to keep students healthy and in class.  The staff of Student Health Services believes that the main focus of our services is to teach students responsible health behaviors, to help provide treatment and symptom relief of their illnesses, and to teach health measures to prevent the spread of disease to others.  This will minimize the students’ absence from class.

Since most of the illnesses and injuries seen in Student Health Services are of the acute episodic type and usually minor in nature, we allow students to make their own decisions regarding attending class.  We encourage students to communicate their decision to their professor(s).  This is considered part of our effort to teach responsible health behaviors.  Certain illnesses, such as the common cold or a virus, are best treated with self care measures and do not require a medical evaluation by a Health Care Provider.  Therefore, written excuses for missed classes are NOT provided by Student Health Services. 

If a student’s instructor insists on having the student verify an illness AND the student was medically evaluated in Student Health Services for this illness, the student can be provided with written verification of the date of their visit upon request.  Both Federal Law and New Jersey State Law regarding confidentiality prohibit the release of specific medical information without written consent from the student. 

Students are not encouraged to schedule an appointment to be seen in Student Health Services solely to “document” an illness because they have missed or are missing a class, or to request a note.  Appointments in Student Health Services are in high demand during the semesters and are reserved for students who are truly ill and need to be medically evaluated.

When a complicated or serious illness requires hospitalization or home care and the student will have a prolonged absence from Ramapo College of New Jersey of one week or more, please contact the Student Affairs Office at 201-684-7456 or 7457 for assistance in notifying your professors.