MSW Student Guide
Section 3.05.00: Absences, Schedule Conflicts & Emergency Policies
Classroom Schedule Conflicts
Class offerings are organized to accommodate students' academic requirements. On occasion, the student or field site may find it necessary to schedule a field activity during class time. In this event, the student should discuss this and seek to obtain permission from their class instructor to miss the class. A single occasion may be acceptable to most instructors—a planned pattern of absences is not. Scheduling conflicts are a professional decision making opportunity for the student, and field faculty are available to assist with this decision making.
Field education is also a class; therefore, a student should not skip field education activities to study or complete classroom assignments without first discussing this with their field instructor.
Absences From Field Placement
Satisfactory attendance and communication around absences is a technical standard of any student in field education and is a standard for professional behavior. If a student is unable to attend field education as scheduled (religious holidays, illness, injury, family emergency, etc.), the student must notify the field instructor in a timely and professional manner. This would also include collaboration with the field instructor to make-up the hours missed due to the absence. Please be aware that timely professional communication is an expected standard. A “no call, no show” absence is professionally unacceptable and may result in the student's dismissal from the field site.
The details of making up field education hours is up to the field instructor and student. The ultimate requirement is that the student completes the required number of hours that matches their field course enrollment for each semester the student is in field education.
There may be circumstances in which a student is absent from field education for an extended period of time, and as a result the hours cannot be made up in the same term. In this case, the student, field instructor and field faculty will develop a plan for the student to complete field education activities and make up the required hours in the subsequent term. The student will be granted a grade of I or “Incomplete” until the hours are complete, and then it will be updated to IS, IM or IU, depending on the student’s performance and earned grade. To learn more about an issued I or “Incomplete” grade, see volume 1, section 7.01 of the Student Guide.
It is expected that students and field instructors will notify the field faculty immediately if there are issues surrounding the attendance of the student.
Students participate in field education on assigned days throughout the term, with the exception of university holidays and university recesses which include fall study break, Thanksgiving, winter break (December), spring recess (February), legal holidays, and other holidays officially observed by the field site. Because other days may be of more significance than a university-designated holiday, a student may also request an absence for these days. Students must complete the required clock hours for field each term and holidays or recesses do not count toward the accumulation of field education clock hours.
When university recesses and holidays conflict with those of the field site, it is expected that the student will observe the schedule of the university. However, with certain placements, the agency may require the student to be present during more lengthy breaks to assure appropriate care of clients. We encourage students to inquire about this during the interview process or at the start of your placement. It is also acceptable if the field site agrees, that the student may elect instead to observe field site recesses and holidays, provided the required number of field education hours are fulfilled. Attendance at conferences or all-day professional meetings is permitted and can be counted as field activities and hours when the content pertains to competency development,the student's field assignments, and the field instructor has given approval.
Severe Weather Policy
There will be times when severe weather, especially snow and ice, will make a student question whether it is safe to commute to the field site. Students are expected to make every reasonable effort to attend field education in accordance with their schedule. At the same time, students are advised to use good judgment about the risks of travel. Students must make their own judgment about the safety of traveling to the field site in these situations. If they deem it unsafe, they need to provide adequate notification to their field instructor. Again, makeup arrangements are to be worked out between the field instructor and student. This is another professional decision-making opportunity that students are likely to encounter during their professional careers.
When a field placement and the University have made different decisions regarding the weather cancellations, the student should defer to the field placement. Exceptions to this are rare and determined by the dean of the U-M SSW and the director of field education.
Field Education Continuity Plan for Disruption of Field Placement Activities Due to Local, State or National Events (ie, COVID 19 Pandemic)
The U-M SSW has developed plans to address temporary disruption to students' social work field placements due to local, state or national emergencies or events. If students are advised or required by their field site, the university, and/or local, state or federal governments to restrict travel and stay home, or if safety concerns warrant a temporary disruption in field placement, students should immediately consult with BOTH their field faculty and their field instructor(s).
In efforts to fulfill the student's field education requirements and educational competencies during temporary field placement disruption, OFE, in collaboration with the field site, will assist in providing alternative field learning activities that can be completed remotely or off site.
Employment Conflicts
Students are required to enroll in a field placement a minimum of 16 hours per week. This requirement typically consists of a minimum of two (2) and no more than four (4) regularly scheduled days in field placement. Field education terms should be consecutive and/or aligned with course planning worksheets.
Students should be aware that it may be necessary for all students (on-campus and online) to complete all or a portion of field education hours during typical business hours (Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm). Students are able to negotiate their field schedule with the field site.
Evening and weekend field placement opportunities are not guaranteed and, if arranged, may restrict student placement options. Every effort will be made to find an appropriate community-based placement at an eligible field site during evening and weekend hours, if available.
Students working full-time or part-time jobs during typical business hours, will likely need to adjust their work schedule to accommodate field education. It is the recommendation of the UM-SSW that students plan to have at least one weekday (8 hours) available during the field education component of the MSW program.
If students have questions related to schedule conflicts with field education they should contact the Office of Field Education to discuss potential options.
Emergency Policy
1. If the School of Social Work/University of Michigan is closed due to an emergency, studnets should follow the School's policies related to attendance and notification.
2. If the field site is closed due to an emergency, the student should follow the field site's policies related to attendance and notification.
Class offerings are organized to accommodate students' academic requirements. On occasion, the student or field site may find it necessary to schedule a field activity during class time. In this event, the student should discuss this and seek to obtain permission from their class instructor to miss the class. A single occasion may be acceptable to most instructors—a planned pattern of absences is not. Scheduling conflicts are a professional decision making opportunity for the student, and field faculty are available to assist with this decision making.
Field education is also a class; therefore, a student should not skip field education activities to study or complete classroom assignments without first discussing this with their field instructor.
Absences From Field Placement
Satisfactory attendance and communication around absences is a technical standard of any student in field education and is a standard for professional behavior. If a student is unable to attend field education as scheduled (religious holidays, illness, injury, family emergency, etc.), the student must notify the field instructor in a timely and professional manner. This would also include collaboration with the field instructor to make-up the hours missed due to the absence. Please be aware that timely professional communication is an expected standard. A “no call, no show” absence is professionally unacceptable and may result in the student's dismissal from the field site.
The details of making up field education hours is up to the field instructor and student. The ultimate requirement is that the student completes the required number of hours that matches their field course enrollment for each semester the student is in field education.
There may be circumstances in which a student is absent from field education for an extended period of time, and as a result the hours cannot be made up in the same term. In this case, the student, field instructor and field faculty will develop a plan for the student to complete field education activities and make up the required hours in the subsequent term. The student will be granted a grade of I or “Incomplete” until the hours are complete, and then it will be updated to IS, IM or IU, depending on the student’s performance and earned grade. To learn more about an issued I or “Incomplete” grade, see volume 1, section 7.01 of the Student Guide.
It is expected that students and field instructors will notify the field faculty immediately if there are issues surrounding the attendance of the student.
Students participate in field education on assigned days throughout the term, with the exception of university holidays and university recesses which include fall study break, Thanksgiving, winter break (December), spring recess (February), legal holidays, and other holidays officially observed by the field site. Because other days may be of more significance than a university-designated holiday, a student may also request an absence for these days. Students must complete the required clock hours for field each term and holidays or recesses do not count toward the accumulation of field education clock hours.
When university recesses and holidays conflict with those of the field site, it is expected that the student will observe the schedule of the university. However, with certain placements, the agency may require the student to be present during more lengthy breaks to assure appropriate care of clients. We encourage students to inquire about this during the interview process or at the start of your placement. It is also acceptable if the field site agrees, that the student may elect instead to observe field site recesses and holidays, provided the required number of field education hours are fulfilled. Attendance at conferences or all-day professional meetings is permitted and can be counted as field activities and hours when the content pertains to competency development,the student's field assignments, and the field instructor has given approval.
Severe Weather Policy
There will be times when severe weather, especially snow and ice, will make a student question whether it is safe to commute to the field site. Students are expected to make every reasonable effort to attend field education in accordance with their schedule. At the same time, students are advised to use good judgment about the risks of travel. Students must make their own judgment about the safety of traveling to the field site in these situations. If they deem it unsafe, they need to provide adequate notification to their field instructor. Again, makeup arrangements are to be worked out between the field instructor and student. This is another professional decision-making opportunity that students are likely to encounter during their professional careers.
When a field placement and the University have made different decisions regarding the weather cancellations, the student should defer to the field placement. Exceptions to this are rare and determined by the dean of the U-M SSW and the director of field education.
Field Education Continuity Plan for Disruption of Field Placement Activities Due to Local, State or National Events (ie, COVID 19 Pandemic)
The U-M SSW has developed plans to address temporary disruption to students' social work field placements due to local, state or national emergencies or events. If students are advised or required by their field site, the university, and/or local, state or federal governments to restrict travel and stay home, or if safety concerns warrant a temporary disruption in field placement, students should immediately consult with BOTH their field faculty and their field instructor(s).
In efforts to fulfill the student's field education requirements and educational competencies during temporary field placement disruption, OFE, in collaboration with the field site, will assist in providing alternative field learning activities that can be completed remotely or off site.
Employment Conflicts
Students are required to enroll in a field placement a minimum of 16 hours per week. This requirement typically consists of a minimum of two (2) and no more than four (4) regularly scheduled days in field placement. Field education terms should be consecutive and/or aligned with course planning worksheets.
Students should be aware that it may be necessary for all students (on-campus and online) to complete all or a portion of field education hours during typical business hours (Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm). Students are able to negotiate their field schedule with the field site.
Evening and weekend field placement opportunities are not guaranteed and, if arranged, may restrict student placement options. Every effort will be made to find an appropriate community-based placement at an eligible field site during evening and weekend hours, if available.
Students working full-time or part-time jobs during typical business hours, will likely need to adjust their work schedule to accommodate field education. It is the recommendation of the UM-SSW that students plan to have at least one weekday (8 hours) available during the field education component of the MSW program.
If students have questions related to schedule conflicts with field education they should contact the Office of Field Education to discuss potential options.
Emergency Policy
1. If the School of Social Work/University of Michigan is closed due to an emergency, studnets should follow the School's policies related to attendance and notification.
2. If the field site is closed due to an emergency, the student should follow the field site's policies related to attendance and notification.