The Undergraduate Student Government unanimously passed a resolution on Monday night that encouraged an updated absentee policy for the University, which will bring less stress for students who must miss classes for other commitments.

The approved form was compiled by the USG Organization Liaison, and has been in the works since the end of fall semester.

Diversity Affairs Senator Ashley Hannah wrote the resolution and presented it to the senate during the Feb. 8 meeting. It was tabled until Feb. 15 where all of the members voted in approval for it.

The resolution starts by pointing out that there is currently no set policy on excused absences for faculty, staff and students. Currently, absentee policies are left to be decided on by individual professors.

The goal of the document is to put a more set policy in place so all of the professors of the University will be abiding by the same rule. This way, if students are missing classes for a number of days in a row, all of their classes will offer make-up time if the proper excused documentation is presented.

Students involved in different organizations, students involved with athletics or seniors taking off days to visit potential graduate schools are the main focus of the resolution. It also mentions the concerns of the students who experience family or personal emergencies over the course of the semester as well.

Organization Liaison Chair Sarah Shepherd said she experienced some trouble when she tried to leave for a conference with USG members last year. She said one of her professors was difficult when it came to Shepherd having to miss an exam while she was gone.

Shepherd said she decided to move forward with the issue in November when athletic students approached her with concern.

“We worked on the wording for three months,” Shepherd said.

Hannah said the committee got to work by taking a number of different surveys from students. The surveys point out that students wanted to be allotted chances to miss class for important commitments with proper times for make-up work.

“We really got the opinion of the students,” Hannah said.

Hannah said it’s in the best interests of the students to form a set of rules that all of the classes on campus could abide by so students can stay committed to their course work and extracurricular activities.

Shepherd said there is a huge importance in getting involved with the 300-plus groups on campus, adding that she has learned more about politics from sitting in at USG meetings than in any classroom.

“That’s why we get involved,” Shepherd said.

Getting approved was simply the first step.

During the first read-through during the meeting on Feb. 8, Senator At-Large Sean Lutzmann asked who this resolution was directed toward. Hannah said the resolution will now be presented to Graduate School Senate and then to Faculty Senate. The three groups will attempt to write an active policy that is settled nicely among the three.

It will change the student code of conduct, Hannah said.

“… [S]tudents need to know about this,” Shepherd said. “This will affect them the same as the unionization will. It makes me so happy that it was unanimous.”