Associate Dean of Students Mike Owens said there is no university policy for students who miss class on Election Day.

“There’s not a separate policy dealing with elections any more than with a death in a family or anything like that,” he said.

Attendance policies will be based on individual instructors, Owens said.

“It’s at the discretion of the instructor whether or not they will excuse the absence,” he said.

Students who have not already cast their vote with an absentee ballot will have to travel home or visit their local precinct on Election Day to vote.

Many professors appear to have class scheduled as usual.

Associate Vice President of Human Resources Maxine Kent said Central Michigan University employees are allowed to leave to vote under three circumstances.

They can vote on non-work time, on a break or lunch hours or during a requested break from their supervisor, she said.

“Most all have personal time and vacation time they can use to cover the time,” she said.

History Department Chairman Timothy Hall said no one in his department is planning on canceling class, but this is the first year he has ever had students ask to leave to vote.

Although students appeared to manage in previous election years, Hall said more students are involved with this election.

“What this signals is a higher-than-usual interest in voting,” he said.

Hall said he is not penalizing students for missing class on Election Day, but students should have planned ahead.

“The best thing for people to do, if you are out of your county, is to vote absentee,” Hall said.

Breckenridge sophomore Jamie Franklin is voting absentee this year because he is unable to return home for Election Day since his parents now live in Oklahoma.

However, he feels that classes should be canceled on Election Day.

“It’s really important with such a crucial election,” Franklin said. “We’re trying to get the college vote up and that really hinders it.”

Political Science Chairman Rick Kurtz said Election Day has never proven to be a conflict for students.

“I assume they can make arrangements and get to the polls,” he said.

He was unaware of any professors in any department making special arrangements for the day and the question of canceling classes was new for him.

However, Berkley freshman Jeffrey Vail said his HST 111: United States to 1865 professor is making a special exception for voters.

“I have a test that day, and if you bring your voter registration card, you can opt out of taking it until next Tuesday,” he said.

Vail is registered to vote in Mount Pleasant and said students should be given the extra time to cast their ballot.

“Since we promote it so much, we should get a break,” he said.

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