This policy addresses student attendance issues when students must be absent from the campus because they officially represent the University in such sponsored activities as intercollegiate athletics, debate tournaments, Campus Ministry activities, and conference attendance.
Following Catholic tradition, the University of St. Thomas promotes the education of the whole person: spiritual, intellectual, moral, social, and physical. Coaches and advisors for co-curricular activities play their part in this education both by guiding students in their particular activity and by taking appropriate concern for the other dimensions of student development, including academics. UST’s philosophy of education affirms that academic excellence need not be sacrificed for success in co-curricular activities. Indeed, sports and other co-curricular activities can help to instill many good traits in students, such as discipline, determination, and perseverance, which can be redirected to academic achievement. Coaches and advisors should pride themselves on devising strategies to help students under their care to make up for missed academic experiences and, even more, to excel academically. Students involved in co-curricular activities should not believe that they must resign themselves to lower grades as a consequence of their participation, but should set their sights high and use the skills and resources at their disposal to strive for excellence.