Information for all students and teaching staff at PPK on the handling of absences from classes in connection with the coronavirus epidemic

Absences from classes where attendance is compulsory is regulated by Section 63 Subsections (1)-(2), and (5), as well as Section 66 Subsection (1) of the Academic Regulations for Students (hereinafter: HKR). Attendance is to be monitored by the lecturer, and defining the acceptable number of absences within the limits set by the HKR is also their responsibility.

The Chancery has on multiple occasions informed all university staff and students on the coronavirus epidemic, in particular that:

• all persons who arrived from infection hotspots* should voluntarily remain absent from the university community for two weeks. This absence and its reason should be relayed via email, thus the absence is excused;
• all persons who arrived from infection hotspots, and have a fever, cough, or difficulty in breathing must not go to a doctor. They should stay at home, and urgently call their general practitioner, physician, or, lacking the former, contact the University’s staff doctor, Dr Zsuzsa Szanitrik (email address: ), inform them of their symptoms and which infection hotspot they arrived from, or if, before showing symptoms, they had any contact with an infected person. Ask for advice on what to do next!

If based on the above a student decides to voluntarily remain absent from the university, they should inform the lecturers of each affected class one by one, in separate emails, indicating the duration of the absence and its reasons.

The Dean hereby, pursuant to Section 425 of HKR, grants equity to all lecturers to exclude class absences of up to two weeks, necessitated by the aforementioned reasons, from being counted towards absences that would exceed a third of the classes pursuant to Section 66 Subsection (1) of HKR. Lecturers shall have the right to decide on the extra assignments for students absent from at least a quarter of the classes but not more than a third of the classes.

In all cases where the student is absent because of an illness, presenting a doctor’s note, the normal provisions of the HKR shall apply.

Furthermore, we kindly ask all students and lecturers, to monitor the information provided by the university, particularly on the steps to be taken and the changes in infection hotspot areas, to be able to act appropriate to the latest developments. National Public Health Center (NNK) toll-free numbers to answer coronavirus requests: +36-80-277-455, +36-80-277-456.

Budapest, 28 February 2020

Dr Zsolt Demetrovics dean m.p.

*Based on the information provided at the press conference on 26 February 2020 by the Hungarian chief medical officer, these denote the areas where the community spread of the virus may occur: China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Iran, and four Italian regions (Piedmont, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Lombardy). Daily updated information on the coronavirus epidemic is available in Hungarian at the home page of the National Public Health Centre. (https://www.nnk.gov.hu/index.php/lakossagi-tajekoztatok/koronavirus)