Professor Brynen requires documentation for deaths to ensure that students' excuses for missing exams are genuine and to maintain academic integrity.
Professor Brynen requests documentation for deaths when students cite this as a reason for missing exams to ensure integrity and honesty in these claims. This policy helps distinguish between students who are genuinely grieving and those who may be attempting to manipulate the system with false excuses.
The example from the paragraph highlights a situation where a student attempted to use a cultural difference as an excuse, but Brynen's extensive knowledge of the student's culture allowed him to challenge the claim effectively.
The student's excuse was proven to be deceitful, and the incident served as a reminder of the importance of understanding cultural contexts when evaluating evidence.