Attendance
Students may encounter disability-related barriers regarding attendance policies included in course syllabuses across all programs, including online classes.
Disability-related needs for support with attendance accommodations include conditions that are episodic/have associated flares in nature, or conditions with regular medical appointments that can't be scheduled around classes (such as chemotherapy, dialysis, etc.). Any accommodative support for attendance modification should be utilized ONLY for disability-related absences, should be limited in number, and have an associated expectation for making up missed work.
Students with approved accommodative support for attendance policies MUST activate this accommodation and complete any agreements with their professors in writing.
There are courses with critical in-person expectations, demands, and experiences which cannot be made up due to logistical concerns.
No accommodation is retroactive. Students with concerns around attendance policies after missing a substantial amount of classes due to a disability or other health-related concern should contact their Academic Advisor for support with academic policies (i.e., Incomplete) or Case Management for support with Medical Withdrawal, Leave, & Return procedures.
Students with an approved attendance modification accommodation who miss an excessive number of classes will also be referred to existing University policies around the successful completion of course requirements.
Flexibility in Deadlines
Students may encounter disability-related barriers regarding deadlines listed in course syllabuses across all programs, including online classes.
Disability-related needs for support with deadlines include conditions that are episodic/have associated flares in nature, which prevents ability to work on assignments as planned. Any accommodative support for deadline modification should be utilized ONLY for disability-related reasons, should be limited in number and scope, and have an associated expectation for turning in late work. Approved accommodative support may be further limited by the intention of the assignment, wherein permitting an extension would alter why the assignment was created in the first place.
Campus Resources for Coursework for Other Concerns
Students who have concerns around attendance and deadlines due to concerns around learning, processing, executive functioning, or other non-episodic health conditions should consider the utilization of campus resources in managing their coursework, including but not limited to:
- Meeting with a Success Coach or (for graduate and professional students) program advisors for support in setting goals, understanding time management expectations, and establishing strong academic habits
- Meeting with a Peer Mentor through one of the many peer support programs across campus for success and wellbeing
- Utilization of learning tools such for reading and writing, such as the Tech Tools for Learning detailed on our website
- Utilization of resources housed in the Wave of Support: Intellectual page
- Requesting assistance from Case Management for support when communicating with professors about specific circumstances
- Utilizing your professor's office hours for support
- Utilizing services through the Academic Learning & Tutoring Center, such as peer tutoring, the Math Center, and the Writing Center for scheduled feedback and support regarding work.
Students with disability-related concerns around attendance and deadlines may submit a request for accommodations via our online request form, or through an "Additional Accommodation Request" in their Goldman Center Portal.
Graduate, Professional, and Online Students
For graduate programs, both in-person and online, expectations for students include attendance and managing workloads expected of students seeking advanced degrees. These include but are not limited to students enrolled in the:
- School of Law
- School of Medicine
- School of Social Work
- Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine
Requests for assistance in these programs may include considerations around technical standards and external accrediting bodies who govern requirements.
In online programs, expectations around attendance and class engagement are communicated by the program and in course syllabi. Regular attendance and participation through camera-on policies and synchronous class discussions ensure that students participating in distance-learning have access to an intentional, professional learning environment. Requests for assistance in online programs considers the nature of the participation and deadline requirements and what appropriate supports for students may be in this environment.
