Missed of Late Academic Term Work

Missed or Late Academic Term Work due to Illness or Other Extenuating

Circumstances

The purpose of this regulation is to support temporary or occasional needs that students have due to illness (e.g., flu, COVID-19) or other extenuating circumstances without registration with other offices on campus, such as Student Accessibility Services (SAS) or the Office of Human Rights and Equity (OHRE).

Academic term work refers to class attendance, coursework, quizzes, tests, mid-terms and other program specific requirements, excluding final exams scheduled during the University’s official examination period.

Some Instructors may be using universal design principles to provide considerations for absences. In such cases, students may not need to submit a request for consideration. Students should check their course syllabus carefully, and ask their instructor(s) for clarification.

Short Term Absences due to Illness:

Students may experience short-term absences for up to 5 business days due to illness/health related reasons that result in missed or late academic term work.

Other Extenuating Circumstances:

Students may experience personal circumstances beyond their control that directly and substantially impact their ability to meet their academic requirements. Extenuating circumstances include but are not limited to: 

  • Bereavement
  • Traumatic event/series personal or family crisis
  • Immigration related requirements
  • Legal obligations
  • Officially representing the university at a sanctioned varsity athletics event (provincial, national, international competitions)
  • Invitation to showcase achievement or share an exceptional talent or ability on a provincial, national or international stage as a distinguished guest

Extenuating circumstances do not include employment or volunteering, personal or family events (e.g., vacation, weddings), general feelings of nervousness relating to academics or exams, or travelling.

Process:

A student may submit a maximum of two (2) separate Self-Declaration due to Illness and/or Extenuating Circumstances per course during a term.

  • Students are responsible for contacting their instructor(s) prior to the deadline or scheduled time of the academic requirement, and submit at the same time the Self-Declaration Form. (Note: No medical note/documentation is required.)
  • The instructor, in collaboration with the student, will determine the appropriate plan for the missed or late academic work. Where possible, the instructor will ensure any make-up work occurs in the same term and prior to the deadline for final grade submission.

Students who exceed two (2) submissions per course during a term may no longer submit a Self-Declaration. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their Program Director/Chair/Coordinator/Dean’s Office and seek support from a health care professional or counsellor, if appropriate.

  • Instructors may request documentation to demonstrate the student has met with their Director/Chair/Coordinator/Dean’s Office and arrived at a course of action to manage the recurring absences before considering any further alternate academic requirement arrangements.

Instructor(s) may provide additional flexibility to students and to support students in successful completion of academic term work requirements.

This regulation does not pertain to:

  • Accommodations related to a permanent or temporary disability or a retroactive accommodation (see University Regulation V Examinations – Students Registered with Student Accessibility Services or Accommodations for Students with Disabilities or Medical Conditions Policy)
  • Relief related to members of the Canadian Reserve Force (see Policy on Dispensation for Canadian Military Reservists)
  • Academic term work that has already been completed or work that has been attempted (see above for retroactive accommodation)
  • Accommodations for religion/creed (see University Regulation V Examinations – Students Requesting Creed and Religious Accommodations) or other human rights grounds (see Human Rights Policy)
  • Accommodations for sexual or gender-based violence (see Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Policy)
  • Relief for a final exam (see University Regulation V Examinations – Final Exam Deferral due to Illness or Other Extenuating Circumstances - new regulation draft below)