If a student has a chronic documented disability with unpredictable or cyclical acute episodes, adjustments to the attendance policy may be appropriate as an accommodation and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
General Parameters of the Accommodation
CAE has established a general set of rules that apply in most cases for an adjusted attendance accommodation. While students with this accommodation eligibility may request absences beyond these general parameters, each request is subject to review by CAE staff. Students MUST exhaust all of their options under these general parameters for accommodations prior to requesting individual reviews with their CAE Specialist. The general parameters are as outlined below:
- Requests for extensions that fall under the below general parameters must be requested directly with the instructor.
- In most courses, a student should not miss more than 20% of the scheduled course meetings. This means that students should generally only miss 6 absences for a course that meetings 3 times a week, 4 absences for a course that meets twice a week, and 2 absences for a course that meets once a week.
- Student should report absences that fall under these general parameters directly to their instructors.
- For missed exams, quizzes, and finals, students are responsible for scheduling a makeup with their instructor and the CAE Testing Center.
- For seminars or other courses in which in-person activities are critical to the learning outcomes, these parameters may shift upon negotiation with the instructor and/or the student.
How Can I Request an Absence
Simply put, once a student is eligible for the adjusted attendance accommodation and they have requested their accommodation letter they either:
- Make an individual absence request with their instructor if it falls within the general parameters listed above.
- Make an individual absence request with their instructor if an alternative accommodation agreement was made because one or more of the general parameters above is not applicable to the course.
- Consult with their Disability Specialist about an individual absence request if the request falls outside of the general parameters listed above or an alternative accommodation agreement CAE made with the instructor.
Process
Step 1: Initial Follow-Up
Once the student has been approved for the accommodation, the student should request their accommodation letter with the adjusted attendance eligibility listed on the letter. The letter directs the instructor to further resources around what is required as a part of the adjusted attendance accommodation. Your Disability Specialist will also send further information on the accommodation and confirm how you will request absences under the general parameters of the accommodation.
Step 2: Request Accommodation Under the General Parameters
Should an instructor not contest the general parameters listed above for the accommodation, you will request your absences in accordance with the general parameters. As a reminder, requests for this accommodation when under the general parameters should be made with the instructor and not the Disability Specialist.
Should an instructor decide to contest the general parameters lsited above for the acccommodation, your Disability Specialist will send information over to your instructor about the Adjusted Attendance Accommodation and ask them to complete an alternative agreement form that outlines the new parameters of this accommodation. The agreement form is intended to identify how the accommodation can be applied to the course without fundamentally altering the objectives and essential outcomes that all students are expected to meet. The Disability Specialist will review the instructors answers and use any infromation provided by the student to come to an agreement that meets this threshold.
While students should not complete these agreements,you can find a sample of the agreement the link below.
Step 3: Addressing Requests Beyond the General Parameters
When a student is making a request for an adjusted deadline that is beyond the bounds of the general parameters listed above or the alternative agreement established with the instructor, those requests should be made directly with the student's Disability Specialist through the Adjusted Deadlines Requst form below. While requests for adjusted deadlines beyond the general parameters or what the alternative agreement covers are rarely approved, CAE remains committed to working individually with students to determine if additional consideration is reasonable.
FAQ’s
How is this accommodation determined?
This accommodation is determined by an individual assessment of, but not limited to:
- The student’s functional limitations listed in the medical documentation.
- The student’s narrative in relation to their functional limitations.
- The course requirements.
What is the purpose of the accommodation?
- The purpose of this accommodation is to mitigate, to the greatest extent possible, the impacts of the student’s disability.
- The accommodation is meant to adjust when or if there is an exacerbation of disability-related symptoms that prohibit a student’s ability to attend class, lab, or discussion section.
The accommodation does not:
- Apply retroactively
- Entitle the student to have all absences excused.
- Waive classroom participation requirements.
- Make adjustments for:
- Academic course load
- Multiple assignments due in close proximity
- Studying for exams or other assessments
- Scheduling conflicts
- Employment, appointments, or other personal obligations
- Time management issues
- Allow the student to utilize peer notetaking in lieu of attending class. If you are approved for this accommodation, you are still expected to meet the course requirements, including independently accessing missed lecture material, turning in any assignments that might be due, etc.
Why does the CAE need to speak with my professor if I am approved for this accommodation?
The CAE may need to conduct "an individualized inquiry" with respect to requests for an excused absence. The student may be required to provide documentation that independently supports their request for extended time on an assignment as an academic adjustment. First, it must be understood that documentation that supports a student's need for an adjusted attendance policy does not establish entitlement to waive attendance requirements on all courses. Secondly, the CAE must ensure that any adjusted attendance requests do not fundamentally alter course objectives or essential elements of the course.
The CAE must ensure that any excused absences do not fundamentally alter course objectives, which may be found in the syllabus statement. If the accommodation is found to be unreasonable, the CAE will assess for an equally effective accommodation.
Can I make the request directly with my Professor, TA or Instructor?
Instructional staff should not make inquiries into the nature of a student’s disability, nor assess for the reasonableness of a requested absence on the basis of a disability. Individual requests for an excused absence are dictated by the general parameters of the accommodation or an alternative accommodation agreement established between CAE and the instructor on the accommodation.Requests made outside of the bounds of the agreement should be discussed individually with the student's Disability Specialist.
I am approved for the adjusted attendance accommodation and I’m experiencing a flare-up. What do I do?
It is the student’s responsibility to follow the protocol listed in the general accommodation parameters above or in the alternative accommodation agreement sent to them for their courses. This agreement should indicate the proper protocol for notifying their instructor and/or their CAE Disability Specialist when they will miss a course meeting. Should an individual request for a absence fall outside of the bounds of the general accommodation parameters or the alternative accommodation agreement (e.g., e.g., the number of absences exceeds what is determined to be reasonable on the agreement), they should reach out to their individual specialist for support.
As a student, what am I required to know about this accommodation?
- You are expected to attend class regularly, arrive prepared for class, and be knowledgeable of the course material previously covered.
- Exception to the attendance policy does not mean exception to any of the academic requirements of the course. Students are required to fulfill all course requirements and will be held to the same evaluation standards as specified in the course syllabus.
- Absences unrelated to the documented disability are not covered by this accommodation.
- Although an exception to the attendance policy may be made, absences may have a negative impact on academic performance simply because of the content and experiential learning that has been missed by not being in class. For this reason, students should make every attempt to attend class and to observe deadlines for submission of assignments.
- Instructors are not responsible for providing extraordinary assistance to students to help them catch up after a covered absence has occurred.
What is a reasonable allotment of total absences?
As UCLA operates on the quarter system, the CAE generally considers the following allotment of absences reasonable for a standard 10-week course. However, please note, any approved adjustment to an attendance policy as a reasonable accommodation must be determined on a case-by-case basis.
- 6 absences in a course meeting 3 times per week
- 4 absences in a course meeting 2 times per week
- 2 absences in a course meeting 1 time per week