Last updated: 8/16/2023 

Flexibility accommodations allow a student to miss class or turn in assignments late without penalty. The need for this type of accommodation must be related to a documented disability.  

Students with disability-related access barriers who are requesting accommodations will follow the established process for requesting accommodations: 

1. Contacting the SDC to set up an appointment  
2. Engaging in the interactive accommodations process 
3. Submitting relevant documentation, as needed. 

Definitions 

The SDC recognizes that instructors use different words to describe components of their courses. For the purposes of these accommodations, we will use the following definitions. 

• Exam/quiz: An assessment that is designed to be completed in one sitting without interruption, and isscheduled to start and end at specific times with a set amount of time in which to complete the assessment.   
  • Example: The exam is scheduled from 1:00-1:50, and students have 50 minutes to answer 30 questions.    

• At-home exam/quiz: An assessment  for which students have a window of time to start and submit the assessment- and,once the exam has been started, it is designed to be completed in one sitting without interruption.   
  • Example: students are given seven days to take a 30-minute, 15-question quiz.   

• Assignment/project: An activity or assessment for which students are given a window of time to complete. The activity/assessment does not need to be completed in one sitting and can be worked on as much and as often as the student likes within that window.   
  • Example: Students have two weeks to write an essay. 
  • Example: Student is given one week to complete a take home exam.  

Accommodation Procedures

If flexibility accommodations are approved the following process will occur: 

Deadline Extensions

1. The Accommodation Specialist will email an accommodation letter to the primary course instructor with the student cc’d. The accommodation letter will provide details as to how much flexibility needs to be provided to the student regarding assignment deadlines. 
2. The student and instructor need to develop a communication and logistics plan for when the accommodation will be used. Either party can be the one to initiate this dialogue.  
3. When the student needs to use the accommodation, they will inform the instructor of this. This needs to happen within the timeframe of the extension window. Ideally this should happen prior to the deadline, and there may be disability-related reasons that prevent the student from communicating before the deadline. As long as the student communicates within the extension window the accommodation needs to be provided.   
4. The instructor will provide the accommodation.  
5. If any questions or concerns arise, the student and/or the instructor will contact the SDC as soon as possible to inform them of the questions or concerns. The SDC staff will assist in answering any questions or resolving any concerns that arise.  

Attendance Flexibility

1. The Accommodation Specialist will email an accommodation letter to the primary course instructor with the student cc’d. The accommodation letter will provide details as to how much flexibility needs to be provided to the student regarding course absences. 
2. The student and instructor need to develop a communication and logistics plan for when the accommodation will be used. Either party can be the one to initiate this dialogue. 
3. The student will inform the instructor when they are using their accommodation. This needs to happen in a reasonable timeframe. Ideally this communication should occur before class, and there may be disability-related reasons that prevent the student from communicating prior to class. In most cases the communication needs to occur before the next scheduled class session. 
4. The instructor provides the accommodation.  
5. If any questions or concerns arise, the student and/or the instructor will contact the SDC as soon as possible to inform them of the questions or concerns. The SDC staff will assist in answering any questions or resolving any concerns that arise.  

Accommodation Provisions 

Deadline Extensions

• Accommodations are only in place from the date on the SDC accommodation letter through the end of the semester. Faculty are not required to provide accommodations retroactively (prior to the date on the SDC Accommodation letter. 
• Any additional flexibility beyond what is listed on the SDC accommodation letter is at the discretion of the instructor. 
• Deadline extension accommodations are only to be used for disability-related reasons. Faculty do not have to provide the accommodation if it is not for disability-related reasons. 
• Students cannot be asked to provide documentation for the need to use their accommodations, other than the SDC accommodation letter.  
• Deadline extension accommodations apply in addition to any deadline extensions provided to all students.
• Deadline extension accommodations do not apply to exams/quizzes that are taken in class or on a scheduled date.  
• For exams/quizzes that are given a window of time to be completed in (e.g. seven days to take or complete an exam) deadline extension accommodations do apply. 
• Deadline extension accommodations do apply to assignments due at the end of the semester. If the extension window extends beyond the end of the semester, the instructor should give the student an incomplete in the course until the end of the extension window. 
• When a student uses their deadline extension accommodation on an assignment, it only changes the deadline for that specific assignment. This will not change the deadline of other assignments.

Flexibility with Attendance

• Accommodations are only in place from the date on the SDC accommodation letter through the end of the semester. Faculty are not required to provide accommodations retroactively (prior to the date on the SDC Accommodation letter. 
• Any additional flexibility beyond what is listed on the SDC accommodation letter is at the discretion of the instructor.  
• Attendance flexibility accommodations are only to be used for disability-related reasons. Faculty do not have to provide the accommodation if it is not for disability-related reasons. 
• Attendance flexibility accommodations apply in addition to any attendance flexibility provided to all students. For example, if all students in a course can miss two class periods without penalty, the accommodation applies in addition to these already provided absences. 
• Students cannot be asked to provide documentation for the need to use their accommodations, other than the SDC accommodation letter. 
• Students are responsible for making up any in-class work they miss on a day they use their attendance flexibility accommodation. Thus, faculty will need to provide students with the information they miss and/or opportunities to make up any missed in-class work. 
• If a student needs to use this accommodation for an exam/quiz date, the instructor needs to provide the student with an alternate date to take the exam/quiz.  

Fundamental Alteration

If a faculty member believes that flexibility accommodations will create a fundamental alteration to the essential objectives,  they must engage with SDC’s fundamental alteration process to determine whether this is a fundamental alteration. Until a determination has been made through this process, the accommodation needs to be provided to the student. If it is determined that an accommodation needs to be adjusted that will be communicated to the student by the SDC.