Students are expected to attend regularly all classes in which they are enrolled. Because regular and punctual class attendance is typically associated with higher course grades, it is in students’ best interest to attend all of their classes.
The University recognizes the need for flexibility for students with disabilities and, at times, will provide the accommodation of consideration of absences. It is important for students and faculty members to realize that this accommodation may not be appropriate for every class. To determine whether attendance is essential to a particular course, the following factors from a 1996 Office of Civil Rights case should be considered:
- Is there classroom interaction between the instructor and the students and among the students?
- Do student contributions constitute a significant component of the learning process?
- Does the functional nature of the course rely on student participation as an essential method for learning?
- To what degree does a student’s failure to attend constitute a significant loss to
the educational experience of the other students in the course?
- What do the course description and syllabus say?
- What are the classroom practices and policies regarding attendance?
If a grade is dependent on participation, it is important that the student and faculty member discuss the issue so that the student can then make an informed decision about alternatives. The student with the disability is responsible for submitting verification to the instructor. The student and the instructor should discuss in detail class attendance and the policy for making up missed class work, quizzes, or exams.