Assignment Extension Accommodation (Assignment extensions up to five (5) days)
Students with this accommodation may periodically need flexibility with assignment deadlines due to the nature of their documented disability. Granting a reasonable extension (up to 5 days) enables the student to complete the course requirement when they would be unable to do so otherwise. This accommodation may be recommended for students who experience fluctuating and unpredictable periods of ill health associated with certain chronic health conditions, mental health disabilities, or resulting from periods of adjustment to new medication or other treatments.
Student Responsibility
The student is expected to request an extension for an assignment prior to the original due date with as much advance notification as possible. In some instances, a student may not be able to contact their instructor directly or in advance of a deadline if they are experiencing symptoms that keep them from self-advocating. In these cases, the SAS Advisor may advocate for a retroactive request on the student’s behalf.
Situations When an Instructor Might Not Approve an Extension for Reasons of Academic Integrity:
- When the extension request concerns a group assignment, community engagement activities, or field practicum
- When the answers for the assignment will be posted or taken up in lecture
- When an extension was already provided for the assignment
- When the extension request does not allow sufficient time for marking
For Extensions Beyond Five Days:
There may be exceptional disability-related requests for extensions beyond five days. In this instance, the student must connect with their SAS Advisor and the following steps will be considered:
The SAS Advisor will review the following with the student:
- What are the disability-related factors that have made timely submission difficult?
- To what extent have you attended and participated in the course?
- What communication have you already had with your instructor about this assignment?
The SAS Advisor may recommend the following:
- Advocacy for an alternative assignment or re-weighting of marks
- Retroactive withdrawal and referral to an Academic Advisor to file a late withdrawal petition
- Consideration for filing a petition for incomplete status
- An accommodation review to determine what other accommodations may assist (i.e., reduced course load)
NOTE: Not all students registered with SAS are approved for assignment deadline extensions. In fact, there are some students for whom this accommodation is not recommended due to the nature of their disability.