Disability-Related Absences FAQ
This academic accommodation is provided to students with chronic physical or mental conditions that have unpredictable flare-ups or episodes, to ensure that they are not penalized when they’re having an exacerbation of their disability and need to be absent from class.
This accommodation allows students to be absent from class without penalty to their in-class participation grade, as needed, when unpredictable disability-related circumstances arise. If absent during a quiz or exam, students should be allowed to reschedule without penalty. The accommodation allows the student to miss two times the course allowed absences, as is outlined in the syllabus.
No. Additional leniency beyond what the guidelines of the accommodation provide is always allowed and encouraged if the instructor feels that it is reasonable and appropriate, without fundamentally altering the course requirements or expectations.
Disability-Related Absences do not provide for:
- Unlimited excused absences. The accommodation is not a “blanket statement” that excuses any and all absences.
- Retroactive requests for absences after missing class without any communication to the instructor
- Excused absences for non-disability related circumstances (e.g., not intended to cover situations such as work conflicts, personal issues, travel, etc.)
- Excusing the student from any missed in-class activities (e.g., missing labs or missed quizzes must be made up at another time)
- Excusing the student from being responsible catching up on the content that was covered in class that day
- Fundamentally altering requirements for course engagement that other students will be held accountable for
When students are experiencing an unpredictable disability-related circumstance and will not be able to attend class, they should:
- Reach out to the professor as soon as they know you will be absent from class. The student should CC their assigned Access Coordinator on the email every time.
- Notify the professor that they will be absent from class, and ask if there are any important assignments, announcements, etc. they may have missed. They may also request a copy of any class notes or slides, if available.
- *NOTE: When requesting a disability-related absence or extension, students are NOT required to go into detail about the specific symptoms or circumstances they are experiencing in their email communication with instructors. They should simply state that they will be making use of their approved accommodation. Here is a sample template that students may use:
- “I am registered with the DS and I receive an accommodation for disability-related absences. This email is to notify you that my absence on (DATE) was due to disability-related reasons. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this accommodation or its use, please contact my Access Coordinator who I have included in this correspondence.”
- *NOTE: When requesting a disability-related absence or extension, students are NOT required to go into detail about the specific symptoms or circumstances they are experiencing in their email communication with instructors. They should simply state that they will be making use of their approved accommodation. Here is a sample template that students may use:
- Follow up with their Access Coordinator as needed for additional support. Access Coordinators are available to provide clarification for instructors as needed through these email communications, so it is important to CC them each time.
Accommodations can never be applied retroactively, which is why we ask that students communicate in advance of a class absence. We recognize that there may be disability-related circumstances which prevent timely communication. Students should communicate with their instructors as soon as they are able and reach out to their assigned Access Coordinator for any additional support needed
If the instructor does not have an attendance policy or has a zero-absence policy, the student should set up a meeting with their instructor, facilitated by their Access Coordinator, to discuss and settle on an agreed upon amount of acceptable absences. This will be documented and saved on record by the Access Coordinator and signed by both student and instructor.
No. Students are only expected to communicate that they will be absent and are making use of the accommodation. Instructor’s advanced approval is not required. As long as students are using the accommodation appropriately and copying their Access Coordinator on the email so that Disability Services has record of the communication, Disability Services will support the student in ensuring that their accommodation needs are met.
Due to features of some disabilities, the student may be unable to communicate prior to class and are expected to communicate as soon as they are able. We encourage faculty to be understanding and provide flexibility within reason without fundamentally altering course requirements or expectations. Students should contact their assigned Access Coordinator as soon as possible if they need more support communicating their needs
In extenuating circumstances such as hospitalizations, students should contact their assigned Access Coordinator directly, as soon as they can, for support.
Students should start by requesting the flexibility they need via email, with their Access Coordinator copied on the email. The instructor's reply to the request should copy the Access Coordinator and, if the request is denied, should include the concerns and reasons for not providing the flexibility. In that case, the Access Coordinator will mediate the situation between the instructor and student. If the additional flexibility is determined to be a fundamental alteration to course expectations or requirements, then Disability Services cannot mandate the additional leniency.
Providing a guideline for the appropriate usage of the accommodation is necessary and important to ensure that all students are consistently being provided with a base-level of flexibility from all instructors, without having to negotiate. Many rulings by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) have found that it is problematic to place the students in a position to have to negotiate the terms of their accommodations with their instructors due to the power dynamics at play. Clarifying that twice the amount of the course allowed absences, at minimum, is expected to meet the needs of the accommodation ensures that students are not unduly denied their right to access this accommodation. If an instructor is comfortable providing more flexibility with their attendance policy than this, then this accommodation would defer to the most flexible policy.
Determining reasonable and agreed upon absences through a facilitated discussion for all students and each one of their instructors every semester would not be scalable at a school the size of UMass Amherst. This guidance helps outline a base-level of flexibility that instructors should provide at minimum, establishing a floor, and Disability Services will help facilitate a discussion about additional leniency as needed on a case-by-case basis.
Instructors who feel that “two times the course allowed absences” is not suitable for the unique structure or requirements of their course should reach out to Disability Services as soon as possible. Disability Services is happy to work with instructors to outline a policy for students with attendance flexibility that balances students’ needs with the class's requirements and expectations
No. Students enrolled in traditional in-person courses/programs should expect that in-person attendance and participation is required for all courses. Remote access to fully in-person courses is not a formalized accommodation that Disability Services typically offers. Disability Services cannot provide accommodations that fundamentally alters course learning objectives. Courses with significant in-person participation requirements (e.g., discussion-based courses, labs, etc.) often cannot be adapted to a remote model, regardless of an individual’s disability-related needs. Students interested in exploring alternative remote course options should speak with their academic advisor.
No. Accommodations cannot fundamentally alter the course requirements and learning objectives or lower academic standards. The accommodation for absences is not designed to comprehensively address and fully support a student who misses/is unable to participate in more than one week's worth of classes in succession, who missed a significant number of classes during the semester, or who misses numerous deadlines and course activities for medical or other reasons. In these situations, students and professors will often need to discuss if it is possible to adequately address missed work and to maintain course pace separate from the accommodation process. Disability Services can be involved in these discussions as necessary per student or professor request. In some cases, reasonable adjustments may not be possible, and the student's final grade may be impacted should the student choose to stay in the course. The student may also need to consider a course withdrawal.
Expectations for makeup exams may vary by course, depending on assessment type, class size, and grading practices.
When a student needs to use their absences accommodation and miss an exam, students should notify instructors before the exam, as soon as they are able. Students are expected to communicate with their instructors about scheduling a makeup exam promptly, even if the student cannot take the exam right away. Instructors should be aware that the student may not be able to take a makeup immediately if their flare-up of symptoms persists beyond the day of the absence.
The Exam Proctoring Center (EPC) requires 5 business days to schedule an exam after receiving written instructor approval, allowing the student to schedule a makeup. If a quicker turnaround is needed than what the EPC's 5 business day window allows, instructors or TAs may need to proctor the makeup exam themselves and provide any approved exam accommodations, if possible/applicable.
Faculty should clearly outline makeup exam policies in syllabi so all students understand course expectations. This is best practice since any student, regardless of disability status, may miss an exam due to an emergency or illness. Instructors with a no-makeup policy or who have concerns about logistics should consult Disability Services to ensure policies balance course requirements with student needs
Yes. Faculty are encouraged to use their best judgment in providing flexibility when possible, while maintaining core academic requirements and academic integrity. Any student, regardless of disability status, could experience personal emergencies, short-term illness, or other life circumstances that warrant faculty understanding and leniency. We recommend that faculty review the University Policy on Class Absence, which applies to all UMass students, and outlines some scenarios where faculty can and should allow flexibility. Additionally, faculty are encouraged to have a clear attendance/late assignment policy in their syllabi so that all students understand course-specific expectations and requirements.
Please be aware that any informal arrangements between a student and instructor apply only to the current course and do not extend to other courses or future semesters. These arrangements are not equivalent to formal accommodations that are granted by Disability Services. Formal accommodations provided by Disability Services apply across all coursework and remain in place throughout the student’s studies at UMass (unless granted as a temporary accommodation).
If a student’s need for leniency becomes ongoing or exceeds what can reasonably be managed informally, please refer the student to Disability Services to explore formal accommodations. If a student or instructor would like to consult with Disability Services about whether their needs are best met through informal faculty support or formal accommodations, they can call 413-545-0892 or submit an inquiry through this Contact Form.