There are many methods that can be used to declare an expected absence so knowing the best pathway to use in order to move forward is crucial in ensuring that you will be accommodated.
Why do you need to declare an absence?
Short-term absence declaration
Short-term absences are to be no more than 2 consecutive days in length (i.e., Tuesday, February 8 and Wednesday, February 9) and can only be self-declared once per academic term.
A short-term absence does not apply to:
- clinic (CLN) components
- field studies (FLD)
- laboratory (LAB) components
- studio (STU) components
- deferred or rescheduled final examinations
- final examinations
- supplemental final examinations
- specific instances described in course outlines, such as:
- writing a summative test for courses shorter than the standard 12-week length
- participating in scheduled presentations and symposia
- submitting group project deliverables
Short-term absences can be self-declared through the Student Absence Database.
See the Registrar's Office self-declared absences for more in depth information.
Serious illness or injury
If you are in a situation where you have an illness or injury that would require more time off than the previously stated methods would provide follow these steps to have a verification of condition form filled out. Please submit your verification of condition (VOC) or appropriate medical documentation to the Student Absence Database within 48 hours of the missed course element, if you are well enough to do so. The following information should be included on your VOC:
- date of practitioner assessment,
- date range of illness,
- degree of incapacitation,
- whether the diagnosis was made by practitioner or based on a description by student,
- practitioner information (including registration number) and/or official or verified clinic/specialist information.
Once the healthcare practitioner has filled out all necessary information on the form you will need to submit a PDF or high quality image of supporting documents to the Student Absence Database as well as contact your instructor(s) notifying them of the situation Please ensure your verification of condition form includes your full name and student ID number.
Your declared absence may be denied if it exceeds the duration for VOC consideration (normally 10 days of missed classes). Please contact AccessAbility Services to determine eligibility for academic accommodations, and contact your academic advisor to determine your path forward.
Note: If your form has missing or incorrect information, you will be contacted to provide further evidence. As part of this process, we will authenticate all documentation provided. If evidence of misrepresentation, fraudulent or falsified documentation is found then it will be reported as per Policy 71 - Student Discipline to the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies.
Extenuating circumstances
If you are experiencing a circumstance that has been detrimental to your ability to complete academic requirements but is not related to illness or injury, then an extenuating circumstance can be declared on the absence database. Please submit documentation related to your absence within 48 hours of the missed course element, if you are well enough to do so. Context and documentation are needed to provide academic considerations with examples being:
- plane/train/bus tickets for emergency travel,
- court documents,
- police reports,
- death certificates/obituaries/letters from funeral directors,
- counsellor letters,
- news articles.
Please provide as much context and documentation on the issue you are facing to increase your chances of an academic consideration. Submit a PDF or high-quality image of supporting documents to the Student Absence Database and you will need to contact your instructor(s) notifying them of the situation.
If you believe your circumstance may affect you for more than a week you should consider contacting your academic advisor. You can also see campus wellness counselling services for support.
Note: If your form has missing or incorrect information, you will be contacted to provide further evidence. As part of this process, we authenticate the documentation provided. If evidence of misrepresentation, fraudulent or falsified documentation is found then it will be reported as per Policy 71 - Student Discipline to the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies.
Religious observances
A religious or creed-related absence allows students to self-declare an absence when they need to miss academic activities because of a religious or creed-related observance. You can submit the absence to the Student Absence Database. You must consult with your instructor(s) ideally within two weeks of the announcement of the due date or examination date for which you are requesting an accommodation.
Please refer to the Academic Considerations and Accommodations section of the Undergraduate Calendar for more specific information.