Student Absence

Updated May 3, 2023

As a pharmacy student, it can be stressful when you become ill or experience circumstances which cause you to be absent. Your first step regardless of the situation is to inform your instructor(s) and pharmacy advisors if you will be absent for a mandatory academic activity (i.e., labs, exams) or if you need to miss a deadline. Futher next steps are outlined on this page specific to a variety of situations.

The Accommodations section of the Undergraduate Calendar provides an overview for accommodation, while the processes below addresses the specifics for pharmacy students.

Regardless of your reason for absence, clear and timely communication with your instructors and pharmacy advisors is essential.

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Short-term self-declared absence

What is a short-term self-declared absence?

  • Absence period of 2 calendar days or less.
    • As soon as a student engages in any academic activity (i.e., attend classes, submit assignments/reports or write tests/exams) the absence period ends.
    • A VIF or extenuating circumstances documentation is required for absences exceeding the 2-calendar-day period.
  • Can be declared for any reason that prevents a student from meeting their academic obligations with the exception of Laboratory (LAB) and Clinic (CLN) courses/class components.
  • Can only be declared during the Formal Lecture Period.
    • It cannot be used for final exams including those that fall outside of the university's final exam period (i.e., final exams for 6-week courses.
  • Can be declared a maximum of once per academic term.

  • Cannot be self-declared retroactively unless the 2-calendar-day window is still live.

  • No documentation is required.

A self-declaration on Quest is its own absence category, neither moderate nor severe, as described below for a VIF. Self-declarations will be accepted as valid documents to allow academic accommodations, in the same manner as a VIF for severe incapacitation, in accordance with the policies outlined in course outline for missed assessments (except for LAB and CLN courses/class components as these do not qualify for accommodation as a result of a self-declared short-term absence). 

A severe’ incapacitation indicates students are unable to attend class and engage in most academic studies during the period indicated. If they attend classes/labs, submit assignments/reports or write tests/exams during this period, they are at risk of being accused of ‘misrepresentation’, a Policy 71 academic offence. 

How is the short-term absence period calculated?

  • If you declare your absence part-way through the first day (i.e., at 3:00 PM on day 1) your absence period would still be day 1 (start time 12:00 AM) and day 2 (end time 11:59 PM) and your return to study date would be day 3. (i.e., absent Feb 1 and 2, return Feb 3).
  • Weekends are not excluded from the absence calculation.
  • Visit the Registrar's Office website for full details.

Procedures to declare a short-term absence:

  1. Contact your instructor(s) and pharmacy advisors within 24 hours of the missed assessment.
  2. Complete the Self-Declaration Form in Quest.
  3. Communicate with your instructor(s) about any accommodations.

If you have self-declared a short-term absence, instructors are normally expected to accommodate you during your absence. What that accommodation looks like will vary by instructor/course. See your course outline for more details.

COVID-19 related self-declared absence

What is a COVID-19 related self-declared absence?

  • Absence period of a maximum of 10 calendar days.
    • As soon as a student engages in any academic activity (i.e., attend classes, submit assignments/reports or write tests/exams) the absence period ends.
    • A VIF or extenuating circumstances documentation is required for absences exceeding the 10-calendar-day period.
  • Can be declared at any point during the term, including during the final exam period.
  • Can be declared a maximum of once per academic term.

  • Cannot be self-declared retroactively unless the 10-day window is still live.

  • No documentation is required.

Procedures to declare a COVID-19 related absence

  1. Take the Ontario Self-Assessment if you have any symptoms of illness or tested positive for COVID-19 to get recommendations on next steps. The COVID-19 Illness and Assessment is another valuable reference tool.
  2. You must also tell your household members and similar close contacts* (workplace/school settings) that you are sick and that they should self-monitor for 10 days after exposure and isolate if they develop symptoms.
  3. If you have symptoms, you should not visit our campus and should complete the Self-Declaration Form in Quest. Please note that when filling out your self-declaration form, you can leave the "end date" blank, and fill it in later when your symptoms start improving. Instructors and pharmacy advisors automatically receive self-declarations in the form of a VIF once submitted so it is generally recommended that the self-declaration is submitted first before reaching out.
  4. You are responsible for reaching out to your instructor(s) to let them know that you will not be attending the mandatory academic activity in question so they can determine a plan for a possible accommodation.
  5. It is strongly encouraged that students still testing positive but are able to return to campus should adhere to the University's guidelines:
    1. Wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings to help protect classmates and other members of the pharmacy community
    2. Avoid non-essential activities where you need to take off your mask (for example, dining out)
    3. Avoid non-essential visits to anyone who is immunocompromised or may be at higher risk of illness (for example, seniors)
    4. Avoid non-essential visits to highest risk settings in the community such as hospitals and long-term care homes
    5. If you develop severe symptoms requiring medical attention, such as shortness of breath or chest pain, call 911 and inform them that you may have COVID-19.
  6. Those who are immunocompromised should follow the guidance found here.
  7. Students concerned about returning to campus even once they meet the guidelines above may contact pharmacy.advisor@uwaterloo.ca for guidance.

What are my next steps if I am exposed to someone with COVID?

If you have been exposed* it is recommended that you wear a well-fitting mask to help protect classmates and other members of the School community. Take the Ontario Self-Assessment to determine next steps and/or contact pharmacy.advisor@uwaterloo.ca for guidance.
 

*A close contact is anyone you were less than two meters away from for at least 15 minutes, or multiple shorter lengths of time, without measures such as masking, distancing, and/or the use of personal protective equipment in the 48 hours before your symptoms began or your positive test result, whichever came first..

Verification of Illness (VIF)

How do I know if the VIF is the documentation I need to submit to declare my absence?

  • Submit the VIF if you are unwell and:
    • You have already submitted the short term absence self-declaration form or
    • Your period of illness is greater than 2-calendar days or
    • Your illness is not COVID-related.
  1. Contact your instructor(s) and pharmacy advisors within 24 hours of the missed assessment.
  2. Submit the Verification of Illness Form  within 48 hours of the missed assessment to pharmacy.advisor@uwaterloo.ca if the absence does not meet the short-term absence criteria. The VIF is used by instructors to make accommodation decisions for missed mandatory assessments (labs, quizzes, midterms, final exams, etc.). Your academic advisors and pharmacy instructors will consider VIFs issued by the University of Waterloo's Campus Wellness Services (Health Services and Counselling Services). We understand that it is not always possible to obtain a VIF from these sources. Therefore, your academic advisors will also accept VIFs from medical professionals at other locations. Electronic submission of VIFs is accepted, but the original document must be provided at a later date. In rare situations, students may present a letter from an appropriate medical professional in place of a VIF provided that the following information is included: 
  • date of medical assessment
  • dates of illness
  • degree of incapacitation
  • whether the diagnosis was made by a medical professional or based on a description by student
  • medical professional’s information (including physician CPSO registration number, if applicable)

Degree of incapacitation: Severe vs. Moderate

The VIF indicates the determination by a care provider (normally a physician) of the degree of incapacitation for a given period of time. Instructors will determine what accommodation, if any, they will provide. When making these decisions, instructors may consider VIF information (i.e., date; incapacitation severity and period) or the circumstances; and the student’s actions (i.e., when the student notified the instructor and submitted the VIF/other supporting documents to the Undergraduate Affairs Office).

Students must discuss the VIF-specified degree of incapacitation with their instructors so that their actions are not misinterpreted or viewed with suspicion. For example:

  • A “severe” incapacitation indicates students are unable to engage in any academic studies during the period indicated. If they attend classes/labs, submit assignments/reports or write tests/exams during this period, they are at risk of being accused of “misrepresentation”; an academic offence, which carries a severe penalty that normally includes suspension.

Instructors have the authority to determine whether a VIF indicating "moderate" incapacitation will be accommodated. Students should review their course outline to see if any guidance is provided. In the absence of stated course rules, students should consider the following:

  • Tests and exams are not to be written during the incapacitation period of a "moderate" VIF
  • Misconduct/misrepresentation will not normally be alleged if a student inconsistently participates in other course elements such as assignments, quizzes, labs, and lecture attendance/participation during the VIF "moderate" incapacitation period.

Other considerations

It is solely at the instructor’s discretion as to whether and how to accommodate missed mandatory elements. This may include such options as extending a deadline for submission of an assignment, modifying the grading scheme for that student for the course, establishing a make-up activity, or assigning a grade in the absence of the element. If a student has a test/examination deferred, they normally will write the test/examination within one year of the official grade date for that course and at a mutually convenient time, to be determined by the course instructor.

The new exam may be the same as the original exam, may be a different exam, may be of a different format (e.g. an oral test), or may be of a different mix of questions (e.g. the percentage of specific topics on the new exam may differ from the original). In any case, the final decision of which exam format and date that it will be administered will rest solely with the instructor. Instructors will make their accommodation decision once documentation has been submitted. 

Students should note that the Associate Dean of Science, Undergraduate Studies shall receive summary reports regarding VIFs submitted by pharmacy students and may ask to meet with them if they have submitted an unexpectedly large number of VIFs in any given term. 

Extenuating circumstances 

  1. Contact pharmacy.advisor@uwaterloo.ca for guidance specific to your situation.
     
  2. Gather supporting documentation. The supporting documentation will be considered in a similar manner to a VIF. Official documentation is necessary before any action can be taken. Examples are: court documents, police reports, death certificates/obituaries/letters from funeral directors, counsellor letters.
     
  3. Contact your instructor(s) notifying them of the situation.
     
  4. Submit copies of the documentation to pharmacy.advisor@uwaterloo.ca.
     
  5. Come to an agreement with your instructor regarding how any missed mandatory class, lab, assignment, test or exam will be addressed. Students who have been absent from classes for two weeks or longer, whether by illness or extenuating circumstances (e.g., the death of a family member), should follow-up with their individual instructors and pharmacy advisors to assess whether their schedule of lectures or labs is still viable. For example, some students cannot complete a lab course, no matter the circumstances, if multiple labs have been missed. 

Other circumstances

Ongoing medical appointments:

  • Speak directly to your instructor. Arrangements, if any, will be made at the instructor's discretion.
  • It is highly recommended that students in this situation register with AccessAbility Services. Becky Ewan is the AccessAbility Services lead pharmacy advisor and questions or concerns may be directed to her via email or by booking an appointment. Students are also encouraged to contact AccessAbility Services

Religious observances

  • The University acknowledges that, due to the pluralistic nature of the University community, some students may seek accommodations on religious grounds. Accordingly, students must consult with their instructor(s) within two weeks of the announcement of the due date for which accommodation is being sought. Failure to provide a timely request will decrease the likelihood of providing an accommodation.

Travel and family events (weddings, etc.)

  • The University's policy is outlined on the Accommodations page of the Undergraduate Calendar:
    • "Elective arrangements (such as travel plans) are not considered acceptable grounds for granting an accommodation."
  • Students should reference the Important Dates calendar and work with their pharmacy advisors to plan ahead as much as possible.

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