Attending class is an important part of being a student at UVA and engaging in the academic community. Reasonable modification of attendance may be appropriate for students with disabilities to provide limited flexibility to the course attendance policies on a case-by-case basis.
Students are still responsible for completing all coursework and frequent use of this accommodation is contrary to its intent. Successful use of this accommodation requires communication and collaboration between the student and their instructor. This accommodation is not intended to be used every week nor for every class. The accommodation must be requested per individual class and may not be applicable for certain classes.
Students should reach out to their professor or academic dean as this accommodation does not apply to missed class for reasons such as normal illness, family emergencies, planned vacations, interviews, etc. The student’s academic dean can assist with other solutions such as dropping or withdrawing from a course, taking a reduced courseload, or requesting an incomplete grade.
General Plan for Reasonable Modification of Course Attendance
SDAC generally considers the following allotment of absences reasonable for a standard 16-week course; the recommendations below are in total, inclusive of any published course attendance policy. However, please note, any approved adjustment to an attendance policy as a reasonable accommodation must be determined on a case-by-case basis.
| If your course meets | Reasonable allotment of absences |
| 5 times a week | 10 |
| 4 times a week | 8 |
| 3 times a week | 6 |
| 2 times a week | 4 |
| 1 time a week | 2 |
Students are responsible for making up any work that is missed while absent and/or complete an alternative assignment.
Individualized Reasonable Modification Plan
If a course or student’s situation requires adjustment to the above, an Individualized Reasonable Modification Plan will need to be completed and agreed upon by the student, professor, and SDAC.
Roles and Responsibilities
Student |
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SDAC Staff
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These accommodation do not
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Apply retroactively
- Entitle the student to have all absences excused, or waive all classroom participation requirements
- Apply equally to courses with essential in person requirements, such as labs, studios, world language courses, or others that have highly interactive and discussion-driven courses.
- Make adjustments for:
- Academic course load
- Studying for exams or other assessments
- Scheduling conflicts
- Employment, appointments, normal illness or personal obligations
- Time management issues
- Allow the student to utilize peer notetaking in lieu of attending class. Students are expected to independently access missed lecture material and still turn in any assignments that might be due.
Email Template
Email Notifying Instructor of Attendance
Dear Professor [name],
I am enrolled in your class [class name and section]. Earlier this semester I sent you my Faculty Notification Letter from SDAC indicating my eligibility for a reasonable modification of attendance deadlines as an accommodation. Due to disability-related reasons, I am unable to attend class today. I will reach out to a classmate to see about the material that I missed; if needed, I will also attend your next office hours.
If you have questions about my accommodations, my SDAC Advisor, [Advisor Name], can be reached at [advisor email].
Thank you,
[your name]
FAQs
Student FAQs
- After I send out my accommodation emails to my faculty, what is next?
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Follow up with your instructors to ensure you are both on the same page when it comes to how the accommodations are going to be implemented in each course. See email templates below.
- What type of classes or activities are not eligible for an absence?
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Examples of classes where this accommodation would not apply:
- Situations that would impact others, such as in-class group work.
- Activities/participation that are unable to be replicated outside of the course experience, such as some hands-on activities, speakers, or field excursions.
- What do I do if the General Reasonable Modification Plan does not work for me?
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Initiate the interactive process by filling out the Individualized Reasonable Modification Plan.
- How should I communicate when an absence is needed?
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Students should use the template emails (provided below) to communicate with their instructors.
- What are the consequences if I do not attend class?
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- If your absences go beyond parameters outlined by your Reasonable Modification Plan, then there may be academic consequences implemented, such as a grade penalization.
- If absences become excessive, SDAC may instead counsel you to consider alternatives, including withdrawing from the course or taking a reduced course load.
- What do I do if instructors are non-responsive to my communications?
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Please give your instructor a reasonable amount of time to respond. If they have not responded consider contacting them in other ways:
- Canvas, Piazza, etc
- attending office hours
- through the TA
If communication is still not received, please contact your SDAC Advisor.
- Can instructors require documentation for an absence, such as a doctor’s note?
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No. Students are not required to present their instructors with medical documentation verifying their disability or need for accommodations beyond the Faculty Notification Letter.
Faculty FAQs
- What do I do if the General Reasonable Modification Plan does not work for my course?
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If you feel that the plan fundamentally alters the course learning objectives, please initiate the interactive process to create an alternative plan by filling out the Individualized Reasonable Modification Plan.
- What type of classes or activities are not eligible for an extension?
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Examples of classes where this accommodation would not apply:
- Situations that would impact others, such as in-class group work.
- Activities/participation that are unable to be replicated outside of the course experience, such as some hands-on activities, speakers, or field excursions.
- What do I do if my student has not communicated with me?
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Reach out to the student directly requesting a meeting to discuss how their accommodations may be implemented in your course. If you do not hear back from them within one week, please contact SDAC.
- What do I do if my student has not attended class?
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SDAC would prefer we know about this before it becomes excessive so that we can adequately address the student’s situation. Ultimately, the student is responsible to fulfill the learning outcomes of the course. Assuming that the General Reasonable Modification Plan (or an agreed upon alternative Individualized Reasonable Modification Plan) has been followed, failure to attend may result in academic consequences for the student as per your course policies.
- Can I ask for a doctor’s note for disability-related absences?
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No. Students are not required to present their instructors with medical documentation verifying their disability or need for accommodations beyond the Faculty Notification Letter.