UBC Policy effective September 2019: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,329,0,0
Academic Concessions: Grounds for academic concession fall into one or more of the following categories:
1. Conflicting Responsibilities: Conflicting responsibilities that create grounds for academic concession are beyond the student’s control and normally arise after the student has registered in courses. Examples include:
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- being absent from campus to represent the University, British Columbia or Canada in a competition or performance
- attending meetings required as a member of a University governance body
- being called to serve in the military
- needing to work to support oneself or one’s family but only when the need changed after the student registered in the course
- a change in the need to provide care for a dependant or family member
- being required to attend a court session as a witness, jury member, or party
- being required to attend a hearing on a matter of university discipline or academic standing
- being required to report to a government office for immigration or citizenship proceedings
- participating in a religious observance (see Board Policy #65)
Other conflicting responsibilities that can be foreseen may also/occasionally create grounds for academic concession (e.g., attending an academic conference or professional development opportunity). In these situations, students must consult their instructor or graduate supervisor or graduate advisor or their academic advising office as appropriate.
2. Medical Circumstances: Medical circumstances that create grounds for academic concession are normally unanticipated and include, but are not limited to, the following:
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- Acute physical or mental illness or a medical circumstance that emerges or recurs during a term.
- The emergence of, or a change in, a chronic physical or mental health condition.
Students with disabilities eligible for academic accommodations under Joint Board and Senate Policy #73 are required to work with the Centre for Accessibility in this regard.
3. Compassionate Grounds: Compassionate grounds for academic concession may arise in the immediate aftermath of an unanticipated event, or later. Examples include:
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- a traumatic event experienced by the student, a family member, or a close friend
- an act of sexual assault or other sexual misconduct experienced by the student, a family member, or a close friend
- a death in the family or of a close friend
Types of Academic Concessions that may be provided to students: See point #9 at http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,329,0,0
Documentation for Academic Concession requests: See point #10 at http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,329,0,0
Include the following statement in the course syllabus and bring it to the students’ attention in class at the start of the term: “requests for academic concession should be made as early as reasonably possible, in writing, to the instructor. These requests should clearly state the grounds for the concession and the anticipated duration of the conflict and or hindrance to academic work. In some situations, this “self-declaration” is sufficient but the submission of supporting documentation may be required along with, or following, the self-declaration.”
- Documentation for Conflicting Responsibilities: A self-declaration may be sufficient where there is no practicable way to provide a letter or other official document from an organization relevant to the conflict.
In the case of an academic concession for care for a family member or for a religious observance, the University does not require documentation. However, advance notice of interference with academic activities should be provided by the student as soon as reasonably possible and in the case of a religious observance, no later than two weeks in advance (see Board Policy #65). - Documentation for Medical Circumstances: For first occurrences of an acute illness likely to be quickly resolved without seeing a health professional, a self-declaration will suffice (as, health professionals are not able to provide meaningful reports for students who have not been under their care prior to the illness).
If a student makes a second or subsequent request to an instructor for academic concessions resulting from acute illness, the instructor could refer the student to their academic advising office. Students who are experiencing the emergence of a chronic condition should be encouraged to work directly with a faculty academic advising office. - Documentation for Compassionate Grounds: When a student first seeks academic concession on compassionate grounds, a self-declaration will suffice. As traumatic events may show effects long after the occurrence of the event, a self-declaration may also suffice for the first incidence where re-traumatization arises. If a prolonged absence is anticipated on compassionate grounds, supporting documentation may be requested. Documentation can be provided by a professional or unit that can assess the effect of the event on the student
Students approaching course instructors asking for their final exam to be held at a time other than the one that is now scheduled due to:
- Examination Hardship, when three exams are scheduled within a 24 hours period: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/?tree=3,41,91,0 – sets the parameters for when a student is entitled to seek to have an exam moved.
- Travel or other personal commitments during the Final exam period: Include the following in the course syllabus and bring it to the students’ attention in class at the start of the term, “Wait for your final exam schedule before you make travel or other plans – See UBC policy at: https://students.ubc.ca/enrolment/exams” Final exam dates for Term 1 are announced mid-October and for Term 2 during mid-February.
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