Attendance Modification Guidelines

Overview

Santa Fe College's published policy concerning academic objectives and attendance states:

• "Students are responsible for satisfying the entire range of academic objectives as they are defined by the instructor in any course. Attendance requirements are included within the academic objectives of each course. These objectives shall be presented in writing by the instructor at the beginning of each class. Absences shall count from the first class following registration. Lateness or leaving early may be considered as absences. Failure to satisfy any of the course objectives may have an adverse effect on the grade earned in the course or may result in the student's receiving no credit in the course."

Some students, due to their disabilities, may experience absences from class and request a waiver of attendance requirements. Assigning an attendance accommodation does not mean that absences can be excessive, but rather the instructor and student must come to an agreement about what is reasonable in order to fulfill course requirements. If attendance is essential, adjustment to the attendance policy may be an unreasonable fundamental alteration of the nature of the educational experience.

The Attendance Modification Guidelines depicted are in accordance with the Office of Civil Rights set forth in Case No. 09-96-2150 (Cabrillo Community College) for a disability-related academic adjustment of attendance and classroom participation procedures. It addresses the responsibilities of the college’s students, instructors, and Disabilities Resource Center (DRC). It also provides a deliberative process for determining how attendance is fundamental or essential in meeting the course goals and the possible outcomes as a result of the course requirements.

Responsibilities of the SF student who requests attendance accommodation:

• Students with disabilities that may affect their ability to attend class regularly or complete scheduled graded activities (e.g., exams, oral reports, lab assignments) must register with the DRC to determine their eligibility for an accommodation of attendance. If assigned, this accommodation will be re-evaluated each term by a DRC specialist.
• DRC students are responsible for requesting their accommodation letters and communicating with their instructors about their attendance accommodation at the beginning of the term.
• Students who receive an attendance accommodation are still responsible for fulfilling the essential requirements of a course. These include meeting class participation and attendance expectations that may have been altered by the instructor and following policies related to missed assignments or exams.
• Students must stay in contact with their DRC specialist and faculty until an understanding is reached about allowable absences and protocol for communicating about absences and making up missed work.
• Students are responsible for notifying instructors about their inability to attend class session and about on-going absences (e.g., hospitalization, prolonged treatment, etc.).

Responsibilities of SF Faculty for determining attendance accommodation:

• Instructors are responsible for setting class attendance policies for students and stating that policy on course syllabi. Instructors are also responsible for determining policies regarding make-up work and missed quizzes and exams. Instructors are not required to lower academic standards or fundamentally alter their course for academic adjustment purposes.
• Instructors are ultimately responsible for determining if class attendance and class participation are integral components of the learning process in the courses they teach. To avoid discrimination on the basis of a disability or claims of differential treatment, instructors should use the following questions as a guide when engaging in the deliberative process of determining if attendance is or is not an essential aspect of the course:

• Instructors should consult with DRC specialist staff for assistance in developing a contingency plan to accommodate any disability-related absences that may occur for a student who is approved for attendance accommodation.
• Instructors who determine that attendance is fundamental to course objectives and who need to disallow or restrict relaxation of attendance should consult with the DRC to document in writing the alternatives considered and the reasons for the final decision.

Role of the Disabilities Resource Center (DRC):

• DRC specialists, through discussions with the student and review of documentation provided to DRC, will determine if the student has a disability that entitles them to protection under the ADA and would significantly impact the student’s ability to satisfy attendance requirements.
• DRC specialists will lead instructors through the required deliberative process.
• DRC specialists will not be responsible for informing instructors of a student’s absences. That is the responsibility of the student.