| Topic: | Academic Standards, Grades, Conduct of Examinations |
|---|---|
| Approval Authority: | Senate |
| Approval Date: | 27 February 2025 |
| Effective Date: | 1 September 2025 |
1. Preamble
The University recognizes that a student’s ability to meet their academic obligations may sometimes be impeded by extenuating circumstances, and as such is committed to considering requests for temporary academic consideration.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this Policy is to establish the criteria and process for requests for academic consideration for missed assessments in a manner that balances student support with preservation of academic integrity of courses and programs.
3. Scope and Application
This policy applies to students in all undergraduate academic credit courses, and students in integrated (graduate/undergraduate) academic credit courses. The Policy does not apply to:
- Osgoode JD program
- York University School of Medicine
- requests for academic consideration for missed examinations during the scheduled formal examination period, or
- assessments that are worth more than 20% of the overall course grade.
4. Definitions
The following definitions apply to this policy.
Academic Consideration: the consideration of requests for temporary relief for missed assessments due to qualifying reasons outlined in this policy.
Academic Obligations: the expectation that students will regularly attend classes, be prepared for classes by completing readings and other assigned work, complete assessments, and submit assignments on time.
Attending Physician’s Statement: the form that, when completed by a licensed physician or licensed medical practitioner who is recognized to be in good standing with the relevant medical professional governing body, attests to a student’s medical/health reason that explains why and for how long the student is/may be unable to meet their required academic obligations.
Consideration Period: a period of academic consideration during which the student, due to extenuating circumstances, is unable to attend classes or meet academic obligations across all enrolled courses. This period will be no more than seven (7) days, including weekends and statutory holidays, and only applies to self-reported absences.
Course Director: the course instructor.
Date for Resumption of Responsibilities: the day following the end of a consideration period, upon which a student will resume their academic responsibilities.
Extenuating Circumstances: are health conditions or other specified reasons outlined in this policy, that temporarily interfere with or prevent a student from meeting required academic obligations.
Self-Reported Absence: a student reported absence, due to extenuating circumstances, which renders the student unable to meet required academic obligations, including scheduled in-class assessments and assignment deadlines.
5. Policy
5.1. Requests for Academic Considerations
a. The following extenuating circumstances qualify for students’ requests for academic consideration under this policy:
i. A short-term health condition such as illness, physical injury, or scheduled surgery;
ii. Bereavement of an immediate family member; and/or
iii. An unforeseen or unavoidable incident beyond a student’s control that precludes a student from meeting their academic obligations.
b. The following circumstances do not qualify for students’ requests for academic consideration under this policy:
i. Personal social obligations;
ii. Travel unrelated to a student’s academic program;
iii. Technological issues;
iv. Non-medical circumstances such as family or employment obligations;
v. Ongoing physical or psychological illness or an existing disability;
o For ongoing illness or disability, students may contact Student Accessibility Services for support. Accommodation may be sought through Student Accessibility Services under the Policy, Guidelines and Procedures on Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities.
vi. Religious observances;
o Students may seek accommodation under the Policy, Guidelines and Procedures on Academic Accommodation for Students’ Religious Observances.
vii. Mandatory legal obligations such as jury duty;
o Students must inform instructors immediately on notification of legal obligation and discuss alternate plans, where needed, to meet academic obligations.
c. Students may submit up to two self-reported absence requests per 12-week term, and one self-reported absence request per six-week term, without needing an attending physician’s statement.
d. Requests for academic consideration will cover a maximum period of seven (7) continuous calendar days across all courses (hereafter the “consideration period”). The seven-day window can be retroactive or proactive from the date of the missed assessment or assignment deadline.
e. An instructor, course department or Faculty may request supporting documentation, such as an attending physician’s statement, for academic consideration requests beyond what is permitted under 5.1.c. and 5.1.d. of this Policy.
f. Academic consideration, regardless of when requested or granted, will terminate at 08:30 Eastern Time (ET) on the day following the last day of classes in the term or at 23:59 ET on the Sunday before the start of the exam period, unless otherwise specified by a student’s home Faculty.
g. It is at the discretion of the course director, course department, or the Faculty, to determine appropriate accommodation options for academic considerations granted under this policy, which include but are not limited to:
i. Waiver of assignment
ii. An extension
iii. A modified schedule for assignments, projects, labs, or placements
iv. An alternative assignment
v. A re-weighting of term marks
h. Where built-in accommodations are established for the course for 5.1.a, the Course Director may decline providing additional accommodations as provided in 5.1.g.
i. Students must communicate with instructors about options for missed academic obligations no later than two (2) business days after the end of the consideration period covered by the self-reported absence/request, or upon their return following an absence supported by medical or other verifiable documentation.
5.2. Privacy
a. All requests for academic consideration and related communications will be maintained in accordance with the University’s Policy on Access to Information and Protection of Privacy; the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; the Personal Health Information Privacy Act, and any other applicable laws. Personal information of students will be viewed only to the extent necessary to consider requests for academic accommodation as set out in this Policy.
5.3 Academic Conduct
a. Evidence that requests for academic consideration have not been executed in good faith, including but not limited to the submission of false statements or altered documents, may be subject to investigation under the Academic Conduct Policy and Procedures.
6. Roles and Responsibilities
6.1. All members of the University community bear responsibility for implementing this policy and should make themselves familiar with the policy and the related resources available to them.
6.2. Students are responsible for:
a. keeping abreast of their progress throughout their courses;
b. considering the implications of postponing tests or midterm examinations or delaying the submission of assignments;
c. being proactive and to communicate with their instructors, informing them of any known or foreseeable extenuating circumstances which may impede their ability to uphold their academic obligations, including performance in an assignment, test, examination, or other assessment, prior to the assignment, examination or assessment;
6.3. Course directors or relevant course/academic department or Faculty are responsible for:
a. acknowledging receipt of self-reported absences.
6.4. The Office of the University Registrar is responsible for ensuring the necessary supports are in place to implement this Policy and Procedure, and to inform students about the Policy, Procedure and supports, accordingly.
6.5. Faculties, departments, and academic programs are responsible for informing faculty, instructors, and staff about this Policy and Procedure, and related supports in place for implementation.
7. Review
7.1. This Policy will be reviewed at least every five years.
8. Procedure
8.1. Students who experience extenuating circumstances may request academic consideration by:
i. Submitting a self-reported absence/request form for academic consideration, as set forth in these procedures; and
ii. Informing their instructor(s), when possible, of the extenuating circumstance and discussing possible alternative arrangements for satisfying their academic obligations; or
iii. Informing the instructor(s) offering the course(s), and submitting an attending physician’s statement, where required by this Policy and Procedure (see Section 5.1.e).
8.2. Petitions
i. A student who has been denied a request for academic consideration, as set out in Sections 3 and 5.1 of this Policy, may petition the decision to the body designated with handling petitions in the student’s home Faculty, in accordance with the petition timelines, procedures, and processes of the relevant Faculty.
ii. The type of academic consideration provided by a course director (Section 5.1.g) is not subject to petition.
8.3. The following applies to requests for academic consideration due to extenuating circumstances where the conditions for self reported absence/request have not been met:
i. Unless otherwise specified by a student’s home Faculty, students must submit a completed, signed attending physician’s statement, to the course responsible unit/department. Documentation must indicate the period and severity of illness and the expected date to resume academic responsibilities, and must be submitted no later than seven (7) days after the date specified in the documentation for resuming responsibilities.
ii. If the request for academic consideration is granted, the consideration period will normally be that specified in the medical documentation. Absences are deemed to start at midnight on the first approved day and end at 23:59 ET on the final approved day.
| Legislative History: | Approved by Senate: 27 February 2025; revision approved by Senate: 23 October 2025 |
|---|---|
| Date of Next Review: | February 2030 |
| Related Policies, Procedures and Guidelines: | Academic Conduct Policy Faculty-level Petitions Guidelines Limits on the Worth of Examinations in the Final Classes of a Term (Policy) Policy, Guidelines and Procedures on Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy, Guidelines and Procedures on Academic Accommodation for Students’ Religious Observances Policy on Access to Information and Protection of Privacy |