Flexibility Agreements

Key Things to Know

General Considerations 

• Flexibility agreements should not alter essential course requirements – Flexibility agreements are not intended to alter essential requirements. Essential requirements are requirements that must be met by all individuals whether or not they have been approved for accommodations. In the educational context, these are generally related to outcomes that are actively assessed.
• Flexibility should be based on an individual analysis of a course – Flexibility should be based on an individual analysis of the course requirements (see below for additional guidance). For example, a lecture course may have more attendance flexibility than a lab course due to the participatory aspect of the labs. An individual analysis is necessary.
• Flexibility should be reasonable, but does not need to be unlimited – There are reasonable limits that can be put on flexibility. These limits should be determined based on the essential requirements of the course.
• Accommodations are not retroactive – While flexibility can be approved at any time, accommodations are not retroactive. Flexibility agreements can only be in place from the point the letter was sent throughtill the end of the semester. For example, if a student has missed multiple deadlines and only later seeks flexibility, then it would not apply to the previous deadlines.
• Flexibility does not automatically extend beyond the semester – Even with flexibility, students are expected to complete the course within the course enrollment dates. Any determination of an incomplete is made by the instructor through the standard incomplete process. Any incomplete must be agreed upon by the instructor. For more information about an incomplete, please see the Grade Rules information from the Registrar.
• Not all students with accommodations have been approved for flexibility accommodations - Not all students are eligible for flexibility accommodations. Flexibility accommodations are specifically approved through SAS and included in accommodation letters. If there is a student who feels they should have flexibility related to a disability, they should be directed to follow-up with SAS to explore additional accommodations.
• Instructors cannot unilaterally deny an accommodation – If you have questions about whether flexibility is reasonable in your course, you should contact SAS as soon as possible. Instructors cannot unilaterally deny a student an accommodation.
• Instructors cannot request “documentation” for disability related flexibility – Students approved for flexibility have already submitted documentation to SAS demonstrating a need for flexibility. Instructors cannot, and must not, ask the student for additional documentation when flexibility is required. If instructors have questions, they can talk with SAS.

Attendance Flexibility Considerations

• Generally, students are expected to attend at least 80% of classes, but this varies depending on the essential requirements of the course. For example, a lecture course that is recorded may require less attendance, while a lab course may require students to attend or make-up all sessions.
• Missed exams or quizzes should be completed as close to the initially scheduled date as possible. Even with flexibility, missed exams or quizzes should, but generally be completed should be within a week.
• Students should notify instructors of the absence as soon as possible, and ideally prior to the absence. Specific deadlines for notification should be discussed as part of the flexibility agreement.

Deadline Flexibility Considerations

• Generally, deadline extensions of 24-48 hours are reasonable, but this varies based on the nature of the assignment. For example, a presentation might have limited flexibility due to the scheduling challenges, while a research paper might have more flexibility.
• Due to the potential impact on other students, flexibility on assignments generally does not apply to group work.
• Flexibility agreements are not intended to be a blanket modification to all due dates, but instead define the limits of flexibility in case the student requires flexibility because of their condition. Students should notify an instructor in advance of the absence or need for an extension.
• Assignments must be completed by the end of the semester. If instructors wish to grant an incomplete, then this can be done through the standard incomplete process.
• Students are required to notify instructors about the need for flexibility related to a deadline. Specific deadlines for notification should be discussed as part of the flexibility agreement.

Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible for…

• Meeting all student accommodation responsibilities. 
• Identifying the specific need related to flexibility
• Discussing course flexibility with each faculty member
• Demonstrating an understanding of the specific requirements for each course. Including but not limited to:
• Preferred means of communication with the faculty member
• Critical dates that cannot be missed
• Consequences for not meeting the agreement
• Communicating with faculty about when the student will utilize their flexibility. Students must communicate all requests for flexibility. Flexibility cannot be provided retroactively.
• Communicating directly with SAS about any concerns or changes in condition.

Flexibility Agreement Process

Generally, the Flexibility Agreement Process is as follows:

1. Student activates their accommodation letter through a "semester request" in Accommodate - SAS approved accommodations are shared through an accommodation letter. Students activate these letters by creating a "semester request" in Accommodate.
2. Student meets with the instructor to discuss available flexibility - After reviewing the course, the student then contacts the instructor to discuss the flexibility already available in the course. In some cases, the flexibility required by the student will already be provided by the instructor as a standard practice. If standard flexibility might not meet the student need, the instructor and student should discuss a flexibility agreement. This should include discussion about:
   1. The requirements of the course
   2. The available flexibility
   3. How that flexibility can be accessed
3. Flexibility agreement is created and shared - The instructor and student should create a written agreement so everyone is clear about available flexibility should there be later concerns. This should also be shared with SAS for future reference. SAS is more than happy to help throughout the flexibility agreement process. This includes support for both instructors and students throughout the process (see below).
4. Flexibility agreement is implemented throughout the semester