Accommodations & Academic Considerations

Queen’s University is committed to providing accommodation for students with disabilities who are enrolled in any of its graduate programs. University administration, faculty, staff and other students are expected to support, to the point of undue hardship, all reasonable individualized and appropriate accommodation plans that preserve the program’s academic standards and adhere to the principles of academic integrity.

For more information, please see the relevant regulation of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, under Accommodation for Graduate Students with Disabilities

Queen's Student Accessibility Services (QSAS) in Student Wellness Services, provides support to students with disabilities, and helps ensure the University and its programs are accessible to students with disabilities.

Visit the Student Wellness website for information and assistance.

Students and Postdoctoral Fellows who are members of PSAC 901 Unit 1 or Unit 2

If you are currently a member of PSAC 901 Unit 1 or Unit 2 and require workplace accommodations, please see the relevant collective agreement for more information.

NOTE: Only a self-attestation will be required by way of documentation for all requests for academic considerations related to COVID-19 including absences up to 14 days. No additional or medical documentation is required for COVID-19 related academic considerations and absences for up to 14 days (i.e., disregard 3-day documentation requirement on form).

Background

This protocol is developed in response to the Queen’s Senate Policy on Academic Consideration for Students in Extenuating Circumstances (approved April 2017) and is intended to outline the general procedure for graduate students to request short term academic consideration when/if required.

General

Queen’s University recognizes that students may have extenuating circumstances that temporarily affect their ability to fulfill their academic obligations and requirements.

Graduate students can request special consideration for extenuating circumstances that will have or have had an impact on an academic requirement or requirements. Such considerations might take the form of one or more of the following: a brief absence, a brief reprieve from coursework, research, or fieldwork requirements, an extended or deferred deadline, a modified schedule for assignments, labs, placements/internships, projects, or comprehensive exams, a deferred exam or project, an alternate assignment, a re-weighting of assigned marks, course withdrawal without penalty, or other consideration deemed appropriate by the instructor, supervisor or Departmental /Program Graduate Coordinator (“Graduate Coordinator”) or delegate.

Extenuating circumstances include but are not limited to a sudden medical event or acute mental or physical illness, physical injury to self or significant others, bereavement, a traumatic event, or other serious personal/family crisis. Extenuating circumstances may also include officially representing the University at a sanctioned varsity athletics event (provincial, national, international competitions) or through an invitation to present or share research on a provincial, national or international stage as a distinguished guest. Extenuating circumstances do not include personal or family events (e.g., holidays, weddings), academic or exam stress, or transportation or ongoing technological difficulties.

Procedures:

1. Graduate students request short term academic accommodation by completing the Request for Academic Consideration for Extenuating Circumstances (111kb-pdf ) and submitting the form and any required additional documentation to the Department/Program Graduate Coordinator (or delegate).
2. The Graduate Coordinator (or delegate) shall make the decision to grant requests on a case-by-case basis and is responsible for following up with the requestor as soon as possible and no longer than 5 business days after receipt of the request. The Graduate Coordinator (or delegate) may consult with an Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs for advice.

Please refer to the instructions outlined in these diagrams for a step by step guide through the relevant processes.

Notes:

Academic considerations for students who have experienced sexual violence fall under this Senate policy. However in the case of differences in procedure, this Senate policy defers to the Policy on Sexual Violence Involving Queen’s University Students.

Requests for academic consideration due to extenuating circumstances and any resulting consideration granted are based on the principle of good faith, wherein all parties are requested to assume that the extenuating circumstances are legitimate and that any considerations granted are deemed to be in the best interest of the student, taking into account academic progress and essential academic requirements and standards.

Students receiving academic considerations must meet all essential academic requirements and standards of the program.

The Senate policy applies only to academic activities of graduate students in their student role (e.g. classes, research, examinations and fieldwork), not in their employment role(s) (e.g. as Teaching Assistants/Fellows).

This policy does not include students seeking academic accommodations related to a chronic or ongoing physical or mental health condition or an established disability. Please refer to the SGS policy on Accommodation for Graduate Students with Disabilities.

Students requiring a leave on medical grounds for 4 months or longer should apply for a medical leave of absence from the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

The use of this protocol and the related policy and procedures to provide false or misleading information or to delay or avoid fulfilling academic requirements constitutes academic dishonesty, and students will be subject to the University’s Academic Integrity Policy.

There is no official change of enrollment status made for any student given consideration for a brief absence of up to 48 hours or academic consideration (for up to 3 months) for extenuating circumstances. Tuition and all due fees must be paid and any promised funding from awards must be provided if the student is otherwise eligible to receive this funding.