Extensions on Assignments

Extensions on Assignments

Students with the accommodation of "Extensions on Assignments" have disabilities that are episodic in nature and/or conditions that impact their focus and concentration. Students with these conditions may find it difficult to complete assignments on time due to the direct effects of their disability and thus are granted access to this accommodation. This accommodation is always rendered in consultation with faculty, and it is the student’s responsibility to communicate and work with faculty to establish deadlines within a reasonable timeframe. The expectations around extensions should be established before an assignment is late or an extension related to a disability is requested. To help facilitate the discussion and set parameters between student and faculty member, OALA has included the worksheet below. The faculty member and student should work together to establish the extensions at the beginning of each semester or as soon as the accommodation is approved

For students who have conditions that cause flare ups, symptoms can ebb and flow in an unpredictable way and may impact their ability to provide or meet an adjusted/accommodated deadline. In these rare situations, students should inform faculty as soon as possible and discuss options to make up their assignment at the discretion of their faculty member. Since the accommodation has already been applied by providing the student with an adjusted deadline to provide a buffer around due dates, any flexibility, if possible, would be determined by the faculty member.   

If any student does not meet an adjusted deadline, the faculty can proceed to grade them in accordance with the standards of the course. 

Please note: An extension may not be reasonable if an assignment is sequential in nature (a lab needing to be done before another, a part of a dissertation or thesis needed to move forward in a program) or if an assignment is a significant aspect of the educational experience of other students (group-based work, presentations). To determine this, it is imperative for the student to consult with faculty. Moreover, this accommodation does NOT mean exemption from any or all assignments OR unlimited acceptance of late work, or ongoing deadline extensions. This is a misapplication of the accommodation, and any flexibility granted outside of the parameters of these guidelines shall be understood as outside of the scope of an accommodation. 

For more information, please refer to OALA’s Extensions on Assignment Policy that students are informed of and agree to during our intake process.