Extended Deadlines
Overview
This accommodation is designed to provide flexibility around class deadlines in order to specifically address barriers related to chronic physical or mental condition which results in significant challenges to completing assignments by their due date.
This accommodation does not go into effect until the student and instructor have discussed, agreed upon a specific plan and the student has submitted the agreement through myDRC. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate this process.
This accommodation is not designed to support:
- Unlimited acceptance of late work
- Extra time to complete each class assignment in every class
- Chronic personal organization and time management difficulties
- Non-disability related reasons (e.g., car trouble), seasonal illness (e.g., cold/flu), or health conditions that are not documented with the DRC
Resources and Instructions
The Extended Deadline accommodation is not in effect until a Flex Agreement for each class has been reviewed and accepted by both student and Instructor*. Instructors are not expected to accept late work due prior to the completed Flex Agreement.
*If the Instructor does not respond after (2) DRC outreach emails (14 days), the agreement will be in effect. This allows the university to remain in compliance with disability legislation.
STEP 1: Student requests the accommodation via myDRC Portal
Student submits an Accommodation Request, selecting Extended Deadlines for each class in which it may be needed.
STEP 2: Student initiates the Flex Agreement via myDRC Portal
The student must start the process of creating a Flex Agreement for each class using the Flexible Agreement option in myDRC. The agreement should address specific adjustments that can be made to the assignment policy and must be a reasonable (e.g., 2 late assignments).
STEP 3: Instructor reviews Flex Agreement
The Instructor will receive email notification of the student’s proposed Flex Agreement, which can be viewed in myDRC-Instructor portal. Instructors must review, propose changes, or accept the agreement.
STEP 4: Notification of completed Flex Agreement
The student and Instructor will receive email notification when the Flex Agreement has been reviewed and approved.
Review the for step by step instructions on completing the Flexible Agreement on the myDRC portal.
Federal law requires universities to consider whether any policy or procedure in place is discriminatory for students with disabilities and alter it if found to be so. University representatives must engage in a reasoned, deliberative process to consider individualized adjustments to allow students with disabilities an equal opportunity to meet course and program requirements. However, the university is not required to waive essential academic requirements resulting in fundamental changes to learning objectives or technical standards.
The DRC is required to serve as an intermediary between students and class instructors to protect student confidentiality and determine reasonable adjustments to the class policy on assignment deadlines and accepting late work. Students must submit to the DRC disability documentation from a qualified professional to establish relevant history and current functional limitations that necessitate the requested accommodation. At no time are students required to present disability documentation to instructors. Instructors have a legal obligation, upon DRC’s request, to participate promptly in a collaborative and deliberative process to determine educationally feasible alternatives to their class attendance policy.
View our Faculty Flexible Agreements page for details and a tutorial for faculty.