plan for absences

Additional Resources

Rubric

Suggested flexibility based on semester length, frequency of class meetings and various course activities.

Case Studies

Practical scenarios based on common course types and modalities which illustrate the ways the accommodation may fit your course.

Flex Plan

Tutorials and resources for completing a Flex Plan for your courses in the AIM Instructor Portal.

Overview

In a standard, 15-week course meeting synchronously, the default guidelines support excused absences under Student Rule 7.2.4.1 for double the number of weekly class meetings; one week to make up a missed quiz or exam; and up to 48 additional hours for a short-term assignment available for less than one week. Please consult the Plan for Absences rubric for guidance on shorter or nonstandard course formats.

The instructor will complete a Flex Plan in the AIM Instructor Portal within two weeks of receiving this notification to confirm these guidelines or document reasonable alternatives based on the course format and requirements. If the instructor does not respond within two weeks, the default guidelines will be applied. The student must use AIM to notify the instructor when the accommodation is needed and communicate directly about arrangements for missed work, assessments, activities, and course content.

Plan for Absences (Professional Programs)

In professional programs where attendance and absences are managed centrally rather than by individual course instructors, the Plan for Absences accommodation will not be managed using the Flex Plan module in AIM. Students should meet the specific program contact to discuss their needs and review expectations notifications and procedures to make up hours and classwork. Students will follow the program/college process for notification for absences.

The accommodation will read:

Plan for Absences (Professional Programs)
The student may be absent from class periodically or have difficulty meeting some deadlines due to their disability. Students in professional programs (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine) should follow the College’s absence policy and notification process when the student needs to miss class or a short-term assignment deadline due to a disability-related absence. Additional information and resources (including frequently asked questions, case studies, and a rubric) are available on the Plan for Absences page.

College of Medicine

Student should meet with the regional campus Academic Affairs representative to review expectations for communication and make-up work. Student should follow the College of Medicine absence notification process as outlined in the Student Handbook (https://medicine.tamu.edu/academics/students/handbook-forms.html).

  • Pre-Clerkship Attendance and Absence Policy – page 14
  • Clerkship Attendance and Absence Policy – page 17

College of Pharmacy

Students should meet with Dr. Stephen Lee, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, to review expectations for communication and make-up work. Student should follow the College of Pharmacy absence notification process outlined in the Student Handbook (https://pharmacy.tamu.edu/current/student-procedures.html).

College of Dentistry

Students should meet with Mr. Jose Herrera, Student Affairs Administrator, to review expectations for communication and make-up work. Students should follow the College of Dentistry absence notification process outlined in the Student Handbook (2025-2026-Student-Handbook.docx.pdf).

College of Veterinary Medicine

Students should meet with Dr. Karen Cornell, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, to review expectations for communication and make-up work. Student should follow the College of Veterinary Medicine absence notification process outlined in the Professional Student Handbook, page 8 (https://vetmed.tamu.edu/dvm/resources).

Determining when attendance is an essential requirement of a course

The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) provided the following guidelines to be used in considering whether attendance is an essential element of a course:

  1. Is there classroom interaction between the instructor and students and among students?
  2. Do student contributions constitute a significant component of the learning process?
  3. Does the fundamental nature of the course rely on student participation as an essential method for learning?
  4. To what degree does a student’s failure to attend constitute a significant loss to the educational experience of other students in the class?
  5. What do the course description and syllabus say?
  6. Which method is used to calculate the final grade?
  7. What are the classroom practices and policies regarding attendance?

The accommodation should be provided unless the accommodation threatens the integrity of the course as offered.  It is important that the student and course instructor discuss the issue so that the student can then make an informed decision regarding alternatives. Requests for accommodations for absences due to a disability should be considered on an individual and course-by-course basis.

References and Resources

  • 7. Attendance. Retrieved July 1, 2015, from http://student-rules.tamu.edu/rule07
  • Questions and Answers on Disability Discrimination under Section 504 and Title II.  Retrieved July 1, 2015, https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/civil-rights-laws/disability-discrimination/frequently-asked-questions-disability-discrimination
  • Maczaczyj v. New York, 956 F.Supp. 403, 11 NDLR ¶ 59 (W.D.N.Y. 1997) (upholding requirement of in-person residency; participation by phone constituted fundamental alteration of program)
  • University of Illinois, 30 NDLR 104, Case No. 05-04-2078 (OCR Region V 2004) (OCR found no fault with an instructor’s announced policy of failing any student who missed in excess of ten classes; evidence adduced that policy was applied to nondisabled students as well)
  • Seattle University (WA), Case No. 10-03-2050, 27 NDLR ¶ 321 (OCR Region X 2003) (law school articulated legitimate educational rationale for requiring classroom attendance)
  • Metropolitan State College (CO), Case No. 08-98-2013, 15 NDLR ¶ 92 (OCR Region VIII 1998) (upholding accounting department’s refusal to relax attendance policy after engaging in deliberative process and concluding such would result in fundamental alteration based of program)
  • Cabrillo Community College (CA), Case No. 09-96-2150 (OCR Region IX 1996) (essentiality of attendance decided on case-by-case basis in light of class requirements and methodology; when attendance is not essential, college should consider taping classes for students whose disabilities prevent attendance)
  • Project Shift: Faculty Development.  Retrieved August 4, 2015, https://exploreaccess.org/projectshift-refocus/faculty.htm