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UCLA Center for Accessible Education

Adjusted attendance requirements

What is the purpose of this accommodation and how is it determined?

If a student has a chronic documented disability with unpredictable or cyclical acute episodes, adjustments to the attendance policy may be appropriate as an accommodation and will be considered on a case-by- case basis. The purpose of this accommodation is to mitigate, to the greatest extent possible, the impacts of the student’s disability. The accommodation is meant to adjust when or if there is an exacerbation of disability-related symptoms that prohibit a student’s ability to attend class, lab, or discussion section. This accommodation is determined by an individual assessment of, but not limited to: a) the student’s functional limitations listed in the medical documentation, b) the student’s narrative in relation to their functional limitation, and c) the course requirements.

What is the procedure for implementing the accommodation?

It is the student’s responsibility to initiate a conversation with their CAE Disability Specialist prior to a missed class, or as soon as possible thereafter, when requesting an attendance adjustment. It is understood that such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and students may be required to submit additional documentation that supports the request.

CAE Students will:

  1. Contact their CAE Disability Specialist when the need for a disability-related absence occurs.
  2. Make their letter of accommodation viewable to their faculty member through the online portal.
  3. Let their professor know that they are requesting a disability-related attendance adjustment, which will be confirmed by their CAE Disability Specialist.

CAE Disability Specialist will:

  1. Conduct "an individualized inquiry" with respect to the request for any adjustments to a course attendance policy. The student may be required to provide documentation that independently supports their requested adjustment to a course(s) attendance policy.
  2. Communicate directly with the faculty member(s) regarding any requested attendance adjustments that are directly related to a student’s disability.

UCLA Faculty will:

  1. Notify the CAE of receipt of the accommodation request.
  2. Faculty will notify the CAE if the adjusted attendance accommodation is believed to fundamentally alter the nature of the course. If it is determined that the accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of the course, faculty are to communicate with the CAE in a timely manner and identify, in good faith, if an equally effective accommodation may be reasonably implemented.
  3. Contact the CAE if a request is made directly by the student to adjust the attendance policy. This ensures that the CAE is able to engage the student in the interactive process and take into account the student’s limitations when determining if an adjusted attendance accommodation is reasonable.