Faculty FAQs
Academic Accommodation Process
Students are instructed to provide documentation to PASS (not to faculty) to maintain confidentiality. Once documentation has been provided students can meet with PASS staff to officially set up appropriate accommodations which will then generate an e-letter of accommodation which is then emailed to the faculty of each course the student is registered for that semester. Once faculty receive this letter via email they are encouraged to meet with students briefly to discuss how the student’s accommodations will be carried out in the specific course.
Students are also asked to meet with faculty so they understand they have a responsibility to communicate with faculty to confirm accommodation needs and understanding of accommodations.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
If a student is not registered with PASS should you recommend they do so if you suspect they have a disability?
No, unless a student shares with you that they have a disability you should not recommend they register for accommodations. However, you can recommend they visit PASS to discuss additional support in the form of academic coaching or other resources.
What if a student with a disability is disruptive in class?
A student with a disability who is disruptive in class should be treated as a faculty would treat any student who is disruptive in class.
If a faculty member feels that there is a disability-related reason for the student’s behavior, the faculty can contact PASS to determine if there is a solution to the problem or strategies for addressing the behavior.
What if a student with a disability is failing?
It is important for faculty to remember that providing reasonable accommodations to a student with a disability does not guarantee success in the course. Students with disabilities may not master the course material, just like any other student. Students with disabilities have the same right as other students to fail as part of their educational experience.
Low Grade Notice: The low grade notice system should be utilized to alert the student early on in the semester about the concerns, a meeting should be set up between the faculty and student to work together in identifying additional resources and support.
Exam Accommodations
Exam Proctoring
Starting Fall 2022 students will schedule exams using their accommodations portal online (AIM) and ALL proctoring requests will go through the Claremont Colleges' Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC). This will replace the proctoring form process previously in place. This process will also allow the SDRC to send more consistent and timely confirmations to faculty related to students scheduled exams. Faculty will be able to respond to the confirmation using a secure faculty link.
Faculty Requirements
We ask that for each exam faculty provide details for each exam, including:
- Time allowed for the class to complete the exam
- Materials allowed for the exam
- Instructions for returning the exams
- A method of contact for faculty during the exam in case of issues that may arise while the student is testing
Faculty will have the option of uploading a digital version of the exam to a secure link, emailing the exam to the SDRC or bringing a physical exam to the SDRC office. Exams can be returned to faculty by secure download, email, or pickup from the SDRC. The SDRC does not have the ability to deliver exams back to faculty at their home campus.
Faculty may also request that a student return t he exam to the faculty member in a sealed envelope if they wish. Any exam returned in a digital format will be retained in physical copy until after the end of the term. Every effort will be made to return an exam to faculty the day the student completes the exam. Occasionally, exam will be returned the next business day if we are unable to deliver the day of the exam. For example, if a student completes as exam at 10 p.m. staff will attempt to email the exam to the professor. If for some reason the email fails (network outage, etc) the exam will be returned the next business day.
What is a "Distraction Reduced Testing Environment"?
A distraction reduced testing environment means that the student needs to take their exam in an area that is reasonably quiet with low stimuli when compared to the classroom. This environment does not need to be a silent, private setting. The environment can include taking the test with other students, but the room chosen must allow for students to start and finish their exams with limited interruptions. Tools that can further reduce distractions for students include noise cancelling headsets, ear plugs, study carrels, etc.
Reasonable Locations
Reasonable locations for a distraction-reduced testing environment include:
- A reserved conference room
- An office
- A lounge with a door
Likely Unreasonable Locations
Locations that are likely unreasonable for a distraction-reduced testing environment include:
- A hallway
- A room that people frequent that cannot be reserved
Distractions that Need to be Avoided
Distractions that need to be avoided in a distraction-reduced testing environment include, but are not limited to:
- Ringing telephones
- Conversations
- Rustling of chairs/papers
- Coughing
- Excessive movement
- Typing
- Traffic noise
If students are given a take-home exam, should their accommodation for extra time on exams still be provided?
It depends. If the exam is timed once the student opens it, or if it is short term (24-28 hours), then yes. However, for example, if there is a take home exam that students are given a week or more to complete and it is not timed once they open it, then extra time would likely not be reasonable. Please consult with PASS for any questions about accommodations for take home exams.
Attendance Accommodations
Pitzer College views class attendance as an individual student responsibility. Students are expected to understand and follow the attendance policy established by the professor in each class. Faculty should explain the class attendance policy and method used to calculate the final grade on the syllabus, and ideally review with the class at the beginning of the semester so that all students are clear on the attendance and participation expectations. This rubric will then be utilized to establish attendance accommodations per the faculty and the student.
How Can I Accommodate Occasional Absences?
Some students with chronic health conditions that are episodic in nature and periodically worsen or unexpectedly “flare up” may experience barriers to class attendance and may need occasional exceptions to the class attendance policy. Examples include, but are not limited to students with: diabetes, epilepsy, lyme, crohn’s, mental health disabilities, migraines, inflammatory disease and conditions requiring on-going or specialized medical treatment.
Due to the nature and/or history of the disability, periodic or occasional absences may be anticipated; however, students may not always be predict advanced notice of a disability-related absence. Some students may require treatment and, in some cases, hospitalization when flare-ups occur.
Student Expectations
It is important for students to understand that, even if excused, absences might negatively affect academic performance because of the lack of benefit from full classroom interaction. Students who are eligible for occasional absences as an attendance accommodation are expected to keep up with the overall volume of coursework, including course content, lecture notes, and information presented during class. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange how they will obtain this information, such as by planning with their instructor or classmates to obtain notes from missed classes.
When Attendance Accommodations Might Not Be Reasonable
Attendance accommodations might not be reasonable in some cases. Missing too many class meetings might threaten the integrity of the course as offered and compromise the educational experience of other students in the class. Below are some examples of when attendance accommodations may not be feasible.
Students with extended absences or those who have missed too many class meetings and/or scheduled tests might find that a make-up plan is not workable, particularly in classes where participation makes up a significant portion of the grade, i.e. lab courses, language courses, art courses, physical education courses. Instructors are not obligated to provide individualized instruction or to re-teach missed material. If absences become excessive, it may be necessary to petition for a Course Withdrawal or to ask the instructor for an Incomplete Grade at the instructor’s discretion.
Extra Time on Assignments
Some students registered with PASS qualify for an accommodation for extra time on assignments. The purpose of this accommodation is to mitigate, to the extent possible, the impacts of the student’s disability.
This Accommodation may be Reasonable When
- An assignment was not initially listed on the syllabus and is given to students with one week or less to complete
- The assignment deadline is listed on the syllabus, but the student did not get the information necessary to complete it at least one week before the deadline
- An unexpected medical or physical episode interferes with the student's ability to complete the work in the expected timeframe
When Extra Time on Assignments May Not Be Reasonable
- Assignments are sequential in nature and strictly build upon previous knowledge/skills, such as:
- Lab activities
- Assignments that prepare for weekly quizzes
- Project-based learning in which students demonstrate regular progress
- Assignments are a significant component of the educational experience of students in the class, as in activities such as:
- Group-based work
- Discussion boards
- Assignment reviews as a method of instruction
- Retroactive accommodation for past-due assignments
- You are not obligated to adjust deadlines for students' past-due assignments. You may, however, consider extenuating circumstances such as hospitalization.