Student Absences, Incompletes, and Important Deadlines for Fall 2020

To: Departmental Executive Officers
From: Cornelia Lang, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Christine Getz, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Outreach and Engagement
RE: Student Absences, Incompletes, and Important Deadlines for Fall 2020

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UEPCC recently discussed possible best practices for helping students with longer absences and how to guide newer instructors in making related decisions about giving an Incomplete or extensions.

  • That is, what is a reasonable amount of help to extend to a student at this point in the semester?

In all cases, a key factor is whether the student has a reasonable chance to achieve the course learning outcomes.

The CLAS Incomplete policy and the necessity of documentation is summarized below. For information on shorter absences, please see this page:  https://clas.uiowa.edu/faculty/student-attendance-and-absences#absences-short-term-illness.

CLAS DOCUMENTATION POLICY 

  • CLAS requires documentation for a student who misses “a large number of classes.”
  • For any absence related to COVID-19, the UI self-submit report is required and functions as this documentation; if this form is not on record at the course ICON site, please ask the student to submit it. The form may be submitted multiple times by the student if needed. (Submission of the form is a key policy since the form triggers contact tracing.)
  • For longer absences not related to COVID-19, this CLAS absence form should be used: https://clas.uiowa.edu/faculty/student-attendance-and-absences#absences-short-term-illness; the form is also found on each ICON site in the top banner under Student Tools. (Course evaluations forms are also found there.)

CLAS INCOMPLETE POLICY (Please note that this policy is applicable to both undergraduate and graduate students)

  • The CLAS Incomplete policy states that a student may be given an Incomplete if the student is in “satisfactory standing” in the course and has “a small amount of work” to complete.
  • Each instructor must define “satisfactory standing” or “a small amount of work” in relation to the course’s level, size, and structure.

SUPPORTING MAKE-UP WORK
It can be helpful for instructors to consider the below questions about the student and the course, using the answers as a guide for any related decisions about giving Incompletes or extensions for assignments, projects, and other work. 

Questions about the student’s performance before the absences occurred:

  • Good standing: Overall, was the student’s work submitted for the course to date satisfactory, i.e., at least of average quality?
  • Attendance and Participation: Did the student usually attend class (or attend class according to SDS accommodations as discussed with the instructor)? Was the student’s written work generally submitted by the relevant deadlines? Did the student take the previous exams or quizzes at the day and time scheduled?
  • Communication: Has the student communicated reliably with the instructor as needed?
  • Documentation: If the student’s absence was related to COVID-19, was the self-report submission received by the instructor? If not related to COVID-19, did the student provide the instructor with the related absence form and some type of documentation?

Questions about the course structure, level, and size:

  • Course Structure: Does each part of the course build on earlier components, with the learning outcomes depending on a linear progression of mastery?
  • Course Structure: Can the student reenter the course and finish it without making up all missed assignments while still being able to achieve the course’s learning outcomes? 
  • Course Structure-Applied Learning: Do students in the course generally learn through interactive and applied, systemic skill building and/or practice during the class? Can this learning be “made up” in short experiences or alternative activities outside of class?
  • Course Level and Outcomes: Does the student have enough prior knowledge about the subject matter, perhaps from related courses, to successfully complete the course and to achieve competency in its learning outcomes with little additional instructional support?
  • Course Size: What approach to helping a student would enable the same opportunities to be extended to others in similar situations (in some courses the number of students needing make-up support may be very high and equity then becomes important)?
  • Course Structure-Equipment: If make-up assignments include laboratory or other special equipment or setups, how feasible is it (in terms of time, labor, and materials) to provide a reasonable make-up opportunity before the end of the semester?

Undergraduate students should also be encouraged to discuss the matter with an academic advisor and may be referred to my staff in the Academic Programs and Student Development Office (clasps@uiowa.edu) if the student expresses concerns related to overall academic standing,  graduation requirements, or significant health problems affecting a number of courses, for example.

STUDENT ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT
Other important resources may be found on the Quick Guide to Helping Students, available from this page: https://dos.uiowa.edu/assistance/quick-guide-for-helping-students/

OTHER DEADLINES
Undergraduate

  • The deadline for undergraduate students to drop a course for Fall 2020 is Friday, December 18, the last day of final exam week. The deadline is published by the Registrar on the Academic Calendar: https://registrar.uiowa.edu/academic-calendar.
  • Normally, the undergraduate drop deadline is in early November, with the extension given this semester to help struggling students.
  • Remind students to submit the drop form using the normal online procedure; forms should be submitted as soon as possible.

Graduate

  • Graduate Courses that do not involve in-person research and creative work should be convened virtually after Thanksgiving in keeping the institutional policies previously announced.
  • The final day for a graduate student to drop individual semester-length courses or withdraw the entire registration without the Dean’s permission is November 10, 2010. The deadline is published by the Registrar on the Academic Calendar: https://registrar.uiowa.edu/academic-calendar and by the Graduate College on the Graduate College Calendar: https://www.grad.uiowa.edu/deadlines
  • For other information on graduate policies, comprehensive exams, final exams, thesis requirements during COVID-19, please consult the FAQ at https://www.grad.uiowa.edu/coronavirus/faqs and the Graduate College Fall 2020 Calendar at https://www.grad.uiowa.edu/deadlines

Thank you for helping our students; We know this takes time and patience as well as compassion, and we deeply appreciate your dedication to your students.

Please let us know what questions and suggestions you might have; we are always happy to hear from you.