Attendance & Assignment Deadline Flexibility as a Reasonable Accommodation Policy

SUNY Plattsburgh recognizes that students with disabilities, particularly those whose conditions are chronic, episodic, or unpredictable in nature, may require an accommodation in regards to attendance and assignment deadlines to ensure equitable access to academic coursework. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the subsequent Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 as amended in 2008, SUNY Plattsburgh provides equal access to educational programs, and safeguards against discrimination for qualified students with disabilities as defined by the ADA and the New York State Human Rights Law.

Date	Version Number	Change Description	Referenced Section
7/2/26	1.0	New Document	Entire Document

 Review Process / Approval

Action:	Units	Date
Policy Review	Accessibility Resources Office VP of Administration and Finance VP of ESS School of Arts & Sciences	7/2/26
Policy Approval	Executive Council

• All undergraduate and graduate students
• All faculty (full-time, part-time, adjunct, and instructional staff)
• Accessibility Resources Office (ARO)
• Enrollment & Student Success
• Academic Affairs

Accessibility Resources Office (ARO): The campus office designated to determine eligibility for disability-related accommodations, to facilitate the interactive process with students and faculty, and to coordinate implementation.

Attendance Flexibility: A reasonable accommodation that permits a defined number of disability-related absences beyond standard course attendance policies, as appropriate.

Assignment Deadline Flexibility: A reasonable accommodation that permits limited extensions of assignment due dates when disability-related circumstances may prevent timely completion.

Essential Course Requirements: Core learning objectives, competencies, or participation components that are fundamental to the nature of a course or program and cannot be modified without fundamentally altering the course.

Fundamental Alteration: A modification that substantially changes essential academic requirements or lowers academic standards.

Interactive Process: A collaborative discussion between ARO and faculty to determine how a requested accommodation may be implemented in a specific course or the finding of other suitable alternative(s).

6.1 ARO

ARO shall:

• Determine student eligibility for accommodations
• Communication accommodation approvals to faculty
• Maintain confidentiality of disability-related documentation
• Facilitate the interactive process including consulting with faculty regarding essential course requirements and reasonableness
• Serve as a neutral resource for clarification or dispute resolution

6.2 Faculty

Faculty shall:

• Engage timely in the interactive process with ARO
• Engage in consultation with ARO regarding implementation questions
• Clearly articulate essential course requirements
• Refrain from requesting medical documentation from students, ARO, or the Health Center
• Provide approved reasonable accommodations
• Contact ARO promptly if concerns arise regarding implementation

Faculty may not unilaterally deny, modify, or independently determine that an approved accommodation constitutes a fundamental alteration; any such concerns must be directed to ARO promptly.

6.3 Students

Students approved for attendance or assignment deadline flexibility shall:

• Register with ARO and request accommodations each semester
• Communicate with instructors in a timely manner when utilizing accommodations
• Follow agreed-upon procedures and defined limits
• Remain responsible for meeting essential course requirements

Students are not required to disclose diagnostic information, or medical documentation, to faculty.

Workflow Process: Determination of Attendance and Assignment Deadline Flexibility

All required forms will be provided to parties directly by ARO as needed.

This policy is informed by and intended to align with:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• New York State Human Rights Law
• SUNY system policy regarding students with disabilities

Additional implementation guidance is available through the Accessibility Resources Office.

Method	Date
Campus Handbook	7/10/26
Faculty / Staff Digest	7/14/26
Student Digest	N/A
Other	N/A

Upon approval, this policy will operate as an internal workflow policy, with ownership and responsibility for its provision assigned to the ARO.

Distribution:

• Direct communication to all faculty via Academic Affairs
• Notification to department chairs, program directors, and deans

Training:

• Faculty training sessions coordinated by ARO
• Department chair briefings
• Inclusion in new faculty orientation
• Periodic refresher workshops as needed