Policies & Procedures

Temporary Accommodations Policy for Students - 3C21

This Policy reflects Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s (SIUE) commitment to providing academic and other support to students experiencing short-term injuries, illnesses, or medical or mental health conditions that significantly impact their participation in academics and other University activities in the form of temporary accommodations. Further, its aim is to enable continued academic progress with minimal disruption, through reasonable adjustments that maintain academic integrity.

This Policy applies to SIUE students with temporary medical or mental health conditions with related symptoms or limitations that last for a limited period.

Students with injuries or medical impacts expected to last for a substantial duration (typically exceeding 12 weeks) should register with the ACCESS Office.

For purposes of this Policy, the following definitions apply:

• Temporary Accommodation: A short-term academic adjustment, support, or service provided to a student with a temporary injury, illness, or medical or mental health condition, for the purpose of enabling the student to continue participating in courses and other University activities. Temporary accommodations are designed to mitigate the impact of the condition without fundamentally altering the essential requirements of a course or program.
• Temporary Injury, Illness, Medical or Mental Health Condition: A short-term injury, illness, or medical or mental health condition that has a significant impact on a student’s ability to attend class, complete coursework, or otherwise participate in University activities. These conditions are transitory, relatively minor, and are expected to resolve in a relatively short period of time (i.e. 1-2 weeks for illness or mild concussion, up to 6-12 weeks for a broken limb, etc.) and show steady improvement during that period of time. Examples of temporary conditions/injuries might include:
  
  • Common illnesses such as COVID, mononucleosis, or flu that are not due to or exacerbated by a disability/chronic medical condition.
  • Surgical procedure/recovery with medically expected recovery time and temporary impacts.
  • A sprained or broken limb with a medically expected recovery time.
  • A concussion with a medically expected recovery time.

Other acute medical or mental health conditions from which the student is expected to recover fully in weeks or a few months.

Note: Pregnancy-related conditions and post-pregnancy recovery are addressed under a separate policy (see SIUE Policy 3C15, Pregnancy and Newly Parenting Policy), in compliance with Title IX. Students interested in learning more about this policy should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, Access & Title IX Coordination (EOA).

The Dean of Students Office provides information to students, faculty, and staff on temporary accommodation requests, as well as the availability of supportive resources on campus and in the community. The Dean of Students Office will assist students with seeking reasonable accommodations in an effort to help limit any disruption to their academic progress. For an accommodation to be considered “reasonable,” as used throughout this Policy, it must:

1. Maintain essential requirements and learning outcomes of a course, program, job, activity, or facility; and
2. Not compromise the safety of the student or others or cause an undue administrative or financial hardship.

To help mitigate any negative impact on their academic goals, students are encouraged to promptly complete the online Temporary Accommodation Request Form as soon as they become aware that they may need accommodations due to a temporary injury, illness, or medical or mental health condition. The Dean of Students Office staff are available to meet with students to learn more about this Policy and how best to utilize its benefits.

In addition to completing the Temporary Accommodation Request Form (with supporting documentation), and conferring with the Dean of Students Office, students with temporary injuries and illnesses are encouraged to work directly with faculty on developing a temporary accommodation plan. Faculty are uniquely situated to provide assistance to students with temporary injuries and illnesses. Students must be proactive and plan to engage in timely, frequent, and open communication with faculty and promptly seek support from the Dean of Students Office should any issues arise. The Dean of Students Office is available to assist students in navigating academic and other accommodation requests. If a faculty member determines that a requested accommodation cannot be provided, the student should engage with the Dean of Students Office in an interactive process to review the request and consider other options. In collaboration with the faculty member, the Dean of Students will help determine whether the accommodation requested, as well as proposed alternative accommodations, is reasonable as defined by this Policy.

When appropriate, the Dean of Students, or their designee, has the authority to determine, in collaboration with the student and relevant faculty, whether an accommodation is appropriate or necessary. The Dean of Students will notify the applicable faculty, administrators, and staff of the required accommodation and will assist in the development and implementation of an appropriate plan as needed to ensure the accommodation is provided. All parties involved are expected to treat information related to an accommodation request as private and to share it only when necessary to facilitate the approved accommodation.

Students and faculty shall work collaboratively, with the support of the Dean of Students Office, to develop a plan that appropriately addresses the academic needs of a student experiencing a temporary injury, illness, or medical or mental health condition, while maintaining the essential elements of the academic program. This plan should include how to prepare for absences, minimize the impact of any absences, any modification of academic responsibilities, as well as provide and support the student to stay on track as efficiently as possible.

Students with a temporary injury, illness, or medical or mental health condition may be provided with the following:

1. Be given reasonable opportunities to make academic preparations in advance to minimize the disruption to the student, with the assistance of their faculty (when there is prior knowledge of an anticipated need for temporary accommodations).
2. Be given a reasonable opportunity to make up missed work (e.g., papers, quizzes, exams, presentations, labs, practicum hours) with extended deadlines where necessary. Where appropriate, an “Incomplete” grade may be entered at the end of the semester, if coursework is still outstanding. See Incomplete Grades Policy – 1J5.
3. Reasonable accommodations including but not limited to: ergonomic considerations, assistive supports, accessible seating, time allowances, excused absences, temporary disability parking, alternative class modality, facilitating an incomplete grade while a student is allowed a reasonable time to make up the missed work, reduction of lifting requirements, permission to eat/drink in class, and assisting the student through a SIUE Medical Leave of Absence.
4. In situations such as group work, where make-up work may be impractical, the faculty will provide an alternative approach that fulfills relevant course requirements and meets academic assessments/goals.
5. Consideration of class modality, including when feasible, virtual class attendance or participation as a potential accommodation. If, after careful consideration, such options are determined to be impractical by both the faculty member and the Dean of Students Office, reasonable alternatives shall be considered. These may include, but are not limited to, opening an online platform link to allow the student to access lecture content, recording lectures and posting them in the learning management system, providing slide decks or lecture notes, or implementing another method deemed a reasonable accommodation by the Dean of Students.
6. Be excused for medically necessary absences related to their temporary injury, illness, or medical or mental health condition. This is irrespective of classroom attendance requirements set by faculty members, departments, or divisions.

Students seeking temporary accommodations under this Policy are expected to take an active role in the process. They are responsible for initiating the request through the Temporary Accommodation Request Form, providing appropriate documentation, and maintaining timely communication throughout the period of time for which such accommodations are being sought.

It is important for students to understand that temporary modifications are tailored to the duration of need. Likewise, students should plan their academic schedule with the modification timeframe in mind - if an extension is uncertain and the student cannot complete certain requirements after modifications end, the student might need to consider options like course withdrawal or incomplete grades. The Dean of Students Office can advise students in these situations. 

Approved by Chancellor effective 11/10/25.
This policy was issued on November 10, 2025.
Document References: 3C21
Origin: OC 11/10/25