Flexibility with Due Dates - OARS Accommodation

In order for a student to receive the Flexibility with Due Dates Accommodation, they must:

Be registered with the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS).
Be registered for this accommodation based on their needs, and have it documented in their accommodation letter.
Communicate with the professor that they intend to use their accommodations in the course.

Professors will first be alerted via receipt of the Faculty Notification Letter each semester by the student. If the student is registered for Flexibility with Due Dates it will be stated in the student's accommodation letter.

Accommodation letter text: "The student may require flexibility on assignment due dates if the symptoms of their disability are significant. It is the student’s responsibility to request an extension, by emailing the professor and accessibility-services@bethel.edu at least 24 hours prior to the due date. If the new deadline is not met, penalties may begin to be added as per the professor's late policies. It is the professor's responsibility to provide an extension (up to 3 calendar days) if it is requested within 24 hours prior to the due date and should be given without penalty."

OARS Responsibility

Student Responsibility

Faculty Responsibility

Determine student eligibility for flexible due dates.

Consult with faculty and or student when necessary.

Be available to students and faculty to answer questions about due date guidelines.

Communicate with the professor the intention to use this accommodation by sending the Faculty Notification Letter in a timely manner.

It is the student's responsibility to email the faculty and OARS (accessibility-services@bethel.edu) office to request an extension. This should be done at least 24 hours prior to the due date.

You should also collaborate with your instructor to establish a new due date of up to three days. If this deadline is not met, penalties will begin to be added as per your professor's late policies.

Flexibility with due dates accommodation should not affect other students. Extensions may be used when it is a personal work, not a group discussion or group project.

Flexibility with due dates cannot be used for exams or quizzes.

Provide a reasonable extension of assignment due dates when the student is experiencing an increase in symptoms of their disability.

The extension can be up to 3 days at the professor’s discretion. If an extension is requested following the protocol, it should be given without penalty. However, if the new deadlines are not met, penalties will begin to be added as per the professor's late policies.

Communicate with OARS about any concerns with this accommodation.

Online and flipped classrooms: The flexibility with due dates accommodation is applied the same for online and face-to-face courses. However, this accommodation generally does not apply to forum posts, as late forum posts may fundamentally alter the online learning environment. Additionally, this accommodation generally does not apply for flipped classrooms as students must complete coursework prior to class in order to engage in the learning environment. It is up to the professor's discretion on how they would like to apply the accommodation in an online and/or flipped class environment.

Professional Program Application: For programs such as Nursing, Social Work, and Education, this accommodation may not apply for the student's clinical or practicum setting as it may fundamentally alter the course. Consult with your Accessibility Specialist and department chair for further clarification.