Course Interruptions

• The Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments is a form that can be used on its own, without any other supporting documentation. You can submit additional types of supporting documentation alongside this form if you choose.  
• You may choose to use the Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments in situations where other forms of documentation are not readily available such as caring for a sick family member, personal illness that did not require a visit to a doctor, or an oral invitation from Elders or Traditional Knowledge Keepers. 

Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments form

• If you have been involved in a car accident or you’ve had an injury and there is an incident report available. 

• If you have had an issue to deal with at your rental accommodation that required your immediate attention, your landlord could provide you with a letter or a report of the incident. 

• Invitation letter confirming your participation or confirmation of your participation in a major sporting, academic or cultural event. This could also include an oral invitation from Elders or Traditional Knowledge Keepers. 

• You cannot be required to provide supporting documentation such as a medical note. You may choose, however, to submit documentation that will support your situation. 
• The decision to provide supporting documentation that best suits the situation is at your discretion. If you decide to provide a medical note as supporting documentation, it does not need to include detailed medical information such as a diagnosis. 

• If you have experienced an issue where police or insurance is involved, there should be a report available and you may choose to share it.  

• A statutory declaration is made through a commissioner for oaths and must be signed in the presence of a commissioner for oaths, who certifies that they have administered the oath or affirmation to the declarant.  Many commissioners for oaths are available for a fee and by appointment. You can download the statutory declaration form and swear an oath at your appointment and then share the form with the appropriate contact regarding your situation. The Government of Alberta offers information on commissioners for oaths 

The section of the university calendar is  M.1 Supporting Documentation. 

Students decide what supporting documentation is most appropriate to share with you to support their request for an alternate arrangement. 

Common types of supporting documentation include, but are not limited to:

Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments

• The Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments is a form that can be used on its own, without any other supporting documentation. Students can choose to submit additional types of supporting documentation alongside this form.  
• Students may choose to use the Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments in situations where other forms of documentation are not readily available such as caring for a sick family member, personal illness that did not require a visit to a doctor, or an oral invitation from Elders or Traditional Knowledge Keepers. 

Student declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments form 

Accident report 

• If the individual has been involved in a car accident or had an injury and there is an incident report available.  

Landlord letter 

• If the individual has had an issue to deal with at their rental accommodation that required their immediate attention, their landlord could provide a letter or a report of the incident. 

Participation in a major event

• Official invitations or confirmation of participation in a major sporting academic or cultural event. 
• Invitation letter confirming participation or confirmation of participation in a major sporting, academic or cultural event. This could also include an oral invitation from Elders or Traditional Knowledge Keepers. 

Medical note 

• A student cannot be required to provide supporting documentation such as a medical note. Students may choose, however, to submit documentation that will support their situation. 
• The decision to provide supporting documentation that best suits the situation is at the student’s discretion. If they decide to provide a medical note as supporting documentation, it does not need to include detailed medical information such as a diagnosis. 

Police or insurance reports 

• If an individual has experienced an issue where police or insurance is involved, there should be a report available and the student may choose to share it. 

Statutory declaration 

• A statutory declaration is made through a commissioner for oaths and must be signed in the presence of a commissioner for oaths, who certifies that they have administered the oath or affirmation to the declarant.  Many commissioners for oaths are available for a fee and by appointment. An individual can download the statutory declaration form and swear an oath at their appointment and then share the form with the appropriate contact regarding their situation. The Government of Alberta offers information on commissioners for oaths.

The Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments can be used as documentation to support a request for an alternate arrangement for missed in-course assessments. 

No additional documentation is required; however, additional documentation can be provided if a student chooses.  

Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments form

No. A medical note cannot be requested as a form of documentation from a student; however, a student may choose to provide it. If a student chooses to provide a medical note as a form of documentation, it does not need to contain detailed medical information about their diagnosis, it provides documentation for their illness or absence.  

Yes, a student can choose the form of documentation for their illness/absence. Some students will already have this information.

Instructors have the discretion to accept or reject the documentation presented. For example, if a student presents documentation that indicates they suffered from an upset stomach ten days prior, then it may not be relevant to an assignment due the next day. Likewise, if the student presents documentation indicating they were away from university for a family reunion, the reason may not be valid. 

In both cases, the situations may be accurate and the evidence valid, but not acceptable to you as a valid reason for an alternate arrangement. 

The University of Calgary has made it clear through our Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy that we need to support and value all members of our community, and thus would normally expect instructors to support requests from students who are reporting current physical or mental illnesses. 

If you suspect a Student Declaration of Absence for In-course Assessments is not credible, this provides an opportunity to have a personal conversation with the student to gain a better understanding of their situation. For additional supports, consult the Taylor Institute of Teaching and Learning or the Associate Dean Teaching and Learning. 

If you decide to keep the documents, they should be kept in the student’s department or faculty file and are subject to the university’s records retention rule 99.0006 Student Academic Files – Undergraduate (asc.ucalgary.ca/marrs/undergraduate) and 98.0018 Student Academic Files – Graduate (asc.ucalgary.ca/marrs/graduate). 

The course outline is used by course instructors to highlight expectations of engagement in a course. For additional information consult Regulations E:Course Information and G:Academic Assessments and Examinations. See also  taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/resources/course-outlines  for advice on course outlines. 

The documentation a student provides is not meant to "verify" the reason an in-course assessment will be or has been missed. Its purpose is to share information with you so you can determine what, if any, alternate arrangement can be offered. As such there is no central verification process being planned or implemented.