Student Absence Declaration
Information for faculty
In January 2018, the Student Declaration of Absence (SDA) Form was introduced in select courses to replace sick notes for absences of three days or fewer that result in missed or late academic requirements.
The Student Declaration of Absence Form functions the same as a sick note did. As an instructor, you make the decision on whether you will arrange alternate coursework, tests, etc.
Faculty are encouraged to include the new Student Declaration of Absence Form in their Brightspace course information, where students will be able to access, complete and submit their form for missed academic requirements in your course.
Students are required to confirm if the self-declaration of absence option is available to them by checking with their instructor(s) or referring to their faculty, college, school, instructor-specific, or course-specific syllabi and guidelines, and work-integrated learning handbook policies.
The submission of the form does not provide an automatic exemption from any academic requirements that were missed or late during an absence. Any alternate coursework arrangements for missed or late academic requirements are at the discretion of individual course instructor(s).
Using the form in your course
- Decide if you wish to use the Student Absence Declaration Form in your course and communicate that decision to your students (e.g. on your syllabus, in Brightspace, etc.)
- If you wish to use the form, click here to login to Brightspace and choose which courses to add the SDA dropboxes to.
- This flowchart provides instructions on how and when students can use Student Declaration of Absence Form.
- Student responsibilities for using the form
- SDA FAQ's for Faculty and Staff
When the form doesn’t apply
- If you haven't authorized it for use in your course.
- For students with pre-existing accessibility plans that already allow for coursework deferrals or deadline extensions,
- If the student's absence hasn’t caused a missed or late academic requirement.
- In the Faculties of Dentistry, Medicine, the Schulich School of Law and the College of Pharmacy, which have separate regulations to cover short- and long-term absences. Students are to refer to their current academic calendars for specific regulations or policies on missed or late academic requirements.
- The Faculty of Engineering has a separate student absence reporting system. Please visit forms.engineering.dal.ca for details.
- If the student is absent for four consecutive days or more. Instead, they should contact you as their instructor and refer to the long-term absence section of the academic regulation for Missed or Late Academic Requirements Due to Student Absence.
- If the student's absence means they are missing a final exam. Instead, you should refer to the university regulation for Requests for an Alternative Final Examination Time.
- If the student's absence means they are missing final coursework, fieldwork, co-op work terms and internships, and skill labs.
- If this is the third time the student's absence is causing them to miss an academic requirement. They can submit a maximum of two separate Student Declaration of Absence forms per course during a term. (Note: Faculty, College, School, instructor or course-specific guidelines may set a lower maximum.)
- If the student has a recurring short-term or long-term absence, they are strongly encouraged to meet your Faculty or Declared Major Advisor or your Faculty Program Coordinator.