Remote Attendance
Overview
California State University Monterey Bay primarily offers in-person instruction as the primary course delivery mode. Under specific circumstances, remote attendance may be a reasonable disability accommodation. Most of CSUMB’s academic programs have essential in-person components. Remote attendance can be approved as a reasonable accommodation if a student’s disability makes them unable to attend in-person. Students eligible for remote attendance are approved for one semester. Approval is contingent upon determining feasibility for the student’s courses in collaboration with faculty. This accommodation is not intended to be used for multiple semesters in a row, nor to convert an in-person program into a remote experience. Students who are approved to attend classes remotely should not expect the same classroom experience as if they were attending in person. There are elements of classroom interactions and dynamics which contribute to student learning, but cannot be replicated in a remote environment.
Definition of Remote Attendance
Remote attendance means participating in classes synchronously. This means that if approved for this accommodation, students must be logged in to class simultaneously with the in-person session in order to be counted present. Accessing recordings after the fact will not constitute remote attendance and students may be counted absent.
Request Process and Procedure
If you are interested in requesting full-semester remote attendance, please carefully review the following:
- If you are not registered with Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC), you must first register to request remote attendance as a disability-related accommodation.
- Remote attendance, if approved, is on a per-semester basis. Previously eligible students are not automatically eligible for future semesters. Requests will require a letter of support from your healthcare provider every semester
- The priority deadline for remote attendance requests is two months prior to the start of the semester.
- Requests received later than two months prior to the semester will still be considered, but review before the semester begins is not guaranteed and options may be limited.
- The provider’s letter of support must include the following:
- A description of how your disability creates a significant barrier to your full and meaningful participation in an on-campus experience. The description should include an explanation of how your disability will affect you such that remote attendance is a recommended accommodation for you. This impact must go beyond the typical stress or nervousness that most people are likely to feel in readjusting to an in-person experience.
- An estimated end date when you can return to in-person classes
How to Request:
- Register with Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC) and schedule an appointment with an advisor
- Gather documentation to support your request (the documentation must be from a qualified provider and must address all of the items listed above).
- Meet with an SDAC Advisor to begin the interactive process related to your request.
- SDAC Advisor will discuss your request with the instructor to determine feasibility and implementation steps.
- If approved, you and the instructor will receive written confirmation from SDAC.