Missing class due to illness
Students are encouraged to stay at home if they have a communicable illness (such as flu-like symptoms) to prevent the further spread of illness to other students, staff, or faculty. If you are too ill to attend class, you should contact your instructor immediately and submit a Student Declaration of Absence Due to Illness or Injury form.
Student Declaration of Absence Due to Illness or Injury (PDF)
This declaration is not an exemption from any exams, papers, or projects that were missed during the time of absence and does not modify any academic obligations.
For long-term or ongoing illness or injury requiring academic accommodations, contact the Disability Resource Centre.
Missing exams due to illness
If you have an illness that prevents you from attending an exam, please communicate directly with your instructor to discuss your options.
Use of the self-declaration form during the final exam period is not accepted—students are advised to communicate directly with their instructor if they are sick and unable to write final examinations.
Note to instructors
The “self declaration of absence due to illness or injury” form is a document that enables students to take responsibility for reporting their own absence due to illness and injury, thus alleviating problems that are associated with older practices around “sick notes”. In many situations of illness or injury, students do not require the care of a health or counselling professional.
If there is a pattern of ongoing illness that prevents regular classroom attendance, we recommend that the instructor refer the student directly to Student Wellness or if they wish, provide support to the student by using the Early Alert website.
If you have questions, please contact Student Wellness at 250 807 9270. Information about a student’s health is confidential and cannot be shared unless the student provides written consent to do so.
