Dear Editors,

In Response to the November 19 article about QSAS’s new accommodations (QSAS’s new accommodations don’t effectively accommodate students):

QSAS would never want a student to feel disappointed with the supports they receive, and for that reason I was sorry to learn about your perceptions and experience in engaging with the Up to 7-Calendar Day Extension on Assignments accommodation. To clarify some points mentioned, during the development of this accommodation, QSAS connected both formally and informally with a number of students and student groups who provided important feedback, as well as the university’s Advisory Committee on Academic Accommodations, that includes student members, and faculty and school representatives, as well as the Human Rights and Equity Office. All students receiving the Up to 7-Calendar-Day Extension on Assignments accommodation received emails from QSAS in early July and again in September detailing the change, providing the link to the QSAS website where more information could be found, and inviting students to connect with me directly if they had any questions or concerns.

The intentions behind establishing a timeframe as part of an extension accommodation were to help both students and instructors frame their discussion about this accommodation; help equalize the perception of a power differential by providing an email template for students to use when communicating with their instructors; and provide structure for extension requests beyond 7 days. Please visit the QSAS website to learn more about the Up to 7-Calendar Day Extension on Assignments. I welcome all student feedback to QSAS (positive or negative!) about this particular accommodation or anything else accommodation-related, through SWS’s online feedback form.  

Alan Jeans

Manager, Queen’s Student Accessibility Services