Academic Activity

Faculty and contract lecturers who are teaching an in-person course cannot unilaterally change the mode of delivery to remote/virtual. 

If faculty or contract lecturers are experiencing mild symptoms of illness but are well enough, willing and able to teach their course(s), they should discuss this with their Chair/Director and consider temporarily delivering the course remotely/virtually until their conditions improve and they can return to on-campus teaching. The Chair/Director should make the Dean aware of the need to change the mode of delivery.

If a faculty member or contract lecturer cannot attend class due to illness, they should follow normal, pre-pandemic sick leave processes on missing classes, which include notifying their Chair/Director and students.

Faculty and contract lecturers have flexibility in determining how they will hold office hours. Virtual office hours may be used if offices cannot support physical distancing. Be sure to clearly communicate to your students where and how consultation hours will be offered.

No, there is no expectation that faculty or contract lecturers offer their classes in a hybrid mode to accommodate individual students.

As of May 1, 2023, the university will no longer offer the use of a special COVID-19 category in the online Academic Consideration Request (ACR) system.

Students who miss class or an assessment due to cold or flu-like symptoms or self-isolation may still make an academic consideration request without documentation once per term, except in the case of final exams and final assessments.

The system will automatically monitor submissions and if a student has already submitted an ACR without documentation for the term, further attempts to do so will be restricted. Students who have exceeded their one time per term ACR without documentation will be asked to submit documentation for any additional requests.

If a student misses an exam because of a sudden illness they are required to request alternative arrangements through the online Academic Consideration Request (ACR) portal, and contact the relevant course instructor. All requests for consideration for final exams/final assessments must be accompanied by supporting documentation. 

For Extenuating Circumstances, Policy 167 allows for a once-per-semester Academic Consideration Request without supporting documentation if the absence is less than three days in duration and is not for a final exam or final assessment.

Absences of more than three days in duration and those that involve a final assessment or final exam, require documentation. Students must notify their instructor once a request for Academic Consideration is submitted and make alternate arrangements for the missed work if available. Instructors reserve the right to not accept a request for academic consideration.

All requests for academic consideration must be made through the Academic Consideration Request (ACR) portal. The portal monitors student requests and determines when documentation is required. Faculty members and contract lecturers have the right to view documentation when submitted.

Under  (PDF file) Policy 167: Academic Consideration, students are entitled to one request involving extenuating circumstances per semester that does not require documentation, except in the case of final exams and final assessments. After this option has been exhausted, further requests (regardless of category type) require a medical note confirming the student’s expected return date along with some indication of the impact of the condition on the student’s academic performance during this time.

Students should use the TMU Health Certificate (external link) . The documentation must be submitted to the online system within three business days of a missed academic requirement. All absences must follow Senate  (PDF file) Policy 167.

You will need your OneCard to gain entry to campus buildings. During the 2023/24 school year, exterior entrances to campus buildings will be locked and only accessible by tapping your OneCard against the card reader to gain entry. If you do not already have a OneCard or need a replacement, please visit the OneCard website for more information.

The Government of Canada Travel is currently issuing a level 1 health notice risk and advises travelers to practice health precautions when traveling internationally (external link) . 

Faculty and contract lecturer travel remains under the jurisdiction of the individual. To help with ongoing decision-making, all faculty members have access to, and are welcome to use, the resources provided by ISOS (external link) , and may wish to reach out to TMU Global for additional support.

All faculty members and contract lecturers are strongly encouraged to register with ISOS. For more information visit TMU Global’s International Risk Management webpage (external link) .

All students traveling abroad for university-sanctioned activities must complete the university’s International Risk Management Requirements. It is recommended that students begin this process 4 to 6 months in advance of their departure date.