Each semester the Registrar’s Office deals with students who are unaware of the procedures to follow in the case of a justified absence. To assist you, the procedures are indicated below. While it is not possible to list all of the acceptable reasons here, when in doubt, the student should inquire with the Registrar’s Office by sending an E-mail to: authorized.absence@johnabbott.qc.ca or read Article 4 of the Institutional Policy on the Evaluation of Student Achievement.
Less than five days:
Absences fewer than five (5) consecutive school days are addressed by the teacher and the student on a case-by-case basis. Each course outline indicates the departmental absence policy.
Five days or more:
Students who will be absent for five (5) consecutive days or more for justified reasons must provide a note to the Registrar’s Office (authorized.absence@johnabbott.qc.ca). The Registrar’s Office will then advise the teachers of the student’s date of return, or if the absence is indeterminate. Arrangements for submission of missed assignments, evaluations, etc., are to be made between the student and teacher.
Extended Absences after the Course/College Withdrawal Deadline:
The Course /College Withdrawal deadline for the Fall 2023 semester is Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. In order not to penalize students who cannot withdraw after this date, a process called “Request for Authorized Absence” is possible for students who are absent for a period of three weeks or more for justified reasons beyond the students’ control, e.g. medical. The student must have been unable to complete the course for serious reasons independent of the student’s will and beyond their control. If the request is granted, the student is technically withdrawn from their class(es) without receiving a failing grade; instead, a permanent incomplete grade notation “IN” is indicated on the transcript. These requests are usually made for medical reasons or other extenuating circumstances and must be supported with appropriate documentation.
Before granting an authorized absence, the Registrar’s Office will validate the authenticity of the documentation and then inform the teacher(s) in writing, without disclosing any confidential information. Teacher(s) will be asked if they would like to provide any further input. Please note that it is not compulsory for faculty to provide this input.
If the request is approved, the “IN” grade notation is assigned to the appropriate course(s) and the student is notified accordingly. The student is also made aware that the granting of an authorized absence implies that the student is taking or has taken the necessary steps to be prepared to return to school in the subsequent semester. Students are not required to re-apply to the College as they are technically considered as registered students. If a student is not able to return to John Abbott in the subsequent semester, the student must speak with the Admissions Office. Students whose authorized absence request is refused will be notified in writing and will then receive the grade achieved for work submitted and graded.
The Authorized Absence Request form can be obtained from the Registrar’s Office by writing to: authorized.absence@johnabbott.qc.ca.
The deadline for requesting an authorized absence is the last day of classes of the given semester. Please be reminded that the process indicated above is intended for students with justified reasons for missing classes.
