Student Accommodation Guidelines and Responsibilities

Tacoma Community College is committed to providing equal access to educational opportunities for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with state and federal laws. To ensure equality of access for students with disabilities, accommodations (including auxiliary aids and services) are provided on a case-by-case and individualized basis, through an interactive process with the Access Services office. As a student with a disability receiving accommodation from Access Services, it is important to know your rights and responsibilities outlined below.

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Access Services students have the right to:

1. An equal opportunity to learn and participate in the classroom environment. 
2. An equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the university community, programs and activities. 
3. Choose whether or not to disclose the specific nature of your disability to your professor(s). The information you provide to Access Services is protected by F.E.R.P.A. Our office shares a list of your approved accommodations but not your medical records. 
4. File a grievance if you feel you are discriminated against. 

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Access Services students are responsible for:

1. Self-Identifying to Access Services as having a disability and needing accommodation. 
2. Completing an intake appointment with Access Services staff and engage in the interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations. This includes self-report of disability and disability verification. 
3. Meeting with each professor to discuss your approved accommodations in their respective courses. Typically, this meeting should take place once the Letter of Accommodation has been delivered to faculty within the first few weeks of the quarter. 
4. Submitting your renewal request for accommodations at the start of each new quarter by logging into your AIM student disability profile. 
5. Understanding that late notification does not require retroactive implementation of accommodations by your professors. 
6. Submitting updated accommodation requests in a timely manner by notifying Access Services staff as soon as possible.
7. Contacting Access Services in a timely manner regarding any issues, concerns or delays in receiving approved accommodations.
8. Notifying Access Services immediately when discontinuing an accommodation or when you choose to drop a course for which alternate format materials are required. 
9. Meeting the same academic standards (with or without accommodation) such as technical, performance and behavioral standards that are expected of all students at T.C.C., including Student Conduct Policies.

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Tacoma Community College is committed to providing equality of opportunity and an environment that fosters respect for all members of the college community. lf you are having difficulty with a person, office or department at T.C.C. and believe you have or may be experiencing mistreatment or discrimination on the basis of your disability, you can contact the resources on this webpage to get assistance. 

Steps to take if you have a conflict: 

1. Try to resolve the issue first with faculty and/or staff directly if you can. Sometimes resolution is simply a matter of clarifying misunderstandings or processes between individuals. 
2. Contact Access Services staff for assistance in resolving issues related to accommodations. This may include conversations with the faculty, Department Chair and Dean as appropriate. 
3. Engage T.C.C. campus/off-campus resources if initial avenues do not resolve the concern/complaint. 

Strategies to help you get your concerns addressed: 

1. When making a complaint, be specific. lt can be helpful to document the incident(s) and the action(s) taken, including dates, times, names and a statement explaining the interactions. 
2. State what individual(s)/office(s) you believe has discriminated against you, when the incident occurred and describe the incident.
3. lf you are attempting to resolve a problem that includes a number of offices, it may help to let each office know what other efforts you have made to try to resolve the complaint. 
4. Keep a record of all written correspondence between yourself and the various offices you work with. 

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Access Services Office is available to assist students in solving problems related to the provision of academic accommodations. Staff are often able to assist students in resolving complaints or concerns by assisting in communications with T.C.C. faculty and staff. Access Services can also refer students to other offices or individuals who can assist with resolution. Students can contact Access Services for assistance. 

THE A.D.A./504 COORDINATOR is responsible for A.D.A. compliance and response across campus. They are an additional to assist in solving problems related to the provision of academic accommodations, or with concerns regarding discrimination due to a disability. Access Services may consult directly with the A.D.A./504 Coordinator as needed. Students contact Kathryn Held at phone and email.

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This information is helpful if you wish to file a grievance complaint with an agency outside of the college. 

THE WASHINGTON STATE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION is the state agency responsible for administering the Washington Law Against Discrimination (RCW 49.60). They serve as a neutral, fact-finding agency to investigate and resolve complaints of discriminatory practices.

You can contact the Washington State Human Rights Commission at 800-233-3247 (toll-free voice), 206-464-6500 (voice) or 206-587-5168 (TTY). For more information, visit their website at: hum.wa.gov 

THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS in the U.S. Department of Education is the enforcement agency for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Office for Civil Rights will examine the factors of the alleged discrimination and interview appropriate persons to establish the facts, determine if discrimination has taken place and resolve the complaint. When a student is not satisfied with the on-campus efforts to resolve a complaint, The Office for Civil Rights is a place to turn. 

You can contact the Washington State office at 206-607-1600 (voice) or 800-877-8339 (T.T.Y.) or OCR.Seattle@ed.gov (email). For more information about the Office for Civil Rights, go to their website: Office for Civil Rights Complaint 

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Tacoma Community College values diversity, inclusion, and an environment free from discriminatory conduct. The College is committed to providing a safe, respectful, educational and work environment that is free of hostility, intimidation or harassment for all members of the TCC community.

Any conduct or communication motivated by hatred or prejudice that demeans, degrades, or harasses an individual or group based upon race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical or mental disability, and veteran status is not tolerated.

Examples include targeting a group or individual, in person or electronically, with hateful conduct that interferes with a person’s educational experience or employment, as well as acts of vandalism or graffiti. A bias incident may or may not involve violations of College policies or state or federal law.

Disability Bias Incident Report Form

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• Incomplete Grades and Withdraw petitions are not accommodations and no accommodations automatically guarantee approval of either an Incomplete grade or an approved Withdraw petition. 

• Please speak with the Enrollment Office to learn more about Medical Withdrawal Petition. Scroll down and select Petition for Policy Exception. 
• Please speak directly with your professor about Incomplete Grades.

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• In order to use this accommodation, it must be approved by Access Services and stated in your current Accommodation Letter.
• Prior to the use of this accommodation, the student and professor MUST meet (this accommodation is NOT valid if the professor and student do not meet). The STUDENT is responsible for initiating the meeting request in writing with their professor every quarter. Student and professor need to discuss/review the following BEFORE the student can use this accommodation:
  • When extra time is needed for an assignment, the student should inform their instructor in writing BEFORE the original due date/due time has passed.  
  • The professor must reply in writing to the student’s request with the new due date for the assignment in a timely manner.
  • The professor will give 1, 2, or 3 extra days to complete an assignment upon the student's request. The instructor will take into consideration the nature, complexity, and size of the assignment when determining duration of the extension. The instructor may also agree to a longer extension than 3 days if/when possible, when considering the student's needs.
• This accommodation can only be used for INDIVIDUAL assignments, not group work or class discussion posts. It does not extend past the last day of class instruction.
• The student must send a separate message for EVERY individual assignment they need to request an extension for.
• When considering your request, your professor will assess how much extra time is reasonable depending on the assignment difficulty, pace of class and your Accommodation Letter details.

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• Initiate the meeting request with your professors as soon as each new quarter begins…remember, you can not use this accommodation until you and your professors have met and discussed it together!
• Try to ask for an extension 24-48 hours before the due date. This may not always be possible, but do your best! You MUST submit the request before the due date/due time for it to be accepted.
• Send an email OR Canvas Messenger request to your professor directly: 
  • You may use the template provided by your Accommodation Specialist or you may use the following guidelines for your written message
    • Include a greeting to your professor. 
    • State that you need to use your Assignment Due Date Extension Accommodation and state the number or name of the assignment
    • Ask them kindly to reply to you in writing with your new due date for the assignment

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• Respond to your student’s request for a meeting to discuss this accommodation in a timely manner (they cannot use this accommodation until after they have met with you)
• These initial meetings can be done in person, remotely over Zoom or another platform, or even via email exchange. See the “Requirements and Important notes for Proper Use” section for details on what to discuss during the initial meeting
• Keep a copy of student’s Accommodation Letter on file to review when you receive this request in writing from your student.
• Ensure that they sent you a request in writing before the assignment due date/due time.
• Review student’s request for extra time and respond in a timely manner in writing, working with student to determine the reasonable extension.
• Professors are not required to allow extensions if the student’s request is made after the deadline has passed. Professor may choose to make exceptions however, depending on the circumstances related to the request.
• If the student does not make their new due date, Professors are not required to give them additional extensions. Professor may choose to make exceptions however, depending on the circumstances related to the request.
• This accommodation does not extend past the last day of class instruction.

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Deadline/Due Date Extension (1-3 days) – This student may experience periodic disability-related episodes that may prevent the student from completing an assignment by the stated due date.

Prior to the use of this accommodation, the student and Professor MUST meet and discuss/review: 

• When extra time is needed for an assignment, the student should inform their instructor in writing BEFORE the original due date.
• The professor must reply in writing to the student’s request with the new due date for the assignment in a timely manner.
• The professor will give 1, 2, or 3 extra days to complete an assignment upon the student's request. The instructor will take into consideration the nature, complexity, and size of the assignment when determining duration of the extension. The instructor may also agree to a longer extension than 3 days if/when possible, when considering the student's needs.
• This accommodation can only be used for INDIVIDUAL assignments, not group work or class discussion posts. It does not extend past the last day of class instruction. 
• If the student is unable to submit the assignment by the new deadline that the professor has communicated, the professor is not required to allow an additional extension for that same assignment. The professor may choose to make exceptions.
• The student understands they must send a separate message for EVERY individual assignment they need to request an extension for
  
  • NOTE: Professors and students can go to our webpage at: Student Accommodation Guidelines and Responsibilities to view more detailed guidelines regarding this Accommodation 

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• In order to use these accommodations, it must be approved by Access Services and stated in your current Accommodation letter.
• Prior to the use of this accommodation, the student and professor MUST meet (this accommodation is NOT valid if the professor and student do not meet). The STUDENT is responsible for initiating the meeting request in writing with their professor every quarter. Student and professor need to discuss/review the following BEFORE the student can use this accommodation:
  1. The classroom’s attendance policy
  2. A REASONABLE amount of health-related absences (percentage of class or actual number of classes) the student could have when they use the accommodation correctly, without drastically threatening student’s ability to demonstrate mastery of material.
  3. WHEN this accommodation is used correctly by the student, how many points per absence, will be removed
  4. The student is responsible for communicating their Disability-Related Absences with professors IN WRITING as soon as they are able to (there is no required timeline for this communication.)

• This accommodation DOES NOT sanction unlimited absences.
• The student is responsible for missed class notes and assignments and is responsible for making up missed course work in a timely manner.
• It is understood that the number of absences a student may be able to accrue without severe academic penalty is highly dependent on the nature of the classroom, class content, and instructor policies. Contact Access Services if absences accrue above 10-15% of total class meetings. This is only a suggested guideline and number of disability related absences will depend on student, the classroom environment and policies. Professor discretion and teamwork between student, professor, and Access Services staff is necessary for successful implementation of this accommodation.
• The student is responsible for making up whatever they missed during their absence in a timely manner (notes, assignments, exams etc.).

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• Student’s need to initiate the meeting request with your professors as soon as each new quarter begins…remember, you can not use this accommodation until you and your professors have met and discussed it together!
• After meeting with the professor, then you will be prepared to use the accommodation, when needed, for Medically-Related absences.
• If you know about an absence in advance, let the professor know in advance in writing.
• If you have an unexpected absence due to your health, send a message via TCC email OR Canvas Messenger to the professor as soon as you are able in writing.
• You may use the template provided by your Accommodation Specialist or you may use the following guidelines for your written message:
  • Include a greeting to your professor.
  • State that you need to use your Attendance Leniency Accommodation and the state the DATE of the missed class.

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• Respond to your student’s request for a meeting to discuss this accommodation in a timely manner (they cannot use this accommodation until after they have met with you)
• These initial meetings can be done in person, remotely over Zoom or another platform, or even via email exchange. See the “Requirements and Important notes for Proper Use” section for details on what to discuss during the initial meeting
• After the meeting, ensure the student has submitted a message IN WRITING to you when they need to use this accommodation. There is NO timeline requirement for when they send you the message. Some medically related absences will be planned in advance and others will not. The student does NOT have to alert the professor prior to the absence unless they can.
• Keep a copy of the Accommodation letter on file to review. There are several important details regarding this accommodation on the letter itself.
• If professors believe absences are becoming excessive and threaten student’s mastery of academic materials, they should contact the Access Services Office immediately with concerns.
• Meet with ANY student that has the Attendance Leniency accommodation as soon as possible.
  • Discuss your class attendance policy AND the reasonable amount of additional absences the student can have when medically necessary, without threatening the student’s mastery of the class material.
  • Discuss the expectation for making up whatever material was missed due to the absence.
  • After the meeting, ensure the student has submitted a message IN WRITING to you when they need to use this accommodation. There is NO timeline requirement for when they send you the message. Some medically related absences will be planned in advance and others will not. The student does NOT have to alert the professor prior to the absence unless they can.
  • This accommodation does not extend past the last day of Finals of any given quarter.

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Disability/Health-Related Attendance Leniency

This student may experience health-related episodes that require them to miss part of and/or whole class on occasion. It is requested that the professor grades these health-related absences as graciously as possible when this accommodation is used properly by the student.

Prior to the use of this accommodation, the student and Professor MUST meet and discuss/review: 

• The classroom’s attendance policy
• A REASONABLE amount of health-related absences (percentage of class or actual number of classes) the student could have when they use the accommodation correctly, without drastically threatening student’s ability to demonstrate mastery of material.
• WHEN this accommodation is used correctly by the student, how many points per absence, will be removed
• The student is responsible for communicating their Disability-Related Absences with professors IN WRITING as soon as they are able to (there is no required timeline for this communication.)

This accommodation does not sanction unlimited absences.

The student is responsible for missed class notes and assignments and is responsible for making up missed course work in a timely manner.

If instructors believe absences are becoming excessive and threaten student’s mastery of academic materials, they should contact the Access Services Office immediately with concerns.

It is understood that the number of absences a student may be able to accrue without severe academic penalty is highly dependent on the nature of the classroom, class content, and instructor policies. For this reason, it is important to discuss this accommodation as early as possible. Contact Access Services if absences accrue above 10-15% of total class meetings. This is only a suggested guideline and number of disability related absences will depend on student, the classroom environment and policies. Professor discretion and teamwork between student, professor, and Access Services staff is necessary for successful implementation of this accommodation.

• Professors and students can go to our webpage at: Student Accommodation Guidelines and Responsibilities to view more detailed guidelines regarding this Accommodation

This accommodation only applies to classes with required class meetings and labs on campus or live sessions on Zoom. If there are no required class meetings, this accommodation does not apply.

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• In order to use these accommodations, it must be approved by Access Services and stated in your current Accommodation letter.

• PRIOR to the use of this accommodation, the student and Professor MUST meet and discuss/review:  

   

  1. Any time the student wishes to use a Memory Aid, they must complete it AND send it to their professor for review at least 48 hours before the exam.

      

  2. The professor will review the submission and either approve the entire aid for use or not. For whatever portions are NOT approved by the professor, the student will white out the items. IF the student writes new information in these spaces, they MUST re-submit the Aid for approval from the professor.

      

  3. If the student is scheduled with Access Services to take an exam with a Memory Aid, the professor MUST indicate the Aid is approved for use either by initialing the Aid or stating it on the Alternative Testing Agreement (ATA).

• The student will present the initialed Memory Aid to proctoring staff in Access Services when checking-in for a scheduled test or the staff will check the ATA for professor approval. Proctoring staff will scan and return the Aid to professors along with the completed test.
• The contents of the Memory Aid are at the professor’s discretion and are NOT intended to fundamentally alter or reduce the essential requirements of the course. What is considered a direct answer varies between classes and test design. Therefore, it is crucial for professors to consider what is being evaluated; not how a student recalls the information or demonstrates their knowledge.

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 A Memory Aid is a testing accommodation for students who have disabilities that affect memory functions such as: 

• Rote memory
• Sequencing memory
• Working memory
• Long-term memory

The Memory Aid Accommodation helps students that encounter a barrier trying to recall information for tests.  The term "test" refers to any quiz, test or exam. It gives students an equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of course materials to the professor on a test without further taxing already compromised memory functions.

A proper Memory Aid will not be very useful unless the student has already studied and understands how to apply the information the Aid refers to. It is important to understand that the use of a Memory Aid does not guarantee a passing or failing test grade. 

A Memory Aid is approved as an accommodation by Access Services staff. This is done through the interactive intake process, review of student’s barriers, and verification of disability.

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 A Memory Aid should not provide direct answers to test questions. It should also NOT: 

• Serve as an answer sheet 
• Include copied pages from textbooks 
• Include open textbooks 
• Access to homework materials or open notes in the testing environment
• Contain full and complete summary of course materials 

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A Memory Aid should serve as a cue or trigger for the student to recall information and make connections related to the actual material and processes that being evaluated by the professor on a test. Some examples include: 

• Acronyms 
• Word banks 

• Key words without definitions 
• Colors 
• Symbols 
• Pictures 
• Mnemonics 

• Unsolved formulas, depending on the class

Example scenarios:

1. In Math: if a test is evaluating a student’s ability to perform the order of operations correctly, a memory cue could have the acronym “PEMDAS” written on it to help recall the order of operations since the word PEMDAS doesn’t give step by step instructions if a student doesn’t know what the letters stand for. A memory cue could not have the full, written terms of PEMDAS, “Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction” because the additional terms outline exactly what is being evaluated. 
2. In Science: if a test is evaluating a student’s knowledge of the various food groups and recommended servings of each, a memory cue could have a blank outline image of the food pyramid and perhaps a simple drawing to recall food types. A memory cue could not have a completely filled-out image of the food pyramid with names of each food group because including the group names and serving size are what the test is directly evaluating. 
3. In Social Sciences: if a test is evaluating a student’s knowledge of army generals who participated in a particular war, a memory cue could have lists of battles grouped together according to which general was in charge without the generals’ names to help recall the generals’ names.  A memory cue could not have the names of the generals with the lists of battles because the generals’ names are the direct answers to the questions. 
4. In Health Sciences: if a test is evaluating a student’s ability to effectively go through a process of diagnosing a patient, a memory cue could have the mnemonic “O.P.Q.R.S.T.” written on it to help recall how to discern reasons for a patient’s symptoms since O.P.Q.R.S.T. does not give step-by-step instructions. A memory cue could not have the full, written terms of “Onset, Provocation/Palliation, Quality of Pain, Region & Radiation, Severity, Time” because the actual terms explain the process that is being evaluated. 

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• Memory Aid: Use of one note-card during exams (5x8): This student is approved to use one 5x8 inch note-card (double-sided) during any type of exam. The purpose of the note-card is to serve as a memory trigger for disability related barriers, and not as a substitute for studying or applying concepts: it is NOT an answer sheet. 

PRIOR to the use of this accommodation, the student and Professor MUST meet and discuss/review:  

• Any time the student wishes to use a Memory Aid, they must complete it AND send it to their professor for review at least 48 hours before the exam.
• The professor will review the submission and either approve the entire aid for use or not. For whatever portions are NOT approved by the professor, the student will white out the items. IF the student writes new information in these spaces, they MUST re-submit the Aid for approval from the professor.
• If the student is scheduled with Access Services to take an exam with a Memory Aid, the professor MUST indicate the Aide is approved for use either by initialing the Aid or stating it on the Alternative Testing Agreement (ATA)
• NOTE: Professors and students can go to our webpage at: Student Accommodation Guidelines and Responsibilities to read more details, see specific examples of what CAN and CANNOT be on a memory aid, and the Step-by-step process of using a Memory Aid.
• Memory Aid: Use of one 8.5x11 inch page (single side) during exams: This student is approved to use one 8.5x11 inch (single-sided) during any type of exam. The purpose of the Aid page is to serve as a memory trigger for disability related barriers, and not as a substitute for studying or applying concepts: it is NOT an answer sheet. 

PRIOR to the use of this accommodation, the student and Professor MUST meet and discuss/review:  

• Any time the student wishes to use a Memory Aid, they must complete it AND send it to their professor for review at least 48 hours before the exam.
• The professor will review the submission and either approve the entire aid for use or not. For whatever portions are NOT approved by the professor, the student will white out the items. IF the student writes new information in these spaces, they MUST re-submit the Aid for approval from the professor.
• If the student is scheduled with Access Services to take an exam with a Memory Aid, the professor MUST indicate the Aid is approved for use either by initialing the Aid or stating it on the Alternative Testing Agreement (ATA).
• NOTE: Professors and students can go to our webpage at: Student Accommodation Guidelines and Responsibilities to read more details, see specific examples of what CAN and CANNOT be on a memory aide, and the Step-by-step process of using a Memory Aid.

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• There are several types of “Priority Meeting” accommodations. The specific one approved for the individual student will be clearly notated on the individual’s accommodation letter.
• These meetings can be held in person or remotely. The modality, date, time, and length of the meeting will be decided on between the professor and the student.
• Prior to the use of this accommodation, the student and Professor MUST meet and discuss/review:
  • The method of communication the professor desires to receive these meeting requests
  • How much advanced notice the professor needs to be able to honor and schedule a meeting with the student
  • Types of meetings available (for example, if only in person meetings are available)
• For all types of Priority Meetings, the STUDENT is responsible for initiating contact with the professor IN WRITING to use these accommodations.
• The student understands that they need to reach out in advance to request a meeting with the professor and it may take several days for the meeting to take place.

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• Student’s need to initiate the meeting request with your professors as soon as each new quarter begins…remember, you can not use this accommodation until you and your professors have met and discussed it together!
• Reach out as early as possible in writing. It may take several days for you and the professor to arrange the meeting.
• You may use the template provided by your Accommodation Specialist or you may use the following guidelines for your written message:
  • Include a greeting to your professor.
  • State that you need to use your Priority Meeting Accommodation and the state the REASON you would like to meet with them.
  • Request a return message to arrange the day, time, and type (in person or remote) of meeting with them.
• Attend your requested meeting. If you miss it, there may not be an opportunity to reschedule.

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• Keep a copy of the Accommodation letter on file to review. Since there are several types of Priority Meeting accommodations, you will need to know which type of meetings the student is able to request.
• Ensure that when you receive a Priority Meeting request from a student, that you respond in writing and schedule the meeting with them as soon as is possible for both of your schedules.
• Ensure that you give the student private or one-on-one time with you to have these meetings.

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• Meeting with Professor before Assignment Deadlines
• Meeting with Professor for Feedback
• Meeting with Professor for missed classes
• Meeting with Professor before Exams

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