Blended Learning Assignment Extension Request

A. Scope of the extension policy

This extension policy applies only to all first-year and second-year auto-enrolled blended courses (“qualified courses”). For all other courses, please see the extension and late policies located in the course syllabus.

B. Student obligations

In recognition that time management and adherence to deadlines are essential professional skills for an attorney, Mitchell Hamline has an obligation to develop these skills by imposing due dates on assignments. Numerous lengthy extensions can also interfere with grading and delay the release of grades and feedback to the rest of the students in a course. Students therefore have a general obligation to submit assignments on the due date. Extensions are generally disfavored and authorized in very limited circumstances, and in any case, repeated extensions on assignments will not be approved.

C. Assignments eligible for extensions

subject to this policy, extensions may be granted only for the following assignments (“qualified assignments”):

1. Written, constructed assignments (e.g., memos, briefs, papers, etc.), not including discussion board posts;
2. Oral presentations;
3. Quizzes and other automated assessments in Canvas
4. Audio or visual media; and
5. Exams administered before the final exam period begins.

Subject to this policy, extensions cannot be granted for the following assignments (“disqualified assignments”) under any circumstances:

1. Final exams and papers (see section J of this policy);
2. Discussion board posts and response posts and all other types of online class participation;
3. Ungraded or extra credit assignments; and
4. Assignments involving group work.

Unless otherwise indicated in this policy, disqualified assignments that are not submitted in Canvas by the due time and date will be subject to the late submission section in Section H of this policy.

D. Due date

The due date for an assignment is the date published in the course syllabus or assignment section in Canvas.

E. Submitting assignments

1. All assignments must be submitted in Canvas before or at the due date time and on the date specified in the course syllabus or assignment section.
2. If submission via Canvas is not possible for any reason, students must email the assignment to lms@mitchellhamline.edu as evidence of the version of the assignment at the time of attempted submission. If the assignment is received before the due date and time, the assignment will not be marked late.

F. Extensions

Assignment extension forms should be submitted prior to the deadline on the original due date of the assignment unless the student is physically incapacitated and unable to submit an extension request.

1. Length of extensions

Mitchell Hamline strives to ensure that students can keep up with the rigorous course of study, assignments, and exam preparation, notwithstanding the approval of an extension request. Therefore, the normal extension will be only one or two days, but shall not exceed seven (7) days. The academic advisor may approve a longer extension in consultation with the course professor, taking into consideration the reason for the longer extension and additional evidence about the student’s ability to catch up with work. This does not apply to quizzes, which must be completed within seven (7) days, to ensure the posting of quiz answers do not get delayed for the entire class.

2. Number of extensions

1. There is a maximum of two (2) extensions for a course per term.
2. For students who experience regular difficulty with meeting assignment deadlines in a class, it may be appropriate to speak to their academic advisor regarding withdrawing from the course, taking a leave of absence, or requesting an Incomplete grade for the course.
3. Students who exceed two (2) extensions per course per term would need a special approval from the vice dean or vice dean designee

3. Grounds for an extension

Valid grounds for an extension include:

1. Unexpected, extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student that interfere with the student’s capacity to study or complete assessments, including but not limited to unexpected medical or mental health problems, including of an immediate family member for whom the student has primary care responsibilities;

Invalid grounds for an extension include:

1. Other Mitchell Hamline assignments that are due on or around the due date;
2. Work commitments or work travel;
3. Personal travel; and
4. Family gatherings, e.g., birthdays and weddings.

G. How to request an extension

A request for an extension in a qualified course must be made exclusively to Academic Affairs on this form: https://mitchellhamline.edu/technology/blended-learning-assignment-extension-request/

Students should not contact Professors or Adjuncts to ask for extensions.

Supporting documentation

1. An application for an extension must be accompanied by documentary evidence supporting the grounds for an extension. Scanned copies of the documentation are acceptable.
2. If documentation is unavailable at the time of the extension application, the student should include a note in the application when it will be provided. Academic Affairs will not process an extension application until supporting documentation is received.

Notification of extension decision

1. Students are notified of approved extensions via an email from the student’s academic advisor.
2. Once the student has received an approval email from their academic advisor, the student should forward the email on to their professor and adjunct to notify them about the extension.
3. Students should not contact Academic Affairs unless they have not received notification of a decision within two (2) business days from the date of application.
4. Students should continue to work on assignments pending notification of approval of the extension.
5. Professors and adjuncts of qualified courses have delegated the approval of extensions to Academic Affairs, so students should not contact professors or adjuncts about extension applications but should only forward extension approval emails to professors when they receive them.

H. Late submission

1. Assignments that are received after the due date or, where an extension has been granted, after the extended date, will be subject to a late penalty.
2. Except for discussion board and response posts, assignments and quizzes submitted past the due date or extended due date will be given a penalty of 10 percent of the total points allocated the first day late and 20 percent each remaining day late up to five (5) days.
3. Except for discussion board and response posts, assignments and quizzes received more than five (5) calendar days past the due date or extended due date will receive zero points.
4. Initial discussion board posts will be given zero points if submitted after the due date and time. Students who fail to submit a discussion board post may not submit a Response post and will be given zero points for both assignments.

I. Prep Week/Weekend and Capstone Week extensions

1. Mitchell Hamline requires attendance and participation in all in-person activities (Prep Week/Weekend and Capstone Week) to comply with American Bar Association standards.
2. Attendance and participation exceptions for Prep Week/Weekend and Capstone Week will rarely be granted and only under extraordinary circumstances.
3. Students should email academicaffairs@mitchellhamline.edu to request a Prep Week/Weekend Capstone attendance or participation exception.
4. The academic advisor will work with the course professor to determine whether an exception is warranted.
5. If a student needs to complete Prep Week/Weekend or Capstone Week makeup work, the student will determine a due date for the assignment(s) in consultation with and approval by the professor of the course. Section H of this policy will apply if the student does not submit the makeup work by the due date.

J. Final exams and incomplete policy

1. This policy does not apply to exams and assignments administered and due during the final exam period.
2. The dean of students has approval over final exam and final assignment extensions. https://mitchellhamline.edu/catalog/1-04-examinations/#deferring-completion-of-exams
3. Students who need a final exam or final assignment extension should submit this form: https://mitchellhamline.edu/dean-of-students/exam-variance-request-form/
4. This policy does not apply to the request for an incomplete in a course. https://mitchellhamline.edu/catalog/1-07-registration-add-drop-withdraw-extensions/#incomplete-grades
5. Students who need to request an Incomplete grade for a course should submit this form: https://mitchellhamline.edu/registrar/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2018/02/Request-for-Extension.pdf

K. Accommodations

1. This policy does not apply to disability accommodations overseen by Disability Services in the Office of the Dean of Students.
2. The dean of students has approval over final exam variances https://mitchellhamline.edu/catalog/1-04-examinations/#exam-variances/
3. Students who need a final exam variance should submit this form: https://mitchellhamline.edu/dean-of-students/exam-variance-request-form/
4. Students who require accommodation due to a documented disability should contact the assistant director of disability and student services in the Office of the Dean of Students for assistance.