Flex Plan

What is a Flex Plan accommodation?

The intent of the Flex Plan accommodation is to assist with sporadic, unpredictable, and severe instances of disability-related flare-ups. It is designed to build in a slight amount of flexibility (e.g., 1-2 additional absences, 1-3 day extensions) to address brief disability impacts. The student’s course accommodation letter (CAL) will designate what type of flexibility is required (i.e. attendance/deadlines, deadlines). SAS determines Flex Plan accommodations on a case-by-case basis using an interactive process that evaluates the barriers to equal access caused by a student’s disability. Students seeking flexibility with practicums, internships, field placements, etc. should consult SAS at least one semester in advance. 

How do students use a Flex Plan accommodation?

1. Student requests relevant accommodations in Access KSU. Instructor receives CAL via email. 
2. Student initiates Flex Plan proposal in Access KSU. SAS reviews the proposal for clarity and appropriate use, then prompts instructor to review the proposal using the Access KSU instructor portal. 
3. Instructor reviews the proposal and provides feedback. If needed, SAS will facilitate a conversation with the instructor, the student, and relevant academic administrators to identify flexibility. 
4. All parties receive a copy of the final flex plan agreement.

How do students initiate a Flex Plan?

What a Flex Plan accommodation is not:

Communication and Retroactive Adjustments:

• Students should request their Flex Plan accommodation and submit their flexibility proposals at the beginning of the semester to allow sufficient time for discussion with instructors and to ensure that appropriate accommodations are in place.
• It is not a substitute for ongoing communication between the student and instructor. Students are expected to follow the agreed-upon Flex Plan parameters and proactively reach out to their instructor when flexibility is needed.
• It is not intended to retroactively excuse missed work or attendance if no prior communication or agreement was made.

Attendance and Absences:

• This accommodation is not intended to comprehensively address situations where a student is unable to attend class or meet deadlines on a regular, ongoing basis.
• It should not significantly alter attendance requirements for a course or be used to facilitate remote participation or asynchronous course completion.
• It does not apply to absences due to routine medical appointments or other situations already addressed under the university’s administrative class attendance and absence policy.

Deadlines and Assignments:

• The Flex Plan accommodation does not offer pre-determined automatic extensions for all assignments, nor does it allow for extensions beyond the end of the semester.
• It does not guarantee extended deadlines for short-turnaround assignments (e.g., daily or next-day tasks), especially when timely submission is critical to the course design or instructional sequence.
• It does not override essential course components as determined by academic departments or instructors.

Group Work and Collaborative Assignments:

• This accommodation generally does not offer flexibility for group work or other collaborative assignments, such as discussion boards, because a student’s individual accommodations should not affect the group's overall progress or the specific learning outcomes of the assignment.

Who can assist me with this accommodation?

• Kent Campus Students: Emma Weihe, sasflex@kent.edu.
• Regional Campus Students: SAS Coordinator at your campus.