45 MSAFs

When/how do I direct students to MSAF or to their faculty for absences?

ES:For those who are new to McMaster, MSAF stands for McMaster Student Absence Form.
It’s found in Mosaic, so direct students to it there. Students are required to follow up with their instructor(s) after their request is processed. It is not your responsibility to chase students down after you receive an email notifying you of their processed MSAF request.

EG: I’m pretty sure I barely understand MSAF, to be honest, but if a student reaches out with a last minute extension request that I don’t think is appropriate, I remind them that they can submit an MSAF request. If a student approaches me for an extension due to what seems like an ongoing challenge, and/or they’ve already used an MSAF, I’ll often recommend contacting their faculty to request a formal extension (which they can bring to multiple courses and alleviates the administrative burden for all). I also am comfortable granting extensions outside of these formal mechanisms (which aren’t very welcoming, after all), on the assumption that an extension request typically reflects an unmet need for support of some sort, even if it has little to do with my class. I recommend deciding in advance what length of extension you’re comfortable with in different circumstances, and keeping very good track of the ones you grant. One granted extension often leads to other requests.