Expectations for Specific Fieldwork Courses
Logging Fieldwork Hours
Students are responsible use the E*Value software platform to log-in their “duty hours” for each type of fieldwork placement in the curriculum, represented by the different course numbers for the progression of placements (OT 660, OT 661, OT 662, OT 663, OT 664, OT 761 and OT 762). Students are obligated to be on-site from the start through the end date of the placement as assigned.
Level I and Level II Fieldwork Attendance
Attendance is mandatory for all fieldwork experiences, and students are not permitted to request time-off for personal reasons. Absence from the fieldwork site, except in the case of illness, bereavement, emergency situations, or religious observances, will be considered unexcused and may result in a grade of “F” for that course.
Students are expected to attend all fieldwork experiences during the hours specified by the fieldwork facility, including evening, weekend and holiday work schedules, rather than the Institute’s academic calendar. Attendance may be required for pre-placement orientations, as well as for end-of-placement debriefing and wrap-up.
In the case of illness, bereavement, or other unanticipated absence, students must contact the fieldwork site or fieldwork faculty and speak with the fieldwork education supervisor before the start of the scheduled fieldwork hours to report the absence. In the case of an anticipated absence, as for religious observance, the student is expected to discuss the absence with the Fieldwork Education Supervisor in advance of the scheduled session. In addition, all absences must be simultaneously reported by the student via email or by phone, to the designated Fieldwork Faculty for the specific course, as listed on the syllabus.
Make-Up Time for Level I and Level II Fieldwork Experiences
For Level I Fieldwork, make-up of 1 session in any placement, missed due to illness or other justifiable cause, will be at the discretion of the fieldwork faculty (Supervisor and/or Student Program Coordinator). Absence from two or more sessions in any fieldwork experience will require that all missed time be made up.
For Level II Fieldwork, make-up of up to 3 sessions in any placement, missed due to illness or other justifiable cause, will be at the discretion of the fieldwork faculty (Supervisor and/or Student Program Coordinator). Absence from greater than three sessions in any Level II Fieldwork experience will require that all missed time be made up. In some cases, absences of greater than 3 sessions may also require a doctor’s note to return to the fieldwork facility.
Plans for make-up of any missed time in the clinic will be determined by the fieldwork facility’s Student Program Coordinator and/or Fieldwork Education Supervisor, in conjunction with the DCE, based on the clinic’s ability to schedule such time. Missed time may be made up following the experience or during it by adding additional hours. Students are expected to be flexible in making up time and must keep fieldwork a priority in their schedules. Missed time not able to be made up within the academic term may result in a grade of Incomplete.
Inclement Weather/Snow Policy
All classes will be canceled when the Institute is closed for inclement weather. For Level I Fieldwork, students must still call the fieldwork facility prior to the start of the scheduled fieldwork session to report their absence due to school closing.
In the case of full-time Level II fieldwork experiences, students are expected to make every reasonable effort to report to the fieldwork site for all scheduled fieldwork hours unless instructed otherwise by fieldwork facility’s personnel. This policy applies even if the Institute has canceled classes for the day. If travel to the facility is impossible, or if tardiness is unavoidable, the student is expected to contact their fieldwork site before the start of the scheduled fieldwork hours to report the absence or delayed arrival. The student must also report via email or by phone, to the designated Fieldwork Faculty for the specific course, as listed on the syllabus.