Campus Policies

The Campus Policies page highlights policies and resources instructors may need to regularly review each semester and include in their syllabus.

For a complete list of campus policies and appropriate contacts for more information, visit the Campus Policies and Procedures website.

The Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost also maintains an Academic Accommodations Hub that provides important information about campus policies and services for students.

Academic

Academic Calendar

Office of the Registrar

Commencement

Absences Due to Illness

Instructors are asked to refrain from general requirements for written excuses from medical personnel for absence due to illness. Many healthy people experience a mild-to-moderate illness and recover without the need to seek medical attention. University Health Services does not have the capacity to evaluate such illnesses and provide documentation excusing student absences. However, UHS will continue to provide documentation when a student is being treated by Tang for an illness that necessitates a change in course load or an incomplete.

Should a student experience repeated absences due to illness, it may be appropriate for the faculty member to ask the student to seek medical advice. The Senate guidelines advise faculty to use flexibility and good judgment in determining whether to excuse missed work, extend deadlines, or substitute an alternative assignment. Only the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) can waive the final exam. However, a department chair can authorize an instructor to offer an alternative format for a final exam (e.g., paper, take-home exam) on a one-time basis as per COCI's Temporary Change guidelines.

Academic Integrity and the Honor Code

Center for Student Conduct

Associated Students of the University of California

Division of Student Affairs

Accommodations and Supportive Measures

Accommodations for People with Disabilities

Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment

Accessibility

University of California Office of the President (UCOP)

Accessible Course Content

Web Access

Course Approval

Committee on Courses of Instruction

Enrollment

Office of the Registrar

EVCP

Final Exams

Office of the Registrar

Committee on Courses of Instruction Handbook

Grades

Committee on Courses of Instruction Handbook

Academic Senate

RRR Week

Committee on Courses of Instruction Handbook

Office of the Registrar

Privacy

U.S. Department of Education

Information Security Office

Compliance Services

Religious and Academic Scheduling Conflicts

Academic Senate

Division of Student Affairs

Office of the Registrar

  • Academic Calendar
    Note that this page includes the "Religious Holidays and Religious Creed Policy" which has an annually updated calendar of religious and cultural holidays

Textbook Affordability and Accessibility

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) has provisions to reduce costs to students while supporting instructors' ability to select high-quality course materials. HEOA requires that course book information be made available to students before they enroll in a course.

UC Berkeley complies with HEOA by asking faculty to submit book orders to the Cal Student Store even in cases where faculty place orders with independent bookstores, so they can be listed in the course catalogue. Providing book lists to the Cal Student Store, regardless of where books are ordered, also makes it possible for the store to buy back books at the end of the semester and offer them at a discount in the future.

In addition, each faculty has the responsibility to identify instructional materials for their courses far enough in advance of the semester so that the Disabled Students’ Program has adequate time to convert them into an accessible format, e.g., Braille, large print, digital/electronic. Timely submission of textbook adoptions enables the University to meet its legal requirement to provide students with disabilities an equal educational opportunity to learn course subject matter, to participate actively in classroom discussions, and to meet assignment deadlines.

The Division of Undergraduate Education announces each year the deadlines for submitting textbooks to meet these affordability and accessibility deadlines on the UE News portion of it’s website.

To ensure a record of your adoption, email text@berkeley.edu or submit online using the Faculty Portal.

Student Support

Basic Needs and Hardships

Hardships such as housing or food insecurity, uncertain documentation and immigration status, serious medical and mental health concerns, and significant familial distress, directly affect a student’s ability to be present and committed to their educational endeavors. While instructors are required to respect accommodations requested through DSP, well-founded requests may also come from other sources, such as the Center for Support and Intervention. We encourage you to work with the notifying office to determine whether an adjustment, even if not required by law, might still be appropriate to allow. Instructors are encouraged to refer students to the Center for Support and Intervention to advise students experiencing significant hardships.

Resources are also available at the Basic Needs Center.

Conflict Resolution

COVID-19

Emergencies

Mental Health

Parenting and Pregnancy

In alignment with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and with the California Education Code, Section 66281.7, it is the policy of the University of California at Berkeley to not discriminate against or exclude any person on the basis of pregnancy or related conditions, and to provide reasonable accommodations to students as appropriate. Instructors are reminded of their responsibilities for excusing medically necessary absences for pregnancy and related conditions and making reasonable accommodations in the areas of class sessions, exams, tests, project deadlines, field trips, and any other required activities. For graduate students, faculty advisors are reminded of policies regarding parental leave and the extension of normative time for academic milestones, as set out in the Guide to Graduate Policy.

While we anticipate that most academic accommodation issues can be resolved quickly between students and faculty, if a mutually satisfactory arrangement cannot be achieved, a student may seek further assistance or file a complaint using the campus appeals process or the complaint process in the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination.

Resources are also available at the Student Parent Center.

Sexual Violence and Harassment

Technology