Resources & FAQs

CTLO provides the guidance below for students who miss coursework due to illness:
(Read more about related practices and procedures here.)

• When illness requires you to miss class meetings or causes you to fall behind in assigned coursework, reach out directly to your professor by email to explain your situation. Try to communicate with your instructors as soon as you are well enough to do so. Familiarize yourself with any policies relevant to your situation in the syllabus and make requests that align with that guidance. It will be up to your instructor to make decisions about how to respond to your requests.
  • Information to share when emailing an instructor: inform your instructor that you are dealing with illness; explain what you have missed and/or expect to miss; ask for specific kinds of support that would allow you to continue to succeed in the course. For example, if you would like an extension on a project that has several deadlines, explain which of the deadlines you would like to extend and for how long.
  • Information you can keep private: your exact medical diagnosis and symptoms
• Keep your professor(s) updated as your situation evolves. Students encounter challenges when they go for long periods without attending class or communicating with instructors. Your professors can only support you when they understand the challenges you face.
• The period after an illness can be very stressful as you work to catch up on missed work. Draw on Caltech's network of support if you find this stress difficult to manage. 
• If you start to become concerned you cannot complete the required work for a course because of illness, reach out to a dean for support in navigating your situation. The longer you wait to seek help and guidance, the more difficult it may be to navigate the situation.
• An E or I grade can be a useful way to make up work that was missed due to illness. However, if you cannot complete an extension before the start of the next term, the challenges of a previous term can have continuing, negative effects on future terms. Extensions are not advisable when a student has been behind on work for a large portion of a term. Work with your advisor and the deans to make sure your choices set you up for future success and avoid the possibility of becoming academically ineligible. 

Students facing challenges with internet accessibility related to financial need are encouraged to contact the Deans' office: deansoffice@caltech.edu, 626.395.6351.

Every course has a Canvas Course Site one which, at a minimum, a syllabus and links and instructions to online resources are available. Canvas sites that have been published by the instructors are open to students one week before the term begins.

Regardless of whether you are in class or working remotely, you remain members of the Caltech community. It is still the case that "No member of the Caltech community shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community." Students should be thoughtful and deliberate as they adjust their work habits and collaborative practices to an online learning environment. Review course collaboration policies carefully, and consult a course instructor or TA if you have questions or concerns.

Remote course sessions occur at their scheduled time although many faculty are creating content that can be viewed asynchronously. Check the Canvas course site for more details.

Zoom is a video conferencing platform that will allow you to join the class. Once you receive a Zoom invitation, click on the link and follow the instructions to join the meeting. Select one of the audio options ("Phone Call" or "Computer Audio") and be sure to test the speaker and microphone. The phone numbers are listed in the Zoom invitation and when selecting "Phone Call." You can also join a zoom meeting by using a meeting ID. Go to https://caltech.zoom.us; Select join; Enter the Meeting ID you were given to join.

See this helpful link from Humboldt State University for tips about how to use Zoom. Especially useful is the section, "Preparing for a Zoom Meeting."

Basic Zoom licenses are limited to meetings of 40-minutes if meetings are more than two people. Students who want to collaborate with more than one other person for longer, should try using Google Hangouts/Meet and Microsoft Teams. These platforms support larger and longer collaborations.

The IMSS website provides How To tutorials and support for Zoom. Students can also contact the IMSS Help Desk for a variety of technical computer support services. The phone number for the IMSS Help Desk is 626.395.3500.

The Committee on Reconstituting On-Campus Instruction, with input from Academic Media Technologies, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach, Export Compliance Office, International Offices, and Office of the General Counsel, provides these guidelines <Caltech credentials required> for students outside the United States on accessing content and associated risks, a travel advisory, and resources.

Please find updated information on the Registrar's Office website.