Policy #19: Attendance and Punctuality

19.1 Expectations

Students are expected to attend all on-camera classes and to be punctual. As art psychotherapists in training, there is an expectation of professional responsibility. For the safety of students and staff, all participants must have cameras on at all times.

19.2 Graded Attendance

Each course has 10% of the final grade allotted for attendance. Students must attend all classes. Any missed classes, early departures or late arrivals will result in lost grades. More than one class missed in a course will result in an Incomplete (I) grade and the student will be required to retake the course which will incur additional fees.

19.3 Notification Requirements – Late Arrivals and Absences

If a student knows they will be unable to log in on time, or is experiencing an unavoidable, extenuating circumstance that will interfere with attending class, the student must contact Student Services to report their absence at [email protected].

An absence, with no notification to the Institute, is considered a breach of the academic and clinical competencies required for successful graduation. The student will be required to meet with the Managing Director of Academic Services before returning to the next scheduled class.

19.4 Missed Lectures & Assignments

If a student must miss a class or portion of a class due to unavoidable circumstances, it is the student’s responsibility to get the assistance of the instructor and/or teaching assistant in retrieving missed material presented in class and to complete any homework assignment from that class. When possible, the student may be given access to a recording of the lecture.

19.5 Extended Absence

Medical, personal, or family emergencies will be taken into consideration after the receipt of a Leave of Absence Request Form. Individual courses may be taken at a future date which may delay clinical placement, can incur additional tuition costs, and can significantly delay a student’s expected graduation date. (Please see Policy #15 – Leave of Absence)

19.6 Absent While in Clinical Placement

As a requirement of CiiAT, the Canadian Art Therapy Association, and the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, students must attend scheduled group supervision or individual supervision sessions at all times during the program. Students who are not attending supervision on a regular basis may be suspended from clinical placements.

Students who fail to attend their clinical placement or clinical supervision are considered in breach of the academic and clinical competencies required for successful graduation.

19.7 Unexcused Absences and Lateness in Clinical Supervision

CiiAT requires students to actively participate in all scheduled clinical supervision sessions as part of their program completion requirements. Attendance and punctuality are essential to ensure students meet the minimum required supervision hours for graduation.

Students who miss a scheduled clinical supervision session cannot make up the hours by independently contacting or arranging an additional session with their CiiAT-provided clinical supervisor. This policy ensures fairness across all students and prevents the creation of unintended advantages, such as receiving individual supervision in place of the scheduled group format. Allowing individual make-up sessions would undermine the group learning model, where students benefit from hearing the clinical cases, questions, and reflections of their peers. Therefore, missed supervision hours must be made up only through approved methods outlined by CiiAT, such as securing private supervision when required.

Unexcused Absences

• Students are permitted a maximum of two (2) pre-approved excused absences from clinical supervision sessions.
• Any additional unexcused absences beyond this limit will result in the student not having sufficient supervision hours to graduate.
• Students in this situation will be required to secure private clinical supervision at their own cost in order to supplement their hours. Please find more information about private supervision in Clinical Experience policies, policy Private Supervision Hours Outside of CiiAT.
• Private supervision hours must be verified by submitting CiiAT’s Clinical Supervision Attestation Form, which must be signed by the private supervisor and approved by CiiAT for the hours to be recognized. To receive this form, please reach out to [email protected]

Lateness

• Students who arrive late to a scheduled supervision session will only receive half the supervision hours for that session.
• Four (4) late arrivals are equivalent to two (2) missed supervision sessions and may place the student at risk of not meeting graduation requirements.

19.8 Technical Difficulties Accessing Class

If a student is having difficulty accessing the virtual classroom for any reason, please reach out to the Tech Support Team immediately.

Contact information for technical support should be easily accessible, even when a computer or other technical equipment is not working properly.

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-250-419-7628 (ext. 2)