Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend and be on time for all scheduled classes and labs. Students should refer to each course syllabus for individual course attendance requirements. At the instructors’ discretion, students may make up work missed. When students must be absent, it is vital that they remain in contact with their instructors.
Any student who has not attended at least one face-to-face class meeting or completed one assignment/activity for an online class by the date ten percent (10%) of the class has passed will be reported by the instructor as having “never attended” (NA). The student is no longer considered enrolled in the class and will not earn credit or receive a tuition refund for the course. This may also impact any financial award per federal guidelines.
Under extenuating circumstances, a student who has never attended by the ten percent (10%) date may petition for reinstatement in the class and earn course credit. The student should notify the instructor, in writing, of the extenuating circumstances prior to the ten percent (10%) date of the class and provide compelling documentation to support the request for reinstatement. Reinstatement will only be considered by the instructor when the absences were due to unforeseeable and uncontrollable circumstances. Reinstatement requires the recommendation of the instructor of the course, the consent of the curriculum dean, and the approval of the vice president of instruction.
Faculty members are responsible for administering these attendance rules for their respective courses, for excusing absences, for determining how missed work should be made up, and for assessing grade penalties. Departments may establish stricter attendance policies as required by program accreditation. A grade of “W” will be assigned for any course from which the student is administratively withdrawn.
The college provides reasonable accommodations, including a minimum of two (2) excused absences each academic year, for religious observances required by a student’s religious practice or belief. Such reasonable accommodations must be requested in accordance with the procedures for this policy and include the opportunity for the student to make up any tests or other work missed due to an excused absence for a religious observance. Students may request accommodation for religious observations by completing the appropriate form located in Student Services. An accommodation request imposes responsibilities and obligations on both the college and the student requesting the accommodation. College faculty are required, as part of their responsibility to their students and the college, to adhere to this policy and ensure its full and fair implementation by reasonably accommodating students’ religious practices or beliefs. Regardless of any accommodation that may be granted, college students are responsible for satisfying all academic objectives, requirements and prerequisites as determined by their instructor and the college.
1. Academic year: The sequence of fall, spring and summer semesters.
2. Reasonable accommodation: Any change in an academic course or program of study with respect to the way tasks or responsibilities are customarily done that enables a student to observe his/her religious practice or belief without creating an undue hardship.
3. Religious practice or belief: A practice or observance that is sincerely held within the tenants of that religious belief.
4. Undue hardship: An accommodation that would require significant expense or difficulty for the college or would result in the inability of the student to perform an essential function of his or her course/program of study. The determination of undue hardship is dependent on the facts of each individual situation.
The college shall allow any enrolled student who is in the United States Armed Forces who has received temporary or permanent re-assignment as a result of military operations and a National Guard service member placed onto state active duty status during an academic term to be given an excused absence for the period of time the student is on active duty.
1. The college shall provide the student the opportunity to make up any test or other work missed during the excused absence.
2. The college shall give the student the option, when feasible, to continue classes and coursework during the academic term through online participation for the period of time the student is placed on active duty.
3. The college shall give the student the option of receiving a temporary grade of “incomplete” or “absent from the final exam” for any course that the student was unable to complete as a result of being placed on state active duty status; however, the student must complete the course requirements within one (1) semester following their return from action service to avoid receiving a failing grade for the course.
4. The college shall permit the student to drop, with no penalty, any course that the student was unable to complete as a result of being placed on state active duty status.