04.01.05 Attending Class

Original Approval: DATE
Last Updated: DATE
Last Reviewed: DATE

Policy/Purpose:

It is the policy of Wallace Community College – Selma (WCCS) to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations as well as Alabama Community College System (ACCS) policies related to Instructional Programs and regarding the level of credit awarded for courses taught at all colleges within the ACCS, regardless of the format or mode of delivery. The ACCS requires all institutions in the System to operate on a semester system.

NOTE: This policy is subject to change at any time without notification. ACCS policies related to Academic Instruction supersede this policy.

It is the policy of WCCS that students follow class attendance requirements as indicated in the course syllabi.

The following ACCS policies are referenced in this policy:
Board Policy 705.01
ACCS Chancellor’s Procedures 705.01

Scope:

This policy applies to all WCCS students and employees during any activity involving the College, including the workday. In addition, visitors, vendors, contractors, and all other non-employees are expected to recognize and comply with College policies.

Definitions:

Attendance: The action or state of going regularly to or being present at a place or event.

Attendance Verification: The process of verifying a student’s initial attendance in a course.

Distance Education: Distance education at WCCS is defined as a formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction (interaction between students and instructors and among students) in a course occurs when students and instructors are not in the same physical location. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. A distance education course at WCCS is any course in which students may complete fifty percent (50%) or more of the requirements through the College’s learning management system. Distance education courses at WCCS may be classified as Online, Hybrid Online, or HyFlex. Traditional courses are not classified as distance education courses.

Hybrid: These courses are delivered approximately fifty percent (50%) asynchronously online and approximately fifty percent (50%) face-to-face on campus.

Online: These courses are delivered one hundred percent (100%) asynchronously online using the College’s learning management system.

Semester System: A semester system is defined as a fall semester, spring semester, and a summer term.

Traditional: These courses are face-to-face on campus and web-enhanced with technology-based course resources that complement in-person class sessions without reducing the number of required class meetings.

Details:

Each meeting of a class should begin and end on time. Instructors should ensure that classes meet for the full period. The official policy of the College stipulates that there are no regularly scheduled breaks in any of the class periods.
First Class Meeting: Many classes at the College last longer than the traditional fifty-minute hour. Instructors should plan to keep students the full class period on the first meeting of the class each term. Confusion can be kept to a minimum when instructors are available to direct students who are frequently late the first few days of the semester. Instructor’s should not give students a syllabus and release them early on the first day of class. The College recognizes that student's tuition should include a full measure of instruction in every class period. Although an occasional absence may be unavoidable, it in no way excuses a student from meeting the requirements of the course.
Absences for students participating in official College activities that have been approved by the President or his designee will be excused upon receipt of written notification from the appropriate coach or sponsor. This notification will meet the following guidelines:

a. Notification must be given to the instructor prior to the absence(s); and

b. Notification must state the time frame of the activity including, specifically, the time for which the student must leave for the activity and when the student will return to campus.

c. All students are responsible for preparing all assignments for the next class and for completing work missed.

It is the responsibility of each student engaged in approved College activities to make arrangements to complete any missed assignments, examinations, or other course requirements, at a time established by the instructor.

Excused absences are subject to verification and may include but may not be limited to the following: active military duty, jury duty, and/or other absences as approved by the Dean of Students. Other excused absences may be approved by the appropriate Instructional Officer.

NOTE: Nursing and Allied Health clinical and skills lab attendance is defined by accreditation standards and state board policies. Refer to individual course syllabi or Program Handbook.

Procedure(s):

Attendance must be verified for each student in each class at the beginning of each term through the completion of each course’s syllabus quiz. Students whose attendance is not verified through the syllabus quiz will be reported as non-attending and purged from the course roll. They may request that the instructor approve their reinstatement.
Students who are conditionally reinstated are required to complete the syllabus quiz. Students who do not complete the syllabus quiz after reinstatement will be removed from the course.