Section VIII - Faculty & Instruction

VIII B 5

Instruction - Attendance

To state the college’s policies regarding attendance.

Attendance plays a critical role in student success in all classes. Satisfactory progress is difficult without regular attendance. Students are encouraged to contact their instructor regarding any anticipated absences to make arrangements for continued progress in the course.

To remain enrolled in a course a student must be in attendance on or before the census date (10% point of the course). To meet the census date requirement, students registered in a traditional (face-to-face) course must physically attend class and be recorded as present at least one time on or before the census date of the class or they will be removed from the course and not allowed to remain in the class. Students registered in a hybrid or blended course must physically attend class or complete the syllabus quiz on or before the census date of the class to be counted as present or they will be removed from the course and not allowed to remain in the class. Students registered in an online course must complete the syllabus quiz on or before the census date of the course to be counted as present or they will be removed from the course and not allowed to remain in the class. Departments and individual instructors may not waive this requirement.

Students are responsible for course content when absent and for being prepared for the class following the absence. Students should refer to the course syllabus for the guidelines on make-up work. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of circumstances which may have caused him/her to be absent. The student is responsible for making arrangements with the instructor to complete any work missed and for completing the work in a timely manner. Instructors are encouraged to give consideration for absences caused by college-related activities and other extenuating circumstances. An instructor may forgive an absence if the student has a valid reason for the absence, has made arrangements with the instructor to complete the work missed, and completes such work in a timely manner. It may not be possible to make-up work missed in selected labs or clinics. Therefore, absences from certain labs or clinics may not be forgiven.

Some programs may have outside regulatory bodies that require a minimum of class attendance hours (i.e., Nursing, Radiography, Cosmetology, Medical Assisting). Each instructor will include attendance requirements and criteria for tardiness on the course syllabus. Additionally, attendance is required for students receiving benefits from outside entities that require attendance (i.e., Veterans Education Benefits).

During the schedule adjustment period, students may drop or add courses using Student Planning in Self-Service. After the schedule adjustment period and through the course census date, students may drop a course using Student Planning in Self-Service. After the course census date, but before the withdrawal deadline, students may withdraw from a course by completing the official course withdrawal form. Students who fail to meet the requirements established for a course and do not withdraw by the deadline may receive a failing grade for the course. Students are responsible for initiating the withdrawal process.

Military and Jury Duty Absences

Military leave and jury duty absence(s) will be considered an excused absence when the instructor has received prior official notification. Responsibility for initiating such notification rests with the student: a student reporting for military drill or jury duty must provide the instructor with a letter from the commanding officer or the Clerk of Court prior to the absence(s). The student is responsible for making up all work missed in a timely manner.

Any student who is in the United States Armed Forces who has received temporary or permanent reassignment as a result of military operations and any student who is a National Guard service member placed onto State active duty status during an academic term shall be given:

  1. The opportunity to make up any test or other work missed during the excused absence.
  2. 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 option of receiving a temporary grade of "Incomplete-Military (IN)" or "Absent Final Exam-Military (AB)" 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 a period of time specified by the college to avoid receiving a failing grade for the course.
  4. Permission 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.
  5. Permission to drop, with no financial penalty, any course that the student was unable to complete as a result of the excused absence as set forth in 1E SBCCC 900.4.

School Absences for Religious Observances

Randolph Community College recognizes that students’ religious affiliations vary and requirements regarding observances of special days may also vary. The College and the State of North Carolina (23 N.C.A.C. 02C .0213 “School Absences for Religious Observances”) allow students two excused days of absences each academic year for religious observances. Randolph Community College defines an academic year as beginning on the first day of classes for fall term and ending with the last day of classes for the following summer term. In order for a student to request an excused absence, they must request the absence by completing a “Religious Observance Request Form” and submitting it at least two (2) weeks prior to the observance to the Office of Admissions, Records and Registration located in the Student Services Center. Students will be required to make up any work, activities, or missed tests as a result of an excused absence for religious observance.

 

Adopted: 05/20/2010

Revised: 07/14/2011, 05/15/2014, 05/18/2018, 07/20/2020, 01/19/2023