The taking of attendance is optional. However, students are expected to regularly attend all classes in which they have enrolled. Students have the responsibility to consult with their instructor when an absence occurs (see “Absences”).

Each instructor is responsible for describing his/her attendance policy and procedures to all students enrolled in his/her classes, and this information should be clearly stated in the course syllabus.

Below are the standard symbols for attendance documentation used in the District.

1. X – Student was Absent
2. Ä - Excused Absence
3. W – The date the student withdrew. Drops are not considered official until a Class Action Notice is received by the instructor.
4. R – Date student was reinstated. Reinstatements are not considered official until a Class Action Notice is received by the instructor.

The above symbols are used only with their companion definitions. Instructors are at liberty to use additional symbols or entries for day to day record keeping; however, all symbols or entries must be explained as indicated in the grade book to facilitate any administrative or audit review that might be necessary at some future date.

This format must be used for additional symbols or entries and retained with the grade book.

There will be occasions when students may need to be excused from class attendance. Excused absences should be indicated with an X under the correct date, on the permanent roll. Examples of excused absences are:

1. Personal reasons such as illness, death in the family or court appearances. An excused absence in these cases depends upon the judgment of the instructor using guidelines established by the Division.
2. Observance of religious holidays. Students who are absent from class for the observance of a religious holiday may take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence if, not later than the 15th day of the semester, the student notified the instructor of his/her intent to be absent on that day.
3. College sponsored field trips or athletic events. In these instances the student will have the responsibility of presenting to the instructor a memo prepared by the Division Dean indicating the date and length of the field trip or athletic event.

When a student drops a course, the instructor will receive a Class Action Notice informing him/her of the drop. This information and the date of the drop are recorded on the Permanent Roll with a “W” listed for the student where the grade received would normally be recorded. These students receive a “W” for the semester and the grade is pre-recorded on the final roll.

Instructors are not responsible for dropping a student from their class roll even though the student may never attend. Full responsibility for dropping his/her course(s) rests with the student. Drops must be completed by the student in the Registrar’s Office prior to the last drop day of the semester.

District policy states: If a student is unable to complete the course(s) in which he/she is enrolled, it is the student’s responsibility to drop from the course(s) by the appropriate date (this date is published in the College catalog and in each semester’s class schedule). If the student does not drop, he/she will receive a performance grade, usually an “F.”

There may be instances when an instructor feels that an exception to this policy is warranted. Any exceptions are discussed with the Division Dean and will require the signature of the Division Dean and the Vice President of Instruction and Student Support Services.

After completing an exit interview with an advisor, the student can complete a Drop/Withdrawal form in the appropriate Advisory Center. The student obtains his/her instructor’s signature, if required. Instructors who wish to consult with students that are dropping should notify the Director of the Advising Center at the beginning of each semester. The student submits the form to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

Lateral changes provide an opportunity for a student to change courses or sections (within a division) after the add/drop period is over. Normally, lateral changes are not issued after the last day to drop.

Lateral changes are generally initiated for the following reasons:

1. Class level change -- the instructor of the current class recommends that the student change to another class requiring a higher or lower skill level based on the student’s performance. The new class should be a prerequisite or natural successor in a sequence of courses. The instructor of the class to which the student is transferring must also approve the change.
2. Work schedule conflict -- the change is recommended due to work conflicts, which have occurred after registration.

Lateral change Procedures:

1. The student or the instructor picks up the Lateral Change form in the Division Office.
2. The student completes the student section and takes it to the present instructor. If the request is approved, the instructor signs and the student takes the form to the future instructor. The instructor of the class to which the student is transferring must also approve the change for reinstatement. (Note: if one or both instructors do not approve the request, the process stops at this point.) If both instructors approve the request, the student should attend the new class/section immediately.
3. The completed form is sent to the Division Dean for signature. This is usually the responsibility of the last signing instructor.
4. The Division Dean sends the request to the Registrar’s Office for recording. The Registrar distributes the appropriate copies as noted on the form.

Even though students are responsible for their own drops, there are instances when a student will request reinstatement, though these are rare. A student may not be reinstated until he/she is current in his/her class work, having made up all class work and/or tests missed. Normally, students will not be reinstated after the last day to drop.

Student process for reinstatement:

1. For each class, the student picks up the forms: Student Request for Reinstatement and the Instructor Request for Reinstatement in the Registrar’s Office. NOTE: In TASP related situations, the TASP office completes the reinstatement paperwork after consulting with the instructor.
2. The student completes his/her request and takes it to his/her instructor(s). If the request is approved, the instructor completes the Instructor Request for Reinstatement form. If the request is not approved, the process stops at this point.
3. The student request and the instructor request are sent, usually by the instructor, to the division dean for signature.
4. The division dean sends both requests to the Vice President of Instruction and Student Support Services.
5. The Vice President of Instruction and Student Support Services sends both requests to the Registrar’s Office for recording. The Registrar will distribute the appropriate copies as noted on the form.