Attendance Policy
The following attendance requirements shall apply to all College students:
1. Students are expected to attend and be on time for all scheduled classes and labs. Students should refer to the 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.
2. 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 in which ten percent (10%) of the class has passed will be reported by the instructor as a “no show.” A student who has never attended a class by the ten percent (10%) date is no longer enrolled in the class and will not earn credit or receive a tuition refund for the course.
3. The instructor may withdraw any student who has been absent from a course for fourteen (14) consecutive days in a 16-week term or seven (7) consecutive days in shorter academic terms. A student in an online or hybrid course will be withdrawn following fourteen (14) consecutive days in a 16-week term or seven (7) consecutive days in shorter academic terms of missed assignments, missed attendance (for hybrid), and lack of communication with the instructor regarding course participation. Holidays, breaks, and weekends are included when calculating consecutive days. Consistent with policies establishing attendance in online courses, logging into a course site but failing to perform the aforementioned actions does not constitute attendance.
Under extenuating circumstances, a student may petition, in writing, to the instructor for reinstatement in the course upon demonstrating the capacity and likelihood of satisfactorily completing requirements as indicated on the course syllabus. Reinstatement will only be considered when the absence was due to unforeseeable and uncontrollable circumstances. Tuition refunds or credits will not result from a withdrawal.
4. A student’s absence while participating in a College-sponsored or approved activity will be considered an excused absence for participating students. Such excused absences will not be considered in the students’ class attendance for drop purposes, nor will excused absences be included in the determination of a grade for “participation” of which class attendance is a part. The responsibility for making up class work rests entirely with the student. All assignments, tests, labs, class time and final exams to be missed due to College sponsored or approved activity will be rescheduled prior to the excused absences or otherwise rescheduled at the discretion of the instructor.
5. 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. 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.
a. Academic year: The sequence of fall, spring and summer semesters.
b. 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 their religious practice or belief without creating an undue hardship.
c. Religious practice or belief: A practice or observance that is sincerely held within the tenants of that religious belief.
d. 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.
Legal Reference: N.C.G.S. § 115D-5(u); 1B SBCCC 500.99; 1G SBCCC 200.93