Student Attendance (Procedure 3.0610)

Authority:Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; F.S. 1001.64, 1004.65 
Date Adopted:12/15
Date of Revision:01/17; 05/21; 08/23
Related Policies:1.060, 3.060; College Procedure 4.0900

Purpose

To provide a process defining student attendance expectations and limited circumstances for completing coursework following absence.

Definitions

Academic adjustment: taking a reasonable and responsive step to ensure access by a pregnant student1 or a student with a disability. 2

Alternate assessment: an equivalent opportunity to demonstrate mastery of a specific concept at a time, location, or in a manner different from that offered to the class.

Medical conditions related to disability: manifestation of a disability, documented according to the standards published by Disability Support Services, preventing completion of one or more course requirements. The College considers a plan to complete course requirements as an academic adjustment offered to qualified students when it does not fundamentally alter the nature of the course or program.

Medically-necessary absence: inability to participate in the learning experience, documented by a recognized health care provider stating in writing the circumstances of the absence, when based on a medical condition related to:

  1. Disability,
  2. Pregnancy, complications of pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, or recovery from any of these conditions.

Plan to complete course requirements: instruction or assessment available to return a student to the status held prior to the medically-necessary absence.

Temporary impairment: an illness or injury reasonably expected to be healed or resolved within approximately six months. It is an option for the College to make adjustments for a student whose absence is based on a temporary physical or mental impairment. On a voluntary basis, the College may offer services such as make-up testing in the Assessment and Testing Center. If such services are available to students with temporary impairments, the College must make them available to students experiencing absence based on medical conditions related to pregnancy or medical conditions related to a disability.

Title IX requirements related to pregnancy: the treatment of a pregnant or parenting student must be equivalent to the treatment of other students with temporary impairments. “Parenting” refers only to the students with temporary impairments. “Parenting” refers only to the medically-necessary absence associated with the student’s recovery from pregnancy. If the College requires a physician’s release for any student to return after a certain period, it may require a release medically-necessary absence associated with the student’s recovery from pregnancy. If the College requires a physician’s release for any student to return after a certain period, it may require a release for the pregnant or parenting student experiencing related medical conditions.

Procedure

The College recognizes the correlation between attendance and student achievement. Students are expected to attend all class sessions and activities for which they are registered. Any class session or activity missed, regardless of cause, reduces the opportunity for learning and may adversely affect a student's achievement in the course.

  1. Faculty members will make a course syllabus available to enrolled students no later than the first day of class. The syllabus should include the instructor’s attendance requirement.
    1. Instructors may require a more rigorous attendance requirement due to such factors as program requirements, state mandates of 100% attendance, etc.
    2. Instructors should define expectations regarding students’ interactions within distance learning courses (online, video, media-based courses, etc.) and attendance at orientation when required, as well as students’ use of the class website and/or other media.
  2. Students who are unable to complete the requirements of a course must withdraw (W1) themselves from that course prior to published withdrawal deadlines.  Faculty are not permitted to withdraw students after the first week of classes, except as stated below.
  3. Instructors, may withdraw a student from class under the following conditions:
    1. "No Show." A student who has not physically attended a face-to-face class or has not engaged in an academic activity in an online/hybrid/remote class during the first week of classes is considered a “No Show” and must be reported as such (W4).
    2. Students in Career Certificate courses, who are absent from class exceeding ten percent (10%) of the scheduled class or activity time, or lack time interactivity or responsiveness in a distance learning course with a defined attendance requirement may be withdrawn (W2) by the instructor without warning within two weeks of the student’s last date of attendance. Faculty members assigning a withdrawal (W2) must provide a last date of attendance (LDA).
    3. Students in Adult Education courses, who are absent from class exceeding ten percent (10%) of the scheduled class or activity time, or lack time interactivity or responsiveness in a distance learning course with a defined attendance requirement may be withdrawn (W2) by the instructor without warning.
  4. The following conditions apply to student requests to consider plans for completing courses following absence:
    1. Students must be enrolled before they can attend class or request a plan to complete a course following absence.
    2. Students must contact the appropriate instructor at least seven days in advance of the absence. For an emergency absence, the College requires notification as soon as circumstances permit.
    3. Students remain responsible for material covered during their absence. When reasonable, instructors will devise alternate assessments or plans to complete course requirements as defined above. In some cases, plans to complete courses may not be available. Such cases may include, but are not limited to, coursework involving unique, real-time experiences; clock-hour requirements; group discussions in class; or clinical rotations.
    4. The instructor makes the initial determination regarding completion of academic requirements, consistent with the master syllabus for the course, College policy and procedures, and state and federal statute. The College encourages instructors to contact appropriate offices (i.e., Office of Organizational Culture & Strategy/Title IX, Disability Support Services) for consultation before responding to the student’s request. The College is responsible for the final decision to determine the response to student absence.
  5. The College complies with Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Florida Educational Equity Act when considering a plan for completion of course requirements in the following circumstances:
    1. Medical conditions related to pregnancy. The College will consider a plan for completion of course requirements when a student is absent due to medical conditions related to pregnancy. The student’s health care provider must deem the absence to be medically necessary. When the health care provider authorizes the student to return to course activities, the student will be returned to the status held when the absence began and will have the opportunity to complete the course. This procedure applies to course grading policies such as class participation points or attendance points for outside activities. The student must request arrangements for absence and completion from the instructor. When reasonable, the instructor must devise an academic adjustment or alternate assessment. The student must present the medical documentation to the instructor or to the Associate Vice President, Organizational Culture & Strategy/Title IX, who will coordinate with the instructor. The medical documentation is confidential and its security must follow state and federal statute.
    2. Manifestation of a disability. Manifestation of a disability may result in an absence when the student is exercising an academic adjustment approved by Disability Support Services in accordance with Procedure 3.0600, Accommodation of Disabled Students.
  6. College approval is optional in the following areas of potential absences not governed by statute.
    1. Jury duty. A student projecting absence while on jury duty may request a plan to assist in completing the class requirements. Instructors may review an advance request and a copy of the jury summons when considering a request for a plan and may review a record of jury service.
    2. Military leave. The College will make every effort to promote success in the student’s college career for individuals involuntarily called to active duty who cannot complete class requirements. This excludes normal reserve duty.
    3. Official representation of the College. A student absent for an authorized representative role that enhances the College’s mission may request a plan to assist in completing the class requirements. Instructors may review an advance request and a copy of documentation supporting the role when considering a request for a plan. If the instructor approves a plan, such absence is limited to the period of College-approved representation plus reasonable travel time.
  7. Religious observances. A student planning an absence to observe a religious holiday at a time conflicting with a class may request a plan to assist in completing the class requirements. Instructors may review a request and a statement from the student specifying the planned observance when considering a request for a plan. Students are responsible for securing material covered during their absences from sources other than the instructor.
  8. Students who believe they have been denied educational benefits in violation of this procedure may seek redress through the Student Academic Concerns and Grade Appeals procedure (4.0300). If they believe the reason is based on discrimination, their other option for resolution is the Discrimination Complaint Procedure (2.1800. 

1  Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments and further federal guidance

2    Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990 

Recommended by:Executive Team/CACDate08/22/2023
Signed by:President, Georgia L LorenzDate08/30/2023

Contact

Seminole State General Contact Information