Attendance Policy

Each student has individual responsibility for attending class regularly and meeting course objectives. The College computes and records attendance beginning with the start of the term. Rules on tardiness are determined by individual instructors.

Attendance Procedures, effective 2022FA

1. Instructors are required to record absences weekly.
2. Students must be recorded as present at least one time on or before the census date of the course to avoid being administratively withdrawn from the course.
   1. For face-to-face courses, students must attend class on or before the census date to satisfy this requirement.
   2. For online courses, students must complete the Mandatory Online Course Assessment (MOCA – Enrollment Verification) in Moodle on or before the census date to satisfy this requirement.
   3. For hybrid and blended courses, students must attend class or complete the Syllabus Acknowledgement assignment on or before the census date to satisfy this requirement.
3. Students are expected to attend 80 percent or more of the scheduled contact hours of the course. An instructor may administratively withdraw a student from a course for “non-attendance” when absences exceed 20 percent of the scheduled contact hours.
   1. For face-to-face courses, students must arrive on time and remain until the end of class. Failure to attend will be recorded as an absence.
   2. For online courses, attendance is established by submitting graded assignments on or before the identified due dates. Failure to submit an online graded assignment by the due date is interpreted as an absence.
   3. For hybrid and blended courses, attendance is established by attending class meetings and submitting graded assignments online on or before the identified due dates. Failure to attend class or submit an online graded assignment by the due date will be interpreted as an absence.
4. Students are not allowed to miss more than two (2) consecutive weeks in a course.
5. Some programs with outside regulatory bodies may require a minimum of course attendance hours other than those dictated by SCC (i.e., health programs, cosmetology, BLET).
6. Attendance in transition courses is not required once students complete all tiers. When students complete a tier, they will immediately begin their next tier. If students withdraw or are dropped from a transition course, they will receive credit for all completed tiers.
7. Attendance in condensed courses may have additional guidelines outlined in the course syllabus.
8. For face-to-face courses, arriving late, or leaving early, may be recorded as a tardy. Rules on tardiness are addressed in each instructor’s syllabus.
9. In the event of extenuating circumstances, an instructor may grant an exception to the attendance policy. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of extenuating circumstances. If exceptions are granted, the student must complete any work missed in a timely manner.
10. Students administratively withdrawn have the right to appeal within 3 business days to the instructor’s supervisor.
11. Absences related to religious observances, military service, or pregnancy/childbirth may be considered excused. Appropriate paperwork must be completed in Student Services to grant excused absences.
    1. Military Deployment – Students experiencing military deployment qualify for special consideration such as:
       1. Opportunity to make up any work missed
       2. Options to continue coursework when feasible
       3. Options to receive a temporary grade of “I” by following the Incomplete Grade Policy
       4. Ability to drop the course with no penalty
    2. Pregnancy/Childbirth – Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) requires the College to excuse absences due to pregnancy or childbirth for as long as the student’s doctor says it is necessary. The College shall provide students the following:
       1. Opportunity to return to the same academic and extracurricular status as before the student’s medical leave began;
       2. Opportunity to make up any work missed; and
       3. Same special services its provides to students with temporary medical conditions
    3. The Religious Observance Policy defined in this catalog addresses the granting of excused absences for religion observances required by the faith of a student.

Withdrawal from the College

Students may withdraw from a course(s) on or before the 70 percent date of the course and receive a grade(s) of “W”. After the published 70 percent date of the course, students will receive a grade of “WP” or “WF” depending on their grade average at the time of withdrawal. The grade of “WF” will be calculated as a failing grade in determining the student’s GPA. After the 70 percent date, students with extenuating circumstances who receive a “WF” may request approval from the VP of Academic and Student Affairs to withdraw with a grade of “W”.

Students who stop participating in a course will be withdrawn administratively when the student violates the attendance policy. For nontraditional courses, including but not limited to internet-based courses, the withdrawal date for the course will be the date the student last completed an academic-related activity verifiable by the instructor. 

  A student who enters a course but withdraws on or before the course census date will receive a grade of “NG.”

The withdrawal process is as follows:

1.  Prior to withdrawing from a course, students are encouraged to speak with financial aid and their academic advisor or success coach to consider financial or academic consequences. High school students must receive approval from their high school counselor.
2. If the student chooses to proceed with the withdrawal, the student must contact their instructor and request to be withdrawn.
3.  The instructor must verify the last date of attendance and submit the withdrawal from.
4. Student Services will process the withdrawal and notify the Finance Office.
5. The Finance Office will determine if the student is eligible for a refund by following the tuition refund policy established by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.

Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct is defined but is not limited to:

1. Giving or receiving unauthorized aid (aid or material used without the instructor’s permission or approval) on an assignment. Unauthorized material includes but is not necessarily limited to test information, research papers, books, periodicals, and unauthorized electronic information.
2. Plagiarism as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary is “An instance of plagiarizing, especially a passage that is taken from the work of one person and reproduced in the work of another without attribution.” Plagiarism includes not giving proper acknowledgment via footnote, endnote, or in-text citation. Quoting part of a source (a sentence of more) without proper acknowledgment through the above citation is plagiarism.
3. Copying, taking, or acquiring without permission any academic material (test information, research papers, notes, books periodicals, etc.) from a member of the College staff, faculty, or student body or any comparable violation of academic security.

Disciplinary Procedures for Academic Misconduct

Faculty members will make a preliminary judgment about the seriousness of the incident and determine whether it is a possible violation of the Academic Code of Conduct. If the incident appears to be a violation, the faculty member will then decide whether the incident justifies a formal charge or whether a sanction on the test or assignment is appropriate. If the finding is that a violation rising to the level of a code of conduct charge has occurred, the faculty member may impose a variety of penalties for academic misconduct depending on the nature of the offense.  Penalties include giving the student a grade of “F” or zero on the assignment or a grade of “F” in the course. Penalties will be included in the course syllabus. 

In the event that the student wishes to appeal an individual grade resulting from alleged academic misconduct, including overcuts, the student must submit a written appeal within three (3) business days from the date they are informed of the penalty. Students may continue to attend class during the entire appeal process provided that they have initiated a written notice of appeal at each stage of the review process. 

The student must present to the department or division chair supervising the faculty member a written notice of appeal outlining the grounds for the appeal. The department or division chair will provide the student with written notice of his or her finding as soon as practicable but not to exceed three (3) business days from notice of the appeal. 

Grade Appeals

Appeal of Assignment Grades

A student who wishes to appeal a grade given for assignments, rather than for the completion of a course, should attempt to resolve the issue with the appropriate instructor. If a mutual agreement has not been reached, the student should confer with the department chair and/or division chair.

Appeal of Final Course Grades

Any student who protests a final course grade shall first attempt to resolve the disagreement with the course instructor. The student has the responsibility to identify the error in the assignment of the grade or to provide substantial evidence in support of a claim that the grade was not assigned in an impartial manner. Failing such resolution, the student may appeal the grade in accordance with the procedures outlined below. All final course grade appeals must be initiated within 10 business days of the Registrar’s distribution of final course grades for the academic term.  Students may continue to attend classes provided an appeal has been filed as noted in the policy until the appeal decision is made.  

The student should present the appeal to the department or division chair supervising the faculty member. By conferring with the instructor and the student, the chair will seek resolution by mutual agreement. If the student is not satisfied with the Department Chair and Division Chair’s decisions, the student has the right to appeal that decision, in writing, to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The VP of Academic Affairs will appoint an Appeals Committee to review the appeal and provide a decision. The committee will consist of the vice president, serving as the committee chair, the Dean of Student Services, the appropriate division chair/dean, and at least two faculty members appointed by the Vice President. 

The committee will meet with the student and review any information provided in support of his/her appeal.  Likewise, the committee will meet with the instructor(s) who must provide evidence in support of the assigned grade. If the committee affirms the instructor’s final course grade assignment, the Vice President will notify in writing the faculty member, the student, and the appropriate department and/or division chair. If the committee supports the student’s appeal, it will (1) identify the source of the error in the calculation of the grade and direct the faculty member to reassign the grade and (2) prescribe the method and conditions under which the student will be re-evaluated. In the event that the recalculation of the grade or the reevaluation of the student’s work results in a grade change, the established course grade change procedure will be followed. If the committee affirms the instructor’s final course grade assignment and the course is a prerequisite for currently enrolled classes, the student will be withdrawn from those specific courses. The decision of the appeals committee is final.

Excused Absences Due to Public Health Emergencies

If a student is asked to remain home due to a public health emergency, every effort will be made to ensure that the student continues all coursework. This may include allowing the student to complete assignments and participate in the class remotely when possible.

Absences incurred during the recommended or directed self-isolation period will not violate an instructor’s attendance policy as long as the student has contacted the Dean’s office and instructor(s) prior to missing class.

The college acknowledges that some classes include content and experiences that cannot be completed remotely. In these cases, instructors, department chairs, division chairs, deans and the VP of Academic & Student Affairs will discuss what options are available to assist students in completing their course of study.