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Student Attendance Operating Procedure 314.01
Johnson County Community College
Series: 300 Students
Section: Academic Policies

Cross-Reference: Student Attendance Policy 314.01

Purpose: The following Procedures are established in accordance with the Student Attendance Policy 314.01, and are provided to describe the College’s processes to support that Policy.

I. Excessive Absences 

Absences that exceed the JCCC faculty established attendance standards of the course syllabus are considered excessive absences. Excessive absences may result in: reduction of grade, Drop for Non-Attendance, an Excessive Absence Alert or Faculty-Initiated Withdrawal of the student from a course pursuant to the Procedures set forth below.

A. Administrative Drop for Non-Attendance

By the end of the first calendar week that a course meets (or the prorated equivalent for courses less than seven weeks in length as shown below), students who have not attended at least one session of a course in which they are enrolled will be administratively dropped from that course with full reimbursement or forgiveness of tuition and fees at the applicable rates established by the Board of Trustees.

  • 7 week or longer courses — must attend at least once in first calendar week that the class meets
  • 4-6 week courses must attend at least once in first three calendar days of the week the course begins or the first day of class if it is not scheduled to meet in the first three calendar days of the week
  • 3 week or shorter courses  must attend the first day of class
  • Students enrolled in distance learning (i.e. online) courses will be administratively dropped, with full reimbursement or forgiveness of tuition and fees, if they do not fulfill the initial attendance/participation requirements by the first calendar week that a course begins (or the prorated equivalent for courses less than seven weeks as shown above) as established by the faculty member in the course syllabus.

B. Student-Initiated Withdrawal for Excessive Course Absence

It is the responsibility of the student to regularly attend and participate in all scheduled classes. In the case where the student has exceeded the absences stated in the attendance guidelines of the course syllabus, the student may self-withdraw from that course. If the student fails to self-withdraw by the withdrawal deadline (“drop deadline”) published with the instructions for Dropping Credit Classes on the College website, the student’s grade will be determined in accordance with the grading terms stated in the course syllabus.

C. Faculty-Initiated Withdrawal for Excessive Course Absence 

Following the Administrative Drop for Non-Attendance period of each semester (see Section I.A above), a faculty member may choose to withdraw a student whose absences have exceeded the attendance guidelines stated in the course syllabus. There is no reimbursement or forgiveness of tuition and fees for a Faculty-Initiated Withdrawal. Students should not assume that a faculty member will initiate this optional process, and it remains the ultimate responsibility of the student to withdraw and accept all financial and academic consequences as a result of the withdrawal.

A faculty member may choose to initiate the Withdrawal for Excessive Course Absence action if, as specified in the course syllabus, the minimum course objectives cannot be met due to the student’s excessive absences or lack of contact in online courses. A faculty member should establish in the course syllabus what is considered to be excessive absence or lack of contact. Faculty initiated withdrawal may be taken after the faculty member has notified the student through the Excessive Absence Alert procedure that excessive absence has potentially placed the student in academic jeopardy. The withdrawal will be recorded in the student’s record in accordance with the published drop deadlines and the Grading System Policy. The student may also be withdrawn from other scheduled courses if the withdrawn course is a required course. The last date each semester for a faculty-initiated withdrawal shall be the same last date allowed for a student-initiated withdrawal.

A student may file a complaint about a faculty-initiated withdrawal using the process outlined in the Student Complaints Policy.

D. Excessive Absence Alert

The Excessive Absence Alert is intended to serve as advance notice to a student of a faculty member’s intent to withdraw the student from a course for excessive absence. A faculty member who opts to pursue the faculty-initiated withdrawal process will provide the Excessive Absence Alert to the student in a timely manner so there is reasonable opportunity to resolve the attendance issue before proceeding with the faculty-initiated withdrawal.
The Excessive Absence Alert shall consist of a written notice from the faculty member to the student advising the student that the student’s excessive absence has placed the student in academic jeopardy. The notice shall further state that the student may be withdrawn from the class as per course syllabus guidelines if satisfactory arrangements for the student’s regular class attendance cannot be made with the faculty member. Such written notice shall be provided to the student via email to the student’s College-provided email account and shall constitute adequate notice to the student. Students are responsible for monitoring their College-provided email accounts.

II. Authorized Absences

Students who are absent as a result of jury duty, subpoena, a religious observance requiring accommodation, required military duty, or activities where they are required to represent the College must give at least a one-week advance written notice of the upcoming absence to the faculty member. Students shall be accorded the opportunity to independently complete course work or work of equal value for the authorized day(s) of absence, and/or to take a scheduled exam at an alternate time determined by the faculty member. Failure to provide the one-week advance written notice of the authorized absence may result in loss of the opportunity.

Students called to active military duty will be allowed readmission to continue their program of study after their service is complete.  Students in selective admission programs will be readmitted in accordance with each program’s specific readmission requirements which are available in the program office.  In addition to the above requirement to notify faculty for each course during which such absence will occur, students must also provide written notification and documentation of the call to active military duty to any program chair.  When re-applying to the program, students should inform the program chair that they are a student returning from active military service.

For all other absences, authorization of the absence is within the discretion of the individual faculty member.

III. Consequences of Excessive Absences

Administrative Drop for Non-Attendance, Student-Initiated Withdrawal, or Faculty-Initiated Withdrawal from a course may negatively impact a student in areas including, but not limited to, current or future financial aid, athletics eligibility, international student visa status and enrollment in other courses. Students receiving benefits from a governmental agency must follow any policy or procedures as stipulated by the specific agency.

IV. Interpretations

The Vice President of Student Success & Engagement will be responsible for interpreting the Student Attendance Policy and these Procedures.

Signature on File in Policy Office
President


Date of Adoption: 05/24/2011
Revised: 02/18/2016, 08/01/2017, 10/16/2018, 02/21/2019