Attendance Policy

The following attendance requirements shall apply to all College students: 

1. Students are expected to attend at least 85% of scheduled hours in a given course. Online attendance is defined by active participation in online activities such as, but not limited to, chat rooms, discussion boards, emails, quizzes, tests, and group projects. If a student’s absences exceed 15% of the scheduled class hours, the instructor may submit a “Faculty Drop Form” to officially withdraw the student from the course. Class attendance is calculated from the first officially scheduled class meeting through the last scheduled class meeting.
    
2. Some courses may follow a more rigid attendance policy because of regulations set by state and federal licensing agencies, or by third-party credentialing agencies. If the course attendance policy is different from the college-wide attendance policy, that difference will be spelled out in the course syllabus. Workforce, Technologies, and Community Education students are encouraged to attend all classes. Those who attend at least 80 percent of the classes and [successfully] complete course requirements will be awarded a satisfactory grade and CEU’s where applicable. The BLET Program requires 100% attendance. 
    
3. 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 “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.
   
   Under extenuating circumstances, a student who has never attended by the ten percent (10%) date may petition for reinstatement in the class and earn course credit. The student should complete the Late Add electronic form, disclose the extenuating circumstances prior to the ten percent (10%) percent date of the class, and provide compelling documentation to support the request for reinstatement. Reinstatement will only be considered by the Vice President of Instruction when the absences were due to unforeseeable and uncontrollable circumstances.
    
4. Any student who has been absent for two consecutive weeks in a 16-week term or one week in shorter academic terms will be administratively withdrawn from the course. A student in an online or hybrid course will be administratively withdrawn following two consecutive weeks in a 16-week term (or one week in shorter academic terms) of missed assignments, missed attendance (for hybrid), and lack of communication with the instructor regarding course participation. Consistent with policies establishing attendance in online courses, logging into a course site but failing to perform the aforementioned actions does not constitute attendance. A grade of “W” or “WF” (at the instructor’s discretion) will be assigned for any course from which the student is administratively withdrawn. Administrative withdrawals will be allowed up to the published withdrawal deadline each semester (approximately the 75% point of the semester).
   
   After the ten percent (10%) date of the class and under extenuating circumstances, a student may petition, in writing, 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 an administrative withdrawal. 
    
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. 
   1. Academic year: The sequence of fall, spring and summer semesters. 
   2. 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 his/her religious practice or belief without creating an undue hardship.
   3. Religious practice or belief: A practice or observance that is sincerely held within the tenants of that religious belief. 
   4. 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. 

Approved by the Board of Trustees, November 13, 2023

Legal Reference: N.C.G.S. § 115D-5(u); 1B SBCCC 500.99; 1G SBCCC 200.93