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Students receiving financial aid are required by federal regulations to have begun
attending the courses for which they are enrolled on or before the census date (e.g.,
12th day of each semester). Attendance in an online course is verified by
substantial participation in the course on or before the census date. TVCC defines
substantial participation as logging in to the online course AND
completing/participating in at least one requirement of the course. Students
documented as “not attending” a course upon the census date are assumed (for
financial aid purposes) to have NOT begun attendance for that course, and this may
negatively affect financial aid disbursements.
The college reserves the right to evaluate individual cases of nonattendance. In
general, students are graded on the basis of intellectual effort and performance. In
many cases, class participation is a significant measure of performance, and
nonattendance can adversely affect a student’s grade. When, in the judgment of the
instructor, a student has been absent to such a degree as to jeopardize the chances
of success in the course, the instructor may recommend to the Advisement Center
that the student be dropped from the course. However, instructors are not required
to drop students from a course.
NOTE: Developmental students will NOT be dropped by their instructor for any
reason, including nonattendance. A grade of an A, B, C, F, or I/P will be awarded in
ALL developmental courses.
To provide some consistency to the attendance policy, instructors may drop
students for nonattendance after they have accumulated the following number of
absences:
F
ALL OR
S
PRING
S
EMESTER
16-W
EEK
S
EMESTER
6 absences — Tuesday, Thursday classes
6 absences —Monday, Wednesday classes
3 absences — Classes meeting one time per week
S
UMMER
S
EMESTER
2 absences — Classes meeting 2 evenings per week
4 absences — Classes meeting 4 days per week
It is the student’s responsibility to officially drop a course or verify that the
instructor has initiated the drop procedure. Students may NOT withdraw or drop a
developmental course.
EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS
A student shall be excused from attending classes or other required activities,
including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel
for such purposes. A religious holy day means a holy day observed by a religion
whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20,
Tax Code.
A student whose absence is excused under this provision may not be penalized for
that absence and will be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment
within a reasonable time after the absence. The instructor may appropriately
respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignment or
examination.
