Cypress College

Distance Education Policies

Attendance

Attendance at first class meeting:

• It is very important that students attend the first class meeting of every class in which they are registered since a full period of instruction begins the first day of the semester. Instructors may drop students who do not appear for the first class meeting in order to make room for others who are present and want to take the class.
• In the case where a class is taught entirely online, instructors may drop students who have not been in contact with the instructor by the end of the first day of classes for that semester or short-term session. For example, if the first day of classes for the spring semester is January 18th, instructors may drop students who have not been in contact with them by midnight on that date.

Absences

Absences are handled as follows:

• After a student accumulates more than a week’s absences in any class (more than the number of times the class meets per week), consecutive or nonconsecutive, an instructor may file a petition in the Admissions and Records Office requesting that the student be dropped from the class. When this request is approved by the Records Office, the instructor will be notified and the student will be dropped from the class.
• In the case of hybrid and online classes, an absence may be identified as “a missed assignment,” “a missed assignment series” or “inactivity in the course site as evidenced by Blackboard’s tracking statistics.” It is up to the instructor to decide which system to use.  It is also the instructor’s responsibility to specify in the written syllabus what constitutes “a missed assignment,” “a missed assignment series” or “inactivity in the course site.”  For example, in a three-unit online class (that would typically meet on campus three hours a week), the fourth “missed assignment” or the fourth “missed assignment series” or eight consecutive days of “inactivity in the course site” could be grounds for dismissal.   
• A student who must miss one or more classes because of a field trip or other authorized activity, such as athletics or music groups, will be issued an Authorized Absence Excuse (available in each division office) by the instructor under whose supervision the activity will occur. The student shall have this excuse signed by the instructors of the classes that will be missed before the absence occurs. It is recommended that these transactions be carried out at least two days before the activity. The signed excuse must be presented to the instructor in charge of the activity, who shall in turn file it with the Admissions Office upon the conclusion of the activity. No absence excuses a student from making up class work missed. Students should realize that undue absences may adversely affect their grades.
• In the event a student is absent for a prolonged period of time it is expected that contact will be made with the respective instructors immediately to advise the instructor of this absence and the reasons for it. The instructor may then decide whether or not the student may continue in the class or withdraw. It should be noted that failure to make this contact and follow through with the decisions made at this time could result in the student receiving a grade of “F” in the class.

• Distance Education: How To Get Help
• Distance Education Readiness Quiz
• Distance Education Requirements
• Distance Education Tips for Student Success
• Distance Education FAQ