student conduct code - John Tyler Community College

ATTENDANCE
• All institutions of higher learning are required by the U.S. Department of Education to
make timely reports of students who cease attending classes. An institution’s failure to
do this in the mandated period of time (within 30 days of a student’s last class
attendance) results in a monetary liability on the part of the institution.
• Faculty at John Tyler Community College are granted considerable discretion in defining
their specific attendance policies; however, all faculty must include their attendance
policies in their class syllabi.
• In fashioning their specific class attendance policies, faculty are encouraged to adopt
policies that permit students a finite number of absences (for example, three). The
permitted number of unexcused absences may not exceed 20% of a course.
• When a student exceeds the permitted number of unexcused absences, faculty must
take the following actions:
If the final absence occurs prior to the official withdrawal date for a class, the faculty
member must submit a STOPPED ATTENDING Form to A&R noting the student’s last day
of attendance. The student will withdrawn from the class and given a grade of “W”;
If the final absence occurs after the withdrawal date, a faculty member must submit a
STOPPED ATTENDING Form to A&R noting the student’s last day of attendance.
Students who cease attending after the withdrawal date are normally awarded grades
of “F” (per VCCS Policy 5.7.0).
(Note: If a student ceases to attend class after the withdrawal date owing to a medical
emergency or other mitigating circumstance, it is the student’s responsibility to so
inform the instructor. The instructor may then elect to award the student a grade of
“W” for Mitigating Circumstances if the student was passing the class at the time the
student stopped attending. Mitigating Circumstances Forms accompanied by
documentation must be submitted to the appropriate academic dean.)
• Faculty may wish to consider adopting an attendance policy akin to the following for
traditional courses:
Students are expected to attend all classes and take all tests and examinations at the
assigned times. Students who must be absent for reasons beyond their control or who
miss classes owing to emergencies should contact the instructor prior to any anticipated
absences or immediately following all unforeseen emergencies. No more than three
unexcused absences will be permitted. Students who exceed the permitted number of
unexcused absences and do not provide the instructor with acceptable explanations will
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