General Attendance Policy

Seminole Community College recognizes the correlation between attendance and both student retention and achievement. Students must be enrolled before they can attend class. Students are expected to attend all class sessions and activities for which they are registered. Any class session or activity missed, regardless of cause, reduces the opportunity of learning and may adversely affect a student's achievement in the course. A student who is absent from class 10 percent of the scheduled class time is subject to be withdrawn without warning by the instructor. A student may be readmitted at the discretion of the instructor.

A student who has to be absent because of jury duty or court-mandated appearance needs to contact the appropriate instructors in advance of the absence in order that a plan for making up work missed can be made. When observance of religious holidays of students' own faith interferes with admission and registration; with attendance in class, class activities, examinations, and official ceremonies; and with class work assignments, students are required to notify instructors, counselors, or other appropriate personnel in advance of such absences.

Students are held responsible for material covered during their absences, with reasonable time provided to complete make-up assignments. Instructors will devise a plan for making up work missed. When practical, major class assignments, major examinations, and official ceremonies shall be scheduled on other than major religious holidays. Students who believe they have been unreasonably denied educational benefits due to their religious beliefs or practices may seek redress through the student appeal procedure.

Distance Learning

Distance Learning: The instructor will keep an accurate record of attendance at all class sessions and activities. In distance learning courses (online, video, media-based courses); professors define expected interaction within the course and/or other students and expected use of the class Web site and/or media. Inconsistent interaction and/or inconsistent use of Web site or media, regardless of cause, reduce the opportunity of learning. The professor may withdraw from the course any student who is not interactive or responsive in a timely manner, as specified by the professor, in distance learning courses.

• Professors, who have mandatory orientations for distance learning courses, may withdraw students who do not attend the required orientation.

International Students' Attendance Policy

International students are expected to abide by the College attendance policy and meet the Standards of Academic Progress. Students who do not maintain appropriate status will be reported to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Veteran's Attendance Policy

1. College credit courses
   
   1. Records of attendance will be maintained for all courses in order to determine the last day of attendance for partial or complete withdrawals.
   2. Veterans shall be withdrawn from a course when their lack of attendance precludes any possibility of satisfactory course completion. Initiation of a withdrawal shall be consistent with the instructor's policy regarding attendance for all students.
   3. A veteran may be recertified in a class when the instructor determines the absences will not jeopardize the veteran's ability to satisfactorily complete the courses in the prescribed time period.
2. Career Programs Certificate Courses
   Veterans and other persons eligible to receive VA educational benefits who register in Career Programs Certificate courses and accumulate four days of unexcused absences within any calendar month for which they have received VA certification, will have this certification terminated for lack of attendance.
   A student may be recertified in the program when the instructor determines the absences will not jeopardize the student's ability to satisfactorily complete the course in the prescribed time period.
   
   Students have the right of appeal through the College Petitions Committee when they feel the circumstances warrant such action.
   
   VA regulations require veterans' withdrawals to be submitted promptly and that the last date of attendance be recorded on the withdrawal form.
   
   In order to comply with VA attendance regulations, instructors shall initiate a withdrawal form as soon as it can be determined that the student is no longer attending or is unable to complete the course requirements because of poor attendance. On at least a monthly basis, instructors shall review attendance records for the purpose of initiating withdrawals and shall submit withdrawals to the Enrollment Services Office during the last week of the month.

Did you know?

In a recent survey, 95 percent of responding graduates said they would attend SCC again and 43 percent rated their overall SCC experience as "excellent."