Regular and punctual class attendance at all scheduled classes is expected. Each faculty member will inform students of the attendance policy and the course objectives at the initial class meeting and in the course syllabus.
Absence/Participation Policy
Students are expected to actively participate in all courses at all times. Instructors are required to document attendance through the census date by requiring students to complete an academically related activity or to communicate extenuating circumstances to the instructor PRIOR to census. For a face-to-face classroom course the instructor has the discretion to use the student’s attendance in one or more class meetings in place of a graded activity to certify that the student is in class.
For blended or hybrid classes where the first-class meeting is after the census, completion of a graded activity is still required.
For all courses, including competency-based open entry, lack of evidence of active study participation before the census may result in the student being dropped from the course and having to pay partial tuition and fees.
The census date is the day that CTC officially certifies enrollments in each credit course for federal and institutional reporting.
For classroom courses, online, and blended classes taught through the Continental and Europe Campuses or Navy, please contact your designated CTC site representative for the official census and withdrawal dates for your classes. If you are enrolled in online courses offered through the Central Campus (TDLRN location), refer to the applicable semester Central Campus Enrollment Guide at http://www.ctcd.edu/academics/class-schedules/ for the last day to drop (census) and withdrawal dates or contact Eagles on Call at eaglesoncall@ctcd.edu.
After the census date, students wishing to withdraw must withdraw themselves through their designated CTC site representative, Eagles on Call for Central Campus online courses, or Etrieve (online) using the applicable eForm Application for Withdrawal. Faculty are prohibited from withdrawing students from a course after census and instead will report a last date of attendance with final grade for students who stop attending or participating in class.
NOTE: For co-requisite classes a withdrawal/drop from one class will result in an automatic withdrawal/drop from the other co-requisite class.
Religious Accommodation
Central Texas College will make good faith efforts to provide reasonable religious accommodations to students who have sincerely held religious practices or beliefs that conflict with a scheduled course/program requirement. Students requesting a religious accommodation should make the request, in writing, directly to their instructor with as much advance notice as possible. Being absent from class or other educational responsibilities does not excuse students from keeping up with any information shared or expectations set during the missed class. Students are responsible for obtaining materials and information provided during any class missed. The student shall work with the instructor to determine a schedule for making up missed work.
Examples of religious accommodations may include: rescheduling of an exam or giving a make-up exam for the student in question; altering the time of a student’s presentation; allowing extra-credit assignments to substitute for missed class work or arranging for an increased flexibility in assignment due dates.
Failure to Maintain Satisfactory Progress
Readmissions or enrollment may be denied at any time a student fails to maintain satisfactory progress following an academic review by the appropriate Campus Dean or Dean of Instruction. If a student is determined to be ineligible for continued enrollment or re-enrollment at Central Texas College, the student will be notified in writing of the action taken. A student denied enrollment may appeal the decision of the Campus Dean or Dean of Instruction. The appeal must be submitted in writing within seven (7) working days of notification. The appeal must be submitted to the office of the Deputy Chancellor responsible for the campus. The decision of the Deputy Chancellor will be final.
Excused Absence for a Person Called to Required Military Service
HB 1630 of the 79th Texas Legislature (updated by SB 937 of the 87th Texas Legislature) requires Texas public colleges and universities to grant excused absences for students who are called to required military service for a brief duration of service and who do not choose to withdraw. Required military service is defined as service in the armed forces of the United States, the National Guard, or the Texas State Guard including travel associated with the service. The maximum period for which a student may be excused can be no more than 25 percent of the total number of class meetings, excluding the final examination, for the specific course or courses that the student is currently enrolled at the beginning of the period of required military service. For students who enroll in distance learning courses or other asynchronous courses, a student may be excused if no more than 25 percent of the course is remaining.
Students who are called to required military service for a brief duration of service are required to provide to the CTC Associate Dean, Admissions, Registration and Records office an original copy or notarized copy of their orders, which indicates that they have been called to required duty. Students are responsible for contacting each of their instructors prior to leaving for required duty so that they can discuss which assignments and/or exams need to be completed once they return and a reasonable time for completion. Students will be given a withdrawal grade of WT (Withdrawal Temporary).
Upon returning from required duty, students must contact their instructor(s) and arrange for completing the remaining course requirements. Each faculty member has the right to issue a final grade based on coursework completed should students fail to satisfactorily complete the assignment(s) and/or examination(s) within the reasonable time designated by the instructor. Students who wish to dispute the institutional process regarding this policy will follow the informal grievance procedures outlined in the CTC Student Handbook. If the informal procedures do not resolve the grievance, then such students will follow the formal grievance procedures included in the CTC Student Handbook.