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 face-to-face classroom courses 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 with the State of Texas the number of enrollments in each credit course. This chart depicts the census date based on course length.
NOTE: Census dates are subject to change by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
| Length of Class in Weeks |
Census Date |
Last Date to Withdraw from a Class* |
| 2 or less |
1st Class Day |
1½ Week |
| 3 |
2nd Class Day |
2¼ Week |
| 4 |
3rd Class Day |
3rd Week |
| 5 |
4th Class Day |
3¾ Week |
| 6 |
4th Class Day |
4½ Week |
| 7 |
5th Class Day |
5¼ Week |
| 8 |
6th Class Day |
6th Week |
| 9 |
7th Class Day |
6¾ Week |
| 10** |
7th Class Day |
7th Week |
| 12** |
9th Class Day |
9th Week |
| 16** |
12th Class Day |
12th Week |
*This information is to serve as a guide. Refer to the applicable semester Central Campus Enrollment Guide for actual dates of withdrawal. Enrollment Guides can be found at www.ctcd.edu/academics/class-schedules/.
**In the Summer Semesters, the official census date for classes taught 10 or more weeks is the 12th class day. |
After the census date, students wishing to withdraw must withdraw themselves through the CTC Central Records or Fort Hood location, Eagles on Call or Etrieve (online). 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.