Course Management

Auditing Classes

All classes may be audited rather than taken for credit. Students auditing a course are required to register as such and pay for the course. Instructors may not grant exceptions to this without the permission of the Academic Affairs Office. Once a student has completed  registration officially, the only way to switch from audit to credit or credit to audit is by completing and submitting the Registration Form. The Registration Form must be processed within the first four weeks of class and will need to be signed and dated by the instructor. Instructors should remind students making these changes that they may affect their financial aid status or employer reimbursement. 

Class Rosters

At the beginning of each semester, a class roster is sent to each instructor listing students who have enrolled in the class. Follow-up rosters are provided periodically during the semester. Faculty should report discrepancies to the Admissions and Registration Office before the issuance of the grade sheet. Instructors in vocational courses should check with students to make sure they have the correct major. Necessary changes should be reported to the Admissions and Registration Office. Student telephone numbers are included on the roster as a support service to the instructor. These telephone numbers should not be provided to others or used for business purposes. 

Two-part rosters will be sent out every four weeks to identify those students not attending and to give their last date of attendance. These rosters MUST be returned to the Admissions Office in a timely manner to meet federal reporting requirements for financial aid. 

Course Cancellation

At an appropriate time in the registration process, all course sections offered are reviewed to see if there is sufficient enrollment to justify running the class. For most semesters, courses are reviewed twice: once prior to payment due date and again after payment due date. 

When reviewing sections, enrollment levels alone determine which sections need to be examined further. Sections with low enrollment are reviewed with consideration given to numerous factors including:  other sections of the course at comparable times, availability of openings in these sections, whether the course is a program requirement or elective, when the course was last offered/will be offered again, and whether the course is an advanced course in a sequence. When more information is needed to make the decision, the Dean, Department Chair and appropriate faculty members are consulted. 

If a section is canceled, students are contacted through the mail if it will give them sufficient time before the end of registration to adjust their schedules. If a section is canceled too late for notification by mail, students are contacted by telephone and a sign is posted outside the classroom door. 

Course Scheduling Procedure

Course scheduling originates with the division faculty and deans.  Proposed course offerings correspond to the department two-year curriculum plan at a minimum. In developing schedules, we strive to balance courses between morning, afternoon, and evening, TTH and MWF, and on and off campus. Divisions coordinate scheduling to ensure that students in vocational and pre-professional programs can get the necessary mathematics, English, and science courses. After deans have approved the proposed schedules, they are reviewed by the Academic Affairs Office to resolve scheduling conflicts. 

Course Syllabus

All faculty members are to present a course syllabus to their students during the first week of class. Such outlines are important to students so they will know course and instructor expectations. The outline provides help to substitute faculty covering the class in the event of instructor absence. The syllabus should include: 

1. Name of the college 
2. Semester and year 
3. Instructor name, office telephone, e-mail address. 
4. Course name and number. 
5. Office location and office hours. 
6. Measurable, student outcomes oriented objectives of the course. 
7. The title(s) and author(s) of the text(s) for the course. 
8. Schedule of major topics to be covered, reading, and homework assignments with due dates. 
9. Test schedule and policy on make-up tests. 
10. How grades are computed, including a grading scale. 
11. Statement of published withdrawal date and related policies. 
12. Statement about student attendance policy. 
13. Statement about when graded papers and exams will be returned to students. 
14. Statement addressing disabled student services.

Curriculum Procedures

The vice-president for academic affairs is responsible for overseeing the development of the curriculum including courses and programs.  The primary source of advice on matters of curriculum development is the Curriculum Branch Committee, which operates under the Internal Governance System. Proposals for new courses and programs, course deletions, course changes (including course title/number, credit hours, prerequisites/corequisites, course objectives and content), and inclusion in the general education distribution requirements may come from the appropriate faculty, divisions, subcommittees, and task forces. 

The Curriculum Branch Committee may recommend/not recommend approval.  If it recommends approval, this recommendation is forwarded to Academic Affairs.  If the committee's recommendation is rejected, this information is conveyed back to the Curriculum Branch Committee by memo.  The vice-president for academic affairs may receive and seek advice from others affected by proposed actions, but will view the advice of the Curriculum Branch Committee as representing the majority of the faculty. 

Departmental Exam

The college has established policies on the awarding of credit for exam/nontraditional learning. Some departments offer credit for departmental examinations and/or retroactive credit. Faculty members in these departments may be requested to verify with their signature a student's performance on a Departmental Exam Grade Form or a Retroactive Credit Application Form. 

Drop and Add Procedures

Once a student has completed registration, the only way to modify the class schedule is through the drop and add (Registration Form) procedures adopted by the college. Any student who is improperly registered should be directed immediately to the Admissions and Registration Office for instructions on how to proceed in completing the registration process. The add portion of the Registration Form needs to be signed and dated by the instructor if the class has already met for the first time.  

Field Trips

The college--its staff and students--is encouraged to make use of the extensive cultural and educational resources available to them in the community.  Field trips carefully planned and correlated to instruction provide a valuable enhancement to college programs. 

Procedure:
College personnel desiring to take college-sanctioned field trips involving students are to adhere to the following procedures: 

1. Submit a "Field Trip Request" to the appropriate dean prior to the proposed trip. 
   
   
2. Upon approval of the request, instruct students to convene at the field trip site on the designated day in lieu of meeting on campus.  Students are responsible for their own transportation and further are responsible for making arrangements with instructors of any classes they may miss. A student's grade should not be affected nor should there be a penalty for inability to participate in a field trip. 
   
   
3. Ask the division office coordinator to post the course information on the classroom door so that anyone looking for the class will know where it is. It is a good idea to do this even if the class will be meeting on campus in the library, ACE, with another class, etc. 

Final Exams

All classes are expected to have some kind of culminating experience during week 16, the exam week. This may be an exam, presentations, projects, etc. and will vary from discipline to discipline as appropriate. Final exams are based on a two-hour time period, scheduled during the 16th week of the semester and published in the appropriate course schedule.

Honorarium/Guest Speaker/Model Payment

To pay a model, guest speaker or honorarium fee, complete a payment request form.  A person may not be paid as an employee and as a guest speaker, model, or honorarium. If a person already works for the college and is paid a salary, taxes will be deducted. 

Independent Study Courses

In exceptional circumstances the college may approve the offering of an existing course on an independent study basis (e.g. student must have the course to graduate that semester and there are not sufficient other students to warrant offering a regular class section). The student will need to obtain the approval of the dean before being allowed to register.  Compensation is covered in the current Memorandum of Understanding.

Online Class Responsibilities

Online class instructors are responsible for all preparations necessary to plan and implement an Online class including: 

• Creating and maintaining a WebCT site which includes the syllabus. Other items that might be included are assignments, lecture notes, links to relevant sites, etc.

• Creating and monitoring a listserv for the class.
• Preparing an introductory letter to be sent to all registered students informing them of the mandatory orientation and the necessity of obtaining an e-mail account before the first day of class.
• Ensuring that the Online class objectives and workload are consistent with the on-campus equivalent of the course.
• Preparing, administering, and proctoring an on-site comprehensive final exam. The exam should be scheduled at least once in the day and at least once in the evening during the final exam period. A mid-term exam following the same format may be added at the discretion of the instructor. Reasonable accommodation should be made for students with special needs or living at a great distance, including covering orientation materials by phone or e-mail.

Telecourse/Teleweb Responsibilities

Telecourse and Teleweb course instructors are responsible for all preparations necessary to plan and implement a telecourse/teleweb course including: 

• Preparation of the student handbook, which should include:
  • Student objectives
  • Grading procedures and scale
  • General course information
  • Student materials needed for the course
  • Mid-term and final exam details
  • Assignments and projects and an explanation, if required
  • Quizzes
• Videotape viewing.
• Ensuring that the telecourse/teleweb objectives are consistent with the on-campus equivalent of the course.
• Preparing and administering mid-term and final exams. The exams should be scheduled at least once during the mid-term and final periods, and the instructor should  select and schedule a date, time, and place for the examinations which will best meet student needs.
• Scheduling and planning a mandatory orientation for students, which will allow them to meet the instructor, pick up class materials, find out office hours, etc. If orientation is on-site, two orientation sessions must be scheduled for each course section.
• Grading and promptly returning student assignments, quizzes, etc.
• Maintaining regularly scheduled office hours.

Meeting Classes

Instructors are required to meet classes according to the established schedule. Classes are to meet full time on the first day of class. The college requires comprehensive finals.  It is expected that the instructor is in the classroom during scheduled class meetings, including testing and final exams. If faculty members must be absent from class because of illness or other circumstances, contact the respective dean if you are full-time or the dept. chair/program coordinator if you are part-time so arrangements can be made to meet the class. Since evening classes are more difficult to cover than day classes, the earlier the supervisor is notified, the better. This is particularly critical for the evening classes since many students drive long distances or come to class from full-time employment. The dean/dept. chair/program coordinator will determine whether or not to cancel a class and will ask the division office coordinator to post a sign. 

New Courses and Course Changes

All new courses or course changes must be officially submitted by division through the Curriculum Branch Committee to the Academic Affairs Office. See section on Curriculum Procedures. 

Posting Grades

The public posting of grades, either by student name, institutional student identification number, or social security number, without the student's written permission is a violation of Federal Education Rights & Privacy Act and is discouraged by the college.  Even with names obscured, numeric student identifier numbers are considered personally identifiable information. 

The student may obtain the grade for a particular course in the following recommended ways: 

• Individual discussion with the instructor.
• Self-addressed, postage-paid envelope or postcard with identifying information pertaining to the course number and section to be given to the instructor for mailing.

Student Attendance

The matter of excessive absence, and the way it affects a student's grade, is essentially to be determined by the instructor, who in turn should be guided by Department guidelines where applicable. For example, some Departments that offer curricula requiring structured clinical instruction have more strict attendance requirements.  In general, students are considered excessively absent when they have missed a class more times than the credit hour value of the course. 

The important considerations are: 

1. The students should be advised in the course syllabus, outline or other handout of attendance requirements and how attendance relates to grading. Valid grading practice may vary from class to class, but the need to communicate whatever grading practices apply is imperative in all classes.
   
   
2. Attendance requirements relative to students grades should be reasonable, capable of being supported by the department or division, and able to withstand review if protested by a student. 
   
   
3. Instructors should maintain adequate student attendance records to document student grades reflecting attendance considerations. Federal guidelines for financial aid require instructors to be able to give a student's last date of attendance. Two-part rosters will be sent out every four weeks to identify those students not attending and their last date of attendance. These rosters MUST be returned to the Admissions Office in a timely manner. 

Textbook Adoption Procedures

(Applies to software and other special course materials sold through college Bookstore) 

1. Criteria for selection: 

1. The course objectives and course content shall be the foundation of textbook selection.

2. Selection of textbooks: 

1. The faculty and the department/program offering the course have the responsibility to select textbooks appropriate to course objectives and course content.  The textbook adoption process should originate with all affected faculty.
   
   
2. Where there are multiple sections of a course, it is the expectation that the department/program faculty designate common texts to be used by all faculty members teaching the course.  If a department/program decides that it would be in the best interest of their students, the department/program, with the approval of the dean, may allow individual faculty to choose an appropriate alternate text for designated course sections.  Every reasonable effort should be made to accommodate the needs of all affected parties.
   
   
3. It shall be the responsibility of the department chair or program coordinator to monitor the progress of textbook adoptions and address any issues in collaboration with the division dean.

3. Textbook ordering and routing: 

1. The requesting faculty member(s) recommend a textbook to the department chair or, where appropriate, the program coordinator who authorizes the order.  When no program coordinator exists and the department chair is the requesting faculty member, the division dean will be the authorizing signature.
   
   
2. Textbook orders shall be submitted on the appropriate form and following Bookstore timelines.  Departments/programs that have selected alternative texts will designate the sections for which each book is to be used.  This information will guide the Bookstore in ordering and buyback procedures.
   
   
3. The textbook adoption form is forwarded to the Bookstore by each department/program with copies of the form kept in the appropriate division office.

4. Miscellaneous procedures: 

1. Faculty members instructing students to return textbooks or other course materials to the Bookstore should first consult with their department chair or program coordinator and the Bookstore manager.
   
   
2. Textbooks selected through this process should be retained for a minimum period of two years, excluding difficulties in textbook procurement or when changing is judged to be in the best interests of the students.
   
   
3. When possible, textbook changes for existing courses should be implemented for fall semester classes.
   
   
4. In order to facilitate book buy backs, department chairs or program coordinators should notify the Bookstore as soon as it is known that a textbook is being deleted.

Revised 2/11/02 by Core

Waiver of Prerequisite/Intructor Permission

Certain courses offered by the college may require the consent of the instructor and/or the completion of a course designated as a prerequisite before the student is permitted to register.  These two requirements may be waived at the discretion of the instructor and the Dean.  In the case of such a waiver, students will need a Registration Form signed and dated by the instructor and the dean before being allowed to register for the course. 

Withdrawal Procedures For Students Who Did Not Receive a "C" or Better In The Prerequisite

Students in those classes that require a "C" or better in the prerequisite (ENG, MAT) who did not receive a "C" or better will be administratively withdrawn at the end of the first week. They will receive a 100% refund, but they will no longer be registered in the class. 

1. Presently, Admissions has no way of telling if the student received a "C" or better in the prerequisite. They will ask the student and remind them that they will receive an administrative withdrawal if they don't meet the requirement. 
   
   
2. If the student is still enrolled or if they have shown a student grade card or student issued transcript, the Admissions Office will note this on a Proof of Previous Credit Form, which will be kept in Admissions until such time as the Administrative withdrawal process is begun. 
   
   
3. Faculty will receive a printout that will tell them the course and grade given in the previous course or the assessment recommendation.  The Academic Affairs Office will receive the same printout. 
   
   
4. Faculty need to tell students that if they do not have a "C" or better in the previous course or they have not taken the placement test they will be administratively withdrawn from the class and receive a 100% refund. 
   
   
5. Student Services will check all of the printouts and identify those students who need to be withdrawn based on their previous grades. The printouts will then be sent to Admissions to check against the Proof of Previous credit forms. Students will be withdrawn from the class and a letter stating so will be sent to the student. 
   
   
6. If the student can show proof of satisfactory prerequisite grades, they will be reinstated. Otherwise they may either appeal the decision or accept the administrative withdrawal.