Attendance & Discipline Policy
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled classes and laboratory sessions on time. The professor at the beginning of the semester will clarify the attendance policy in writing on the course syllabus.
Parental Status, Pregnancy, and Pregnancy-related Conditions
In accordance with the requirements of state and federal law, the College prohibits
discrimination against students, employees, and applicants based on parental status,
pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions,
or recovery. Furthermore, the College provides reasonable accommodations for parental
status, pregnancy, and pregnancy related conditions, including modifications for students;
reasonable
break time for employees for lactation; and one or more clean, private lactation spaces
that is not a bathroom for both students and employees. For more information, please
see the College’s Non-Discrimination Policy and/or contact the Title IX Coordinator
at (508) 588-9100 x1304.
Absence Due to Religious Beliefs
In accordance with Chapter 151C of the Massachusetts General Laws, any student in
an educational or vocational training institution, other than a religious or denominational
educational or vocational training institution, who is unable, because of his religious
beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any
examination, study or work requirement, on a particular day shall be excused from
any such examination or study or work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity
to make up such examination, study, or work requirement which he may have missed because
of such absence on any particular day; provided, however, that such makeup examination
or work shall not create an unreasonable burden upon such school.
No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his availing himself of the provisions of this section.
For more information about your rights and the process for filing a complaint, please see the full Policy on Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity & Diversity at massasoit.edu/EEO.
Course Participation Reporting
Massasoit reviews student participation immediately following the add/drop period to ensure compliance with federal financial aid regulations. Faculty report students who have not engaged in any academically related activity (please see below for details) during the designated non-participation reporting period, which occurs shortly after the course begins and varies on the duration of the course.
Faculty will provide the Registrar with a grade of an NP to indicate that the student has not participated in the course. If you are reported as not having not participated in a course.
- You will be dropped from the course.
- Your cost of attendance and financial aid eligibility will be reevaluated based on your updated enrollment.
- Tuition and fee charges for the dropped course will be removed from your account.
If a student believes that the non-participation (NP grade) was given in error, the student must contact the instructor to correct the error and have the instructor’s approval of reinstatement sent to the Registrar’s Office via email. All errors must be addressed within one week (the specific deadline will be identified in an email sent to the student). Non- Participation related course drops are only processed during the designated reporting window at the beginning of each course. After this period, students who no longer wish to remain enrolled must officially withdraw themselves. Instructors may continue to report a student’s last date of participation through the end of the term, including when final grades are submitted. This information may be used to determine financial aid adjustments if a student stops participating in one or more courses.
Courses where participation cannot be confirmed may not count toward your enrollment
status for financial aid purposes. This may result in a reduction or cancellation
of your financial aid based on your updated enrollment, and you may be responsible
for any resulting balance due to the college. If you begin a course but stop participating
later in the term, your financial aid may still be adjusted based on your last date
of participation, and you may be
responsible for any resulting balance. If a student is not reported as non-participating
and would like to withdraw from a course, the
student must initiate the official course withdrawal. It should also be noted that
students who were not reported during the course participation process, could still
receive a grade of “F” from the instructor.
The Department of Ed is now using the term “Academic Engagement” when referring to
participation and attendance:
Academic engagement: Active participation by a student in an instructional activity related to the student’s
course of study that includes but is not limited to:
- Attending a synchronous class, lecture, recitation, or field or laboratory activity, physically or online, where there is an opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students;
- Submitting an academic assignment;
- Taking an assessment or an exam;
- Participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar, or other interactive computer-assisted instruction;
- Participating in a study group, group project, or an online discussion that is assigned by the institution; or
- Interacting with an instructor about academic matters; and Academic engagement does
not include, for example:
- Logging into an online class or tutorial without any further participation (Logging into an online class or tutorial for a specific period of time is not sufficient documentation of attendance in that class)
Discipline
The College reserves the right to dismiss a student for disciplinary as well as academic reasons when it considers such action in the best interests of the College or the student. In all such cases, the College will state the reason and inform the student of his/her rights to a hearing.
An instructor may terminate a student’s participation in a class or course if the student’s behavior disrupts the learning process. Prior to dismissal the student has a right to receive a warning from the instructor and once dismissed can request reasons for the dismissal. The student may request a hearing.