Catalog_2017_2018_3-7

20 Academic Regulations 2017-2018 Catalog A cademic R egulations Units of Academic Credit The standard quantity for measurement of college work is a unit. One unit equals one hour of classroom lecture per week plus two hours of study. Using this formula, a class that meets in lecture three times a week for one hour will be worth three units. This college operates on the semester system and all references to units of academic credit in this catalog are to semester units. Quarter units from other colleges may be converted to semester units by decreasing the number of quarter units by one-third. Course Load The normal semester load is 15 units. Students enrolled in 12 or more units are considered full-time students. Students with regular admission status who are not on academic probation may take as many as 18 units. Students on academic probation are normally limited to 12 units. Permission to enroll in excess of 18 units is granted only when unusually high scholarship and/or urgent need prevail. Counselors can approve a student request to take 19 to 21 units. Students who wish to take 22 or more units may obtain a petition for this purpose in the Counseling Center. The student must receive approval from the VP of Instruction or his designee to enroll in 22 or more units. Students are urged to keep in mind their study time, employment, and other personal responsibilities when planning their class load. Summer Units Allowed All students are limited to 18 units in all summer sessions, with no more than 8 units allowed in a four-week session. Disqualified students and students on probation are required to have a counselor’s approval before registering for any summer session(s). Disqualified students and students on probation who have obtained a counselor’s approval to register for any summer session(s) must also have a counselor’s approval before adding any class(es) in any summer session(s). Attendance Students are expected to attend all sessions of classes in which they are enrolled. Excessive absence will jeopardize a student’s satisfactory progress in a class. Students may be dropped from class if they fail to attend the first class session of the semester. There are no institutionally approved excused absences for any reason. Only the instructor may excuse an absence. Absences caused by personal engagements, transportation delays and business affairs will not be excused, nor will absences from class to complete registration or add/drop activities. The faculty places strong emphasis on attendance in all classes. Students are expected to be in the classroom at the time the class begins. Instructors are required to take attendance at each class session. Any student who is excessively absent may be dropped from the class as specified in each class syllabus. Unless there are significant extenuating circumstances, that student will be immediately dropped from class by the instructor if the absences are occurring before 50 percent of the class is expired. Lack of regular attendance after the 50 percent drop deadline may result in an unsatisfactory grade. Once dropped, should a student believe there is just cause for reinstatement, the student may petition through the Office of Admissions and Records. Reinstatement will be granted only if the student had been doing satisfactory work immediately prior to the excessive absence and if it is the judgment of the instructor that the student has a reasonable chance of passing the course. It is the students’ responsibility to drop any classes they no longer wish to continue. They must not merely stop attending and must not rely on being dropped by others. Students must complete the drop process for themselves. Illness Students who have a communicable disease or any illness or injury which will cause an absence of one week or more may notify the Health Service Office. In these circumstances, the Health Service Office will transmit messages to instructors. Students may call the Health Services Office at (559) 638- 0328. The Health Service Office may exclude any student from campus who is infected with any contagious or infectious disease (Title 5, California Code §48211 and 48212). The student will be permitted to return when school authorities are satisfied that any contagious disease does not exist (Education Code §49451).