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Academic Regulations

2016-2017 Catalog

cademic

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 outside of class. Using this formula, a

lecture class that meets 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 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.

A student who wishes to enroll in more than 18 units must

receive approval from a counselor and the Dean of Students

(to be verified).

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 and to report any student

who is absent for two successive weeks of instruction. 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.