3HTC.13 Last Date of Attendance Procedure

Chapter 3 Educational Policies

Implementing Procedures

1. Authority and Definition

   Authority for this procedure: 34 CFR 668.22 – Treatment of Title IV Funds When a Student Withdraws

   Hennepin Technical College may be required to return unused Federal Title IV Financial Aid and other state and federal funds according to the guidelines of the programs through which the aid is received, particularly in instances where a student withdraws from the college or stops attending.

   For all students, regardless of whether the student actually receives financial aid, a withdrawal, for financial aid purposes, is defined as the student’s official notification to the college that they will no longer be attending the course(s). Regardless of when or if a withdrawal takes place, the school will determine the date of withdrawal to be the same as the date the student last attended classes. If a student ceases attendance without notifying the institution, the college will handle the treatment of Title IV funds as if the student withdrew on the date of the recorded Last Date of Attendance (LDA).

2. Purpose

   The purpose of the LDA Policy is to correctly assess the financial liability for students and the institution for the return of financial aid, ensure fiscal stewardship of financial aid funds and to minimize, where appropriate, financial liability for the college and academic consequences for the student.

3. Responsibility for Attendance

   Students - Students are expected to regularly attend classes in which the student is enrolled. A student who has missed all scheduled meetings of a class or has not participated in an academic activity in a blended or online class (as stated in the course syllabus) as outlined in the LDA policy (see table1 below), without contacting the course instructor, may be given an LDA by the course instructor. Accessing a class D2L site (logging in) does not qualify as an academic activity in itself.

   Students who decide to stop attending courses should immediately withdraw from their course(s). The student will remain responsible for any financial liability the student has incurred and for any academic and financial aid consequences due to this process. Issuing of a faculty-initiated last date of attendance may activate the re-evaluation of a student's financial aid and may result in the return of financial aid funds, creating a balance due to the college in a student’s account.

   Faculty – The faculty of record assigned to teach a course will enter a last date of attendance report for students who have not been in attendance according to the expectations outlined in this policy. Entering an LDA results in the automatic assignment of an FN (never attended) or FW (stopped attending or partially attended) grade.

   Prior to the official Last Day to Withdraw, students that received an LDA may submit a request to have an FW changed to a W to prevent negative impacts on their GPA. An FN grade does not impact GPA calculation and cannot be changed.

4. Process

   Last Date of Attendance shall be reported in a timely manner for students enrolled in a class but fails to correspond with the course instructor, attend scheduled meetings of a class, or participate in an academic activity as stated in the course syllabus in a blended or online course during a consecutive period of days as outlined in the course syllabus.

   Table 1: LDA Entry Based on Course Length in a Regular Academic Term (Fall or Spring)

   Course Length, in Weeks (full or partial)	LDA may be entered after consecutive calendar days of absence
   12-16	10-11 (can be submitted on day 12)
   10-11	7 (can be submitted on day 8)
   8-9	6 (can be submitted on day 7)
   6-7	5 (can be submitted on day 6)
   4-5	3 (can be submitted on day 4)
   2-3	2 (can be submitted on day 3)
   Less than 2 weeks	1 (can be submitted on day 2)

   Note: LDA entries authorized by this policy that occur during the first week of a regular semester (Fall or Spring) must be communicated to the Registrar’s office directly.

   Table 2: LDA Entry Based on Course Length in a Shortened Term (Summer)

   Course Length, in Weeks (full or partial)	LDA may be entered one day after the following consecutive calendar days of absence
   6-8	5 (can be submitted on day 6)
   4-5	3 (can be submitted on day 4)
   2-3	2 (can be submitted on day 3)
   Less than 1 week	1 (can be submitted on day 2)

   Note: LDA entries authorized by this policy that occur during the first week of a summer term must be communicated to the Registrar’s office directly.

5. Reinstatement, Exceptions and Appeals
   

   If a student receives an LDA according to this policy and wishes to be reinstated during the regular meeting dates of a class, students may contact the faculty member directly and request reinstatement. Reinstatement is at the sole discretion of the faculty member. If granted, the faculty member will contact the Registrar’s office and the LDA will be removed from the student’s record.

   Additionally, students may appeal that the FW grade be changed to a W within three terms after the conclusion of the course with documented mitigating circumstances.

   If a student believes that an LDA was entered in error or in violation of this policy, the student may discuss it with the faculty member that issued the grade. Further appeals of an LDA shall be allowed in accordance with the Student Appeal process.