Please note that online courses have due dates and are not self-paced. The VU Distance Education Attendance Policy is based on the premise that students
will complete all assigned course work by the established due dates. Failure to complete
an assignment by the established due date is interpreted as an absence from the class.
Any student who misses an assignment will be subject to attendance warnings and classroom
concern notices from their instructor. Multiple attendance warnings and classroom
concerns may result in administrative withdrawal.
FACULTY-INITIATED WITHDRAWAL OF STUDENTS FROM CLASS
Students who miss class hours totaling twice the number of credit hours awarded for
the course, or the equivalent of two weeks of class instruction, are eligible to be
dropped from class. Faculty will be using the “TAPS” program–Tracking Attendance and
Performance of Students–to issue warnings for non-attendance and to drop students
for non-attendance with the following final grades:
- WN: Withdrawal for non-attendance, Not failing
- WF: Withdrawal for non-attendance, Failing
***Please Note: When a faculty member drops a student due to non-attendance/inactivity
in a course it does not excuse the student from the tuition charges or other financial
obligations.***
Only the student may appeal such a drop for non-attendance, and the student has two
possible avenues for appeal.
- The student may appeal directly to the faculty person for readmission to the course
and must provide evidence of extenuating circumstances that caused the absences. The
faculty person has the option to readmit the student at his/her own discretion.
- The student may appeal the drop for non-attendance through the DEAN OF STUDENTS OFFICE by completing a DROP PETITION APPEAL form within five business days from the date of the notification. The Dean of Students
will then review the appeal, consult with the faculty member and, potentially, the
student and render a decision to grant or deny readmission into the class. If there
is extenuating information/evidence unknown to the faculty person or Dean of Students,
the student is responsible to provide that information/evidence. The review is conducted
by the Dean of Students or a designee.
