August 13, 2008 To: Valencia Faculty From: Kaye Walter, Executive President for Academic Affairs and Chief Learning Officer and Joyce Romano, Vice President for Student Affairs RE: Class Attendance and Financial Aid This is a reminder that federal financial aid regulations require that the college must maintain documentation that a student began attendance in each course for which financial aid is disbursed. Documentation may include class attendance rosters, grade books, or other records kept by the professor. We are asked to provide this documentation as part of routine financial aid audits that are conducted by state or federal financial aid auditors on an annual basis. In order to ensure compliance with this requirement, we are asking your assistance in the following ways: 1. Take attendance the first week of each class to determine that the students on your class roll have attended the class at least once. 2. Report any students who do not attend during the first week or two of class by entering a “W” in the Mid-Term Grades function in Atlas during the “No-Show” period. The Fall Term 2008 dates to enter the “W” for “No Show” students are listed in the attachment according to part of term. Specific procedures on how to do this are in Atlas on the “Faculty Services” tab, “Important Faculty Reminders” link. If you teach a class that meets once a week, you can wait until the second class meeting to determine the students who are a “No Show”. If you teach an on-line course, you can count “attendance” by an email received or participation in any on-line discussion, chat room or other electronic correspondence. 3. When you withdraw a student for excessive absences or any other reason, please be sure to enter the last day of attendance. Directions on withdrawing students in are in Atlas on the “Faculty Services” tab, “Atlas Training” link. 4. If a student who was enrolled in one of your classes is selected for audit, you will be asked to provide some documentation that the student attended the class. Federal financial aid audits can be conducted for the past three years. Therefore, please keep documentation that would enable you to respond to this request for this time period. 5. Since many of our students receive Financial Aid (Valencia receives more than $35 million in federal financial aid each year), we appreciate your assistance in meeting the federal financial aid regulations. cc: Provosts Academic Deans Withdrawal Deadlines for Fall 2008 Part of Term Date Range Withdrawal Deadline Withdrawal After Deadline to receive a 'W' to receive a 'WF' or 'WP' Full Term (1) 8/25/2008 12/14/2008 October 31, 2008 December 7, 2008 1st Half - Term A 8/25/2008 10/17/2008 September 26, 2008 October 16, 2008 2nd Half - Term B 10/20/2008 12/14/2008 November 21, 2008 December 13, 2008 1st 10 Weeks (TWJ) 8/25/2008 11/1/2008 October 10, 2008 October 31, 2008 2nd 10 Weeks (TWK) 10/6/2008 12/14/2008 November 14, 2008 December 13, 2008 1st 5 Weeks (TR1) 8/25/2008 9/28/2008 September 19, 2008 September 27, 2008 2nd 5 Weeks (TR2) 9/29/2008 11/4/2008 October 24, 2008 November 3, 2008 3rd 5 Weeks (TR3) 11/5/2008 12/14/2008 December 5, 2008 December 13, 2008 Middle 8 Weeks (LSC) 9/29/2008 11/21/2008 October 31, 2008 November 20, 2008 Note: For more information on Valencia's withdrawal policies, please see pages 70-76 in the 2008-2009 online Catalog. No-Show Reporting Periods for Fall 2008 Full Term (1) September 3-9, 2008 1st Half - Term A September 3-9, 2008 2nd Half - Term B October 28-November 3, 2008 1st 10 Weeks (TWJ) September 3-9, 2008 2nd 10 Weeks (TWK) October 13-19, 2008 1st 5 Weeks (TR1) September 3-9, 2008 2nd 5 Weeks (TR2) October 7-13, 2008 3rd 5 Weeks (TR3) November 12-18, 2008 Middle 8 Weeks (LSC) October 7-12, 2008