Attendance Policies

Please note: The attendance and withdrawal policies listed in this section do not apply to Emeritus and not-for-credit classes at Santa Monica College.

Regular attendance and participation are obligations assumed by every student at the time of enrollment.

Extenuating circumstances are verified cases of accidents, illnesses, other circumstances beyond the student’s control, and other conditions defined by the Governing Board and in published regulations.

Extraordinary circumstances are primarily connected to external factors that can impact both the College and the student, affecting the student’s ability to complete a course or courses as defined by the Governing Board and in published regulations.

Students who withdraw from classes are responsible for initiating the drop process by the appropriate deadlines. Students who do not withdraw by the specific deadlines may earn a substandard or failing grade for a credit course or an NP (No Pass) grade notation for a noncredit class. Students will not be eligible for a refund if the withdrawal takes place after the refund deadline.

The instructor issuing an F (0.0) to a student may be asked by the Financial Aid Office to verify if the F was the result of ‘nonattendance.’ Nonattendance means the student’s last attendance date — or, if enrolled in an online or hybrid class, the last date of substantive participation — was prior to the 60% point of completion of the course. Poor performance means the student participated after the 60% point in the course and earned an F. Nonattendance may be grounds for return of financial aid funds.

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Course Enrollmment: Adding Classes

A student may add classes throughout the registration period via Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc.

Students may enroll in classes without an instructor Add Code:

As long as the class is open and has not yet begun.
For online, hybrid, or “To Be Arranged” classes, students may enroll through the Sunday evening before the first class meeting.
For classes meeting once per week or courses with a lab, students may enroll through the evening before the first class meeting.
For all classes that are less than 90% full, with the exception of #2 and #3 above, students may enroll through the evening before the second class meeting.

Once the term begins, a student will need an instructor Add Code to enroll in a class, except for the conditions outlined above.

After the registration period concludes, students who do not enroll by the deadline due to extenuating or extraordinary circumstances may only be added by formal request from the student to the Dean of Enrollment Services (or designee) by a Petition for Special Consideration stating the extenuating circumstances justifying the late enrollment, and signed by the instructor. The decision to grant or deny the petition will be made by the Dean of Enrollment Services (or designee). The student must provide evidence of class attendance from the time the class started until the date of late enrollment.

Instructors may also issue a student a late enrollment authorization code, which the student will use to add the class via Corsair Connect.

Instructors may reinstate a dropped student by issuing a reinstatement authorization code to the student, which the student can then use to add the class via Corsair Connect.

It is the student’s responsibility to confirm enrollment. A student who fails to enroll by the applicable deadline may not receive credit for the class. It is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure that students attending are officially enrolled.

Students anticipating or encountering extended absences due to medical, personal, or family emergencies should immediately contact the faculty member.

Attendance and Instructor Request to Drop a Student

A student enrolled in any class at SMC who does not attend (or if an online class, actively participate in) ALL of the sessions for that class that meet during the FIRST WEEK of the class RISKS BEING DROPPED from the class by the instructor, or may receive an F (0.0) or NP (No Pass) for nonattendance. An instructor may also withdraw a student later in the term for excessive absences or nonparticipation (if enrolled in an online class). Instructors may not drop students for poor in-class performance alone.

A student may also be dropped from a class when, in the instructor’s judgment, the student’s number of absences has become excessive or the student is no longer participating in the course. In the case of online and hybrid classes, this includes failing to substantively participate in the class during the first week and throughout the course. Faculty will determine the consequences of absences and late arrivals. Instructors may not drop students for poor performance in the class alone.

A student who is dropped from a class between the refund deadline and the 75% mark of the class (listed as the deadline for a Guaranteed “W” on the class schedule at the student’s Corsair Connect account) will receive a grade of W (Withdrawal), and units for the class will be included as “enrolled units” on the student’s transcript. Students who are dropped from a course after the 75% mark may request a late withdrawal by submitting a Petition for Late Withdrawal to the Admissions Office. The Admissions & Records Special Considerations Committee will determine whether the request can be granted. Students also have the option to request on the petition to be granted an Excused Withdrawal (described below). Instructors will assign students who have not officially withdrawn from a class by the deadline a grade of A (4.0), B (3.0), C (2.0), D (1.0), F (0.0), or — if they are enrolled in courses offered on a Pass/No Pass basis or have petitioned to take a course on a Pass/No Pass basis — a grade of P (Pass) or NP (No Pass).

For details, students should go to Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc and click on the class schedule.

Attendance and Student Request to Withdraw from Classes

A student enrolled in any SMC class MUST ATTEND ALL of the sessions of that class that meet DURING THE FIRST WEEK of the class or RISK BEING DROPPED from the class by the instructor. A student may be dropped from a class when, in the instructor’s judgment, the student’s number of absences has become excessive or the student is no longer participating in the course. Since attendance is essential for normal progress in a class, a student is expected to be in class regularly and on time. Faculty will determine the consequences of absences and late arrivals.

Students may withdraw from courses through the 75% point of the length of the course directly on Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc.

Deadline to Drop and Receive a Refund

For a full-length semester course, students must withdraw by the Refund Deadline that corresponds to the second Sunday after classes begin; and for a short-term course, students must withdraw by the 10% point of the length of the course. Refund deadline dates are posted next to each course for the specific term in the student portal and in the instructor’s portal. Students withdrawing through the Refund Deadline will not receive a “W” (Withdrawal) notation on their transcript.

Withdrawal to Avoid a "W" Notation on Transcript

To avoid a “W” notation on their transcript, students must withdraw (or be withdrawn by faculty) from a full-length semester class through the fourth Sunday after the class begins; or by the 30% point of the length of a short-term course. These withdrawals will not be counted toward the permitted number of withdrawals or counted as an enrollment attempt, nor will it be counted in progress probation and dismissal calculations.

Withdrawal with a "W" Notation on Transcript

A “W” notation will be posted on a student’s transcript if the student withdraws (or is withdrawn by faculty) from a full-length semester class after the fourth Sunday of the semester; or after the 30% point of the length of a short-term course. Students may withdraw (or be withdrawn by faculty) from classes on their own through Corsair Connect up to the 75% point of the length of the course. Students seeking to withdraw after that may submit a Special Consideration Petition to the Admissions & Records Office explaining the extenuating or extraordinary circumstances that prevented a withdrawal by the deadline. Students will receive "W" notation(s) on their transcript and the units will be counted toward the permitted number of withdrawals, counted as an enrollment attempt, and counted in progress probation and dismissal calculations.

The last official day to drop will be at the 75th percentile of the class. Students should review their Corsair Connect account for their specific dates and deadlines. All students who have NOT withdrawn by this deadline will receive a grade of A (4.0), B (3.0), C (2.0), D (1.0), F (0.0), or — if they are enrolled in courses offered on a Pass/No Pass basis or have petitioned to take a course on a Pass/No Pass basis — a grade of P (Pass) or NP (No Pass). Specific drop dates are noted next to each enrolled class listed in the student’s Corsair Connect account. Students who must drop a course after the 75% mark may request a late withdrawal by submitting a Petition for Late Withdrawal to the Admissions Office. The Admissions & Records Special Considerations Committee will determine whether the request can be granted. Students also have the option to request on the petition to be granted an Excused Withdrawal (described below). A student may petition for late withdrawal after the 75th percentile of the semester or session if in the instructor’s judgment there are extenuating circumstances, such as verified cases of an accident, military obligation, or other circumstances beyond the control of the student. The student must file a Petition for Late Withdrawal in the Admissions Office, and obtain the approval of the instructors involved and the Dean of Enrollment Services prior to the end of the term. If the petition is approved, the resulting grade will be a W, unless the student qualifies for an Excused Withdrawal (EW). Students who have completed the course (including taking the final or submitting final projects) are NOT eligible for a late withdrawal. In those cases, students should meet with the instructor if they wish to contest their grade, as a withdrawal is no longer an option.

Specific information about these dates and deadlines can be found by viewing the student’s class schedule at Corsair Connect (smc.edu/cc).

Requests for Retroactive/Late Withdrawal: Retroactive/late withdrawals from classes are normally not permitted. However, these may be granted under certain limited circumstances. To be eligible for a retroactive/late withdrawal, the student may request to withdraw from a class by submitting a Special Consideration Petition ONLY if there are extenuating, documented, and verifiable circumstances to justify withdrawal from a class — and to justify requesting such a withdrawal retroactively — in order for a retroactive withdrawal request to be considered. A retroactive/late withdrawal cannot be used as a way to remedy poor academic performance in a class. Students must file the petition in the Admissions Office no more than two (2) calendar years after the end of the term in which they were enrolled in the course. If the petition is approved, the resulting grade will be a W.

Excused Withdrawals: A student who needs to withdraw from a course due to extenuating or extraordinary circumstances before the 75% point of the class will be asked on Corsair Connect if the drop is due to extenuating circumstances. In such cases, the EW will be granted automatically. Students withdrawing after the 75% point and through the last day of instruction for the class must submit an Excused Withdrawal Petition to the Admissions & Records Office. The EW will not be counted in (1) progress probation and dismissal calculations, and (2) will not count against the permitted number of withdrawals or enrollment attempts in a given course. As a result, students with an Excused Withdrawal (EW) may repeat the course(s) from which they have withdrawn. The EW may be issued effective summer 2018 and cannot be applied retroactively for prior terms. Enrollment, tuition, Health Services, SMC student I.D., A.S. Resource, and Student Representation fees will not be refunded.