Attendance

1. Attendance

While attendance is mandatory in courses with practicums or preceptorships, regular attendance is expected in all courses. The specific attendance policy is determined by departmental guidelines and will be outlined in the program syllabus or course outline distributed to students at the commencement of the program or course.

2. Participation

Class participation may be evaluated in some courses or programs. Where participation is evaluated, as determined by the instructor or professor in compliance with departmental policies or guidelines, the program syllabus or course outline distributed to students at the commencement of the class will clearly state how participation will be assessed and its effect on the determination of final grades. See Audit Status for more information.

3. Holy Days

The College recognizes the diversity of religious practices among its students. The College will review requests from students to absent themselves from regularly scheduled classes and/or examinations on formal holy days of a recognized religion actively practiced by the requester. Consideration of such requests will be subject to operating constraints. Students will be required to make up missed work or other such requirements as may be deemed necessary and appropriate in granting the request.

Students shall inform their instructors or professors within the first two weeks of classes of the holy days on which they wish to be absent during a semester, and shall discuss possible alternative arrangements with the instructors or professors.

Instructors and professors shall make reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests. In some instances, consultation with the Program Dean or Director, or designate may be advisable.

4. Field Trips

Students enrolled in a formal course of studies at the College may on occasion have the opportunity to enrich or supplement their studies by way of a field trip arranged by instructional staff. Field trips must be formally authorized by the Program Dean or Director, or designate. Field trips may be scheduled outside of regularly scheduled class time and for some courses, the field trip is a mandatory component of the course and will be specified as such in the program syllabus or course outline.

Attendance Policy for Student Athletes on Okanagan College Competitive Sports Team

Okanagan College (OC) expects all student athletes on OC competitive sports teams to attend every scheduled class (lecture, lab or seminar) of the courses in which they are registered unless they are excused to participate in regularly scheduled college athletic competitions. Team practices, conditioning, meetings or other non-competition activities shall not be considered valid reasons for missing class.

Student-Athlete Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the student athlete to schedule classes to eliminate as many conflicts between classes and scheduled competitions as possible.

It is the responsibility of the student athlete to provide professors or instructors with as much notice as possible when scheduled competition conflicts with class. Student athletes should meet with their professors and/or instructors during the first week of classes and provide, where possible, a schedule of their competitions. If there is a substantial conflict between class times and competitions such that there will be a significant number of absences the professor or instructor can limit the number of excused absences. In such cases the student athlete should explore registering in different sections or courses where absences will be minimal.

In all cases where a student athlete is excused for a scheduled competition it is the student's responsibility to obtain material and information missed and for making up work and assignments within the time designated by the professor or instructor.

After-the-fact notification is not acceptable. If there is a late change in the student-athlete's competition schedule the student athlete must communicate with his/her professors and/or instructors in the manner set out on the course outline.