Faculty-Related Policies of the Academic Success and eLearning Division
The Academic Success and eLearning Division has relatively few policies of its own but this page reviews them as well as some college-wide policies of which Academic Support faculty should be aware.
Report faculty absences and other class cancelations to the site and to the division
If you need to cancel a class, please notify the following folks as far as possible in advance:
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The Academic Success and eLearning Office (706-295-6357)
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The site office where your class meets (if the class meets on the Floyd Campus, notifying the Division Office is sufficient)
Please let us know the reason for your absence and when you plan to be back. We would like to avoid canceling classes if possible, and the Division Office can often arrange for substitute teachers if we know far enough in advance, usually teachers of other sections of the same course. We may ask that you provide some materials for the class if a substitute teacher is going to cover a particular topic or proctor a test or exercise.
As appropriate, refer students with 15% or more absences to the dean
Once a student has missed 15% or more classes (total number, not necessarily consecutive) in a Learning Support course, you may, at your option, refuse to accept make-up work from the student until he or she contacts the academic dean for the division. The dean will write you a note regarding the status of make-up work once the contact has been made. The division does not bar students from attending class because of prior absences.
As needed, refer students with test anxiety for three visits with a GHC counselor
As early in the term as you determine that a student has test anxiety, please refer him or her to a GHC counselor. Test anxiety is not an ADA disability and GHC is not permitted to provide accommodations to those who do not have paperwork through GHC's disability officers. So that we can make some provision for the effects of test anxiety, we require a different type of documentation: three visits with a counselor during the term to work on test-taking strategies and test anxiety. Students who do not have this documentation will not be considered for accommodation of any kind based on test anxiety.
Do not cancel classes during the class days near holidays
For instance, do not cancel classes on the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
Conduct final exams during the final exam period
The college does not support the use of the last class period as a time for the final exam in a course. If you are giving a final exam, schedule it for the final exam period as shown in the newsprint bulletin or here. Any exception to this must be approved by the academic dean for the division.
If you are teaching exit-level Learning Support courses (MATH 0099, READ 0099, ENGL 0099), you are not required to give a final exam since COMPASS can act as the final exam for these courses. If you wish to give a final exam, you may--just keep it in the final exam period that is assigned for your class period.
Do not attempt to proctor your own students' exit tests, either CPE or COMPASS
Students who are taking COMPASS or CPE tests to exit from Learning Support courses must do so under the supervision of an Assessment Coordinator or Test Administrator (part-time employee specially trained to supervise GHC's tests). Any attempt to proctor your own students' COMPASS or CPE tests or interfere with the supervision of exit tests will have severe disciplinary consequences.
Do not give a grade of "D" in the exit-evel courses (ENGL 0099, MATH 0099, READ 0099)
Students must pass exit-level courses with a grade of "C" or better in order to be allowed to take the COMPASS exit test. If a student does not have at least a "C" average in your exit-level course at the time you're asked to turn in your roster of students who are eligible to test, that student is not considered eligible and may not test. No final grades of "D" should be given in the exit-level courses. The grades are "A," "B," "C" (for those who pass the class and COMPASS), "F" (for those who do not have at least a C in the course and are not allowed to take COMPASS), or "IP" (for those who have at least a C average in the course but do not pass COMPASS or, in the case of ENGL 0099, the juried writing test).
When appropriate, give a grade of "D" in MATH 0097
Although a grade of "D" cannot be given in the exit-level Learning Support courses (ENGL 0099, MATH 0099, READ 0099), a grade of "D" may be given in MATH 0097 if earned. A grade of "D" is a passing grade in the course.