California Community College No-Show policy

College Search & Selection Community Colleges
1

Hello. I had a question about the no-show policy Title 5 (https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/IB328D4B0D48511DEBC02831C6D6C108E)

So I enrolled in classes over 10 years ago and I don’t remember the exact reason, but I thought I had dropped the class. I think I was told that I had to show up for class if not I’d be dropped, and at the time I was not familiar with the college to know that formally dropping was an option.

Now years later I am applying to graduate programs that really emphasize GPA. I call them and it turns out I was only dropped from 1 of the 2 classes, and 1 class shows up as failed. This might end my chances at most schools, so I petitioned to get it removed. They said they will need to confirm that I was a no-show, but since it was so long ago they might not be able to.

I look online and the instructor (according to ratemyprofessor) does not take attendance. I know for a fact that I didn’t go to lecture, didn’t do the assignments or exams (because I thought I was dropped). My question is that is the circumstantial evidence valid: I was dropped from the other class, my last login time in their system according to their records was before the end of the semester, the instructor does not take attendance, my failing grade is inconsistent with my HS and college record (HS valedictorian, did well in a top ranking programs for BS and MS. They will by courtesy submit the petition and I hope it goes through, but my question is are California CC instructors legally required to submit no-shows as the evidence suggests, and if they no longer have the attendance records (I doubt the instructor took any), do I have a case (legal or otherwise) that there was negligence in enforcing the no-show policy (which according to everywhere I look, is not optional on the instructor’s part).

Thanks for the advice. I know it’s a silly thing and I wouldn’t care about it if it didn’t heavily affect my professional prospects.

2

This happens at my (Washington State) community college several times a year. A student realizes that s/he did not properly withdraw from a course they were enrolled in many years ago, and now they want to remove the failing grade from their transcript. I don’t know how it works in CA, but I imagine it will be similar. When you submit a petition to have the failing grade removed from your transcript, and present the evidence that you cite above, I think that the college will grant your request. If they don’t, then you can appeal the decision and pursue the no-show policy angle.

3

Thanks for the reply, good to know that it’s not uncommon. My main concern is that right now everything is up to the discretion of the department. The failing grade is lethal for my application, and so I’m just pretty stressed.