A2400.11 Class Cancellation

 

Purpose Statement
Section Data Analysis – Scheduling Readjustment
Class Cancellation Procedures
Defined Exceptions for Low-Enrolled Classes

 

Purpose Statement

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The class cancellation procedures are established to provide a transparent and consistent framework by which the Academic Affairs Division manages class size enrollment of offered sections. These procedures have been developed to serve the following needs as identified in the Schedule Building Guidelines and Procedures.

1. Degree Completion: to ensure that students are able to enroll in the courses they need to complete their degree requirements on time.
2. Pedagogical Reasons: to ensure quality pedagogical approaches to instruction of specific groups or lab/clinical work that require a minimum number of students per section.
3. Resource Utilization: to ensure that resources like faculty time, classroom space, and materials are allocated efficiently and effectively.
4. Financial Considerations: to ensure that courses are transparently and effectively managed to ensure a healthy balance between the commitment to student success and institutional fiduciary obligations.
5. Equity Considerations: to ensure concerns about students lacking access to specific courses or programs based upon location or modality.

 

Section Data Analysis – Scheduling Readjustment

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Use of historical course section data is important in making future determination of the efficacy of scheduling and offering of chronically identified low-enrolled sections. The College will optimize future section offerings based on historical course section data and other associated scheduling variables to meet student needs.

To minimize or prevent disruption for students and faculty due to cancelled sections, Deans, Department Chairs, program directors/coordinators, and Extension Center Coordinators should use the course enrollment data reports to identify and mitigate sections that are at-risk for not meeting the minimum enrollment requirement. In all cases where courses are low-enrolled, it is necessary for the Dean, Department Chair and the affected faculty member to engage in preliminary discussions. The purpose of these discussions is twofold:

• To establish a suitable resolution for the faculty member’s teaching assignment.
• To devise a plan for optimizing the future scheduling of the identified course section. This plan aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of scheduling in order to prevent similar issues in subsequent semesters.

 

Class Cancellation Procedures

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1. One week prior to the start of the semester, Deans will collaborate with Department Chairs to review low-enrolled classes and make recommendations to the Office of the VPAA for class cancellations or continuation. All low-enrolled courses recommended for continuation should include a justification. Any courses marked for cancellation should include other option(s) for students that may be communicated to them.
2. Deans should utilize the Workload Cost Calculator when considering to offer a potentially low-enrolled section. There is no minimum course number as the College may offer a low-enrolled course based upon a number of factors, primarily considering the needs addressed above. Deans should consider a holistic approach to their divisional schedule as well as the ROI.
3. Recommendations should be submitted to the Office of the VPAA by the end of the following business day. Recommendations for continuation of low-enrolled classes should be based upon the established exceptions for low-enrolled classes as defined below.
4. The Office of the VPAA will consider the recommendations and notify the Deans, Department Chair, and the Director of Recruitment and Enrollment of the decision.
5. If approved, the Executive Associate to the VPAA will hold for cancellation any designated sections and communicate to the Director of Recruitment and Enrollment any course changes.
6. The Office of Recruitment and Enrollment will contact the students regarding class cancellations and offer alternative suggestions as provided by the department. The Office of Recruitment and Enrollment will notify the Office of the VPAA when all students are contacted and moved.
7. The Office of the VPAA will cancel the course in Colleague, update the Course Scheduling Tool, and the Workload Cost Calculator.

 

Defined Exceptions for Low-Enrolled Classes

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Exceptions for traditionally low-enrolled classes may be approved by following the established justifications in order to best meet the needs of students. It should be noted that any applied exceptions should be viewed as an exception and not the rule. The College, through the office of the VPAA, may offer any traditionally low-enrolled section if the section is deemed critical to a student’s academic progress or if there is a unique circumstance preventing a sufficient number of students from enrolling. Established exceptions may include:

 

Exception	Justification
Clinical/Lab Courses	Course enrollment limited due to space, accreditation, or site restrictions.
Newly-developed course	Course needed for program and/or to build interest.
Independent Study	Students need the course for graduation or cancellation of another course caused the student to drop below requirements for aid
Internships or Externships	Students need the course for graduation per program requirements or enrollment limited due to space, accreditation, or site restrictions
Courses required for students’ impending graduation	Evaluated on a case-by-case basis in collaboration with the Office of Recruitment and Enrollment
Courses offered only once per academic year	Course is part of a degree program and there is not suitable alternative for student progression and completion.
Course only offered face-to-face at an extension center	Course not regularly offered at the extension center and cancellation could result in equity gap.
Other circumstances as approved by the VPAA	Other special circumstances presented to and approved by the VPAA

 

Change Log
Date	Description of Change	Governance Unit
03.28.24	Initial Adoption	Academic Affairs