Standard Operating Academic Procedures (SOAP)

Why this matters: 

1. Ensures proper class enrollment.

2. Prevents fraudulent enrollment.

3. Helps manage refund requests and deadlines.

4. Federal financial aid eligibility and disbursement guidelines require weekly academic activity for online classes. 

5. If students  are academically inactive for 14 consecutive days, they may be withdrawn from the class.

6. After the 45th day of the semester, the faculty member may post the grade you earned, such as a D or F, based on the points accumulated.

In-person classes: 

• Students who do not attend on the first day of class should be dropped with a Never Attended Drop Code (43). The Student Information System (SIS) will automatically use the first day of class as the Last Day of Attendance (LDA).

• The number of days you have to drop a student depends on whether the class is 16, 8, or 5 weeks.
  
  
  

Course Length 16 Week
Maxium Number of days a syllabus can allow for student to demonstrate academic addence- 6 Days

In order for the student to receive a full refund, faculty members must withdraw the student by the last day show below after the course start date. The specific date can be found in SIS- 7 Days

Course Length 8 Week
Maxium Number of days a syllabus can allow for student to demonstrate academic addence- 3 Days

In order for the student to receive a full refund, faculty members must withdraw the student by the last day show below after the course start date. The specific date can be found in SIS- 4 Days

Course Length 5 Week
Maxium Number of days a syllabus can allow for student to demonstrate academic addence- 1 Day

In order for the student to receive a full refund, faculty members must withdraw the student by the last day show below after the course start date. The specific date can be found in SIS- 2 Days

Online classes: 

• Due to increased fraudulent enrollment, faculty must withdraw non-attending students within 24 hours of the class start.

• Faculty should establish attendance for courses. In an online class:  one way is to post an assignment due within the refund deadline to serve as first-day attendance.

• It is important for students to know their refund and withdrawal deadlines. These are posted in their student center as well as SIS for faculty to see. If a student is withdrawn in error, they can be readmitted by contacting Permissions@pvcc.edu with the student ID, course number, and a contact email for the student.

• Withdraw students who are not participating in the course, and document the Last Day of Attendance (LDA) appropriately.

Online courses require weekly academic activity such as: 

• Submitting an academic assignment, paper, or project.

• Taking an exam, quiz, computer-assisted instruction, or an interactive tutorial required by the course.

• Attending an online or in-person study group (with assigned attendance/participation as part of the course).

• Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.

• Simply logging into an online class will not count as an academic activity. 

Why this matters: 

1. The 45th Day Roster is the official online process to report credit course enrollment as required by the Arizona State Legislature. 

2. The official census date for course enrollment is the 45th day.

3. Students who are no longer in attendance should be withdrawn before the 45th day, any changes made after the 45th day will not be reflected in the 45th day roster.

Roster Clean-up: 

• Withdraw any students who have exceeded the number of class absences allowed in the syllabus or are incorrectly listed on your roster PRIOR to the 45th day.

• Reporting student attendance incorrectly can affect students’ financial aid and benefits and ultimately their ability to attend college. 

Roster Certification: 

• The 45th Day of each Fall and Spring semester always falls on a Monday.
  Refer to the Academic Calendar for the exact date.

Why this matters: 

1. It's crucial to assign grades by the end of the term. The following week, the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) report is run, which allows students to get financial aid. If grades are not assigned when SAP runs, the student will not be able to get financial aid and could delay students from being able to attend classes the next term.

2. Short-term class grades must be recorded before the next session.

3. Prerequisite course grades are needed for students to continue in their program of study.

Policy and Procedures: 

• According to Administrative Regulation 2.3.3., it is the policy of the Maricopa Community Colleges that a grade will be assigned at the conclusion of the course.

• Grades are due by the last day of class; see SIS for the end of class date. Any exception should be discussed with your division chair.

• See Section 2.3.3 of the Administrative Regulations for grading policy and grade options. Assign grades in SIS, grades are not automatically moved from Canvas to SIS. 

• Faculty should describe in the syllabus the criteria for grades of F, W, Y, or incomplete.  (Faculty control grades, could offer extensions, etc. but not required to.)

• Faculty assign grades for their classes. Should there be questions regarding benefits (veterans, disabilities, etc) please discuss with your chair.

• Link to Academic Calendar: https://www.paradisevalley.edu/academics/academic-calendar

Why this matters: 

1. Learning starts on day one. Enrolling late in a class can negatively impact student performance.

2. Provides guidance for exceptions based on specific programmatic needs and circumstances.

Policy and Procedures: 

• Students can register throughout the first week of classes until the start of class.

• Students seeking late enrollment should be informed of the no late enrollment policy and directed to advising for guidance about alternate options. Students should not be directed to instructors or chairs for late enrollment approval.

• In certain cases, the instructor can work with their division chair to add a student after the class has started. Instructors will work with their division chair or designee to facilitate any enrollment after the class has started.

Late Enrollment Request Email: 

• Division Chair sends an email to permissions@paradisevalley.edu (internal use only) to request late enrollment. Do NOT cc students. 

• Subject line: Late Enrollment

• Body of Email:

  • Student's name

  • Student ID number (the eight-digit number that begins with a 3...)

  • Class name (e.g., ENG 101)

  • Section number

  • Semester

Permissions needed for: 

• Division Chair - Late registration

• Division Chair - Lack of prerequisite

• Dean and VP - Time conflicts

Why this matters: 

1. According to Federal Guidelines (34CFR 690.80(b)(2)(ii)), a student cannot be awarded financial aid for a class they never attended. If a student is still on the roster after the first week of classes, they will automatically be awarded Financial Aid, Veterans benefits, etc.

2. When a student is withdrawn or fails a class, the last day of attendance (LDA)  is required.

3. The VA Office must report a change in enrollment, drop/W grade within 30 days of the LDA. If there is a delay in reporting LDA, meaning their LDA is not within 30 days of the time it is reported on SIS results in an automatic audit finding. Late Reporting has been a finding on our compliance audit almost every year.

4. If students are not withdrawn by the deadlines, the student could owe a debt for money awarded via Financial Aid or Veterans Benefits.

Policy and Procedures: 

• Follow your attendance policy in your class syllabus.

• See AR 2.3.2 for attendance and absence policies and previous guidance, scenarios, and additional information on LDA reporting.

• See the Guide for LDA reporting.

Example: 

A Veteran student who never attended the class was withdrawn on the last day of classes. The system awards based on the class roster, as such the student was awarded VA benefits and incurred a $1,600 debt they had to pay back. All students not attending class should be withdrawn in the first week and those with excessive absences according to the class syllabus. 

• Online classes- must take attendance, Melissa Florez provided examples of how to show attendance in an online class. Even though Maricopa is not an attendance taking institution, attendance in online classes is required.

• Faculty need to drop students for non-attendance

Why this matters: 

1. Ensures compliance with attendance policies.

2. Affects financial aid and benefits.

3. Provides accurate LDA documentation.

Policy and Procedures: 

• Follow your attendance policy in your class syllabus.

• Online classes- must take attendance, Melissa Florez provided a list of activities that constitute online class ”academic attendance” and “attendance at an academically-related activity” for purposes of determining the last day of attendance according to 34CFR668.22(l)(7)(i):
  
  

  • • Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the

    • instructor and students;

    • Submitting an academic assignment;

    • Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction;

    • Attending a study group that is assigned by the institution;

    • Participating in an online discussion about academic matters; and

    • Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course

See our curriculum and scheduling office website for important dates and information regarding scheduling and curriculum.

Why this matters: 

1. Addresses academic and personal challenges.

2. Supports student health and wellness.

3. Provides early intervention.

Policy and Procedures: 

CARE Reporting (Early Alert)

Use CARE Reporting for academic difficulties, financial needs, and personal issues. Maricopa County Community College District offers an online system for early alert reporting and to report student basic needs such as financial (i.e. food insecurity, housing, transportation, finances) academic (i.e. tutoring, advising, time management), and personal (i.e. mental health, change in appearance, change in family circumstances, etc.). 

This online system is also used to report allegations of Title IX (i.e. sexual misconduct), academic and student code of conduct violations and a place for students to report discrimination. The online submissions are routed to the appropriate campus and personnel while maintaining a high level of confidentiality. Title IX and Discrimination concerns are routed to the Title IX Regional Directors.

Examples of CARE Concerns (formerly Early Alert): 

• Financial (homelessness/food insecurity, emergency fund access, financial aid, etc.)

• Academic difficulties (missing classes/excessive absences, missing assignments, drop in grades, etc.)

• Personal (anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies, change in behavior, home circumstances, etc.)
  
  

Upon receipt of your CARE Report, a PVCC CARE Team Member will reach out to your student within 24 hours (Monday through Friday) by phone, text, or email. Please let your student know that you are making a referral so that they are expecting a call from a member of the CARE Team.  

Why this matters: 

1. Supports retention of PVCC student athletes.

2. Helps the athletics department manage struggling students.

3. Reduces DFW grades for student athletes.

Policy and Procedures: 

• PAWS is designed to support our student-athletes. Faculty can communicate directly with the athletics department through PAWS to relay feedback/concerns/accolades for student-athletes in their classes.

• Student-athletes who are not performing at a satisfactory level (below C, excessive absence, unacceptable classroom behavior) will be required to follow a specific plan for remediation as a condition of continued participation.

• Each of our 12 teams has been assigned an Athletics Faculty Mentor who can assist with concerns regarding student-athletes in your class. Contacts can be found on the athletics website.

• All freshmen and all continuing student-athletes with a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 will be required to attend mandatory P.A.S.S. Time (Paradise Athletics Student Success), two hours per week. During this time, students are to complete homework and/or study for their academic coursework in the LSC.

• Official absences occur only when a student-athlete is involved in an official PVCC athletics activity. Official absences are approved by the college president. Prior to the beginning of each competitive season, the athletics department will forward a list of official absence dates/times to instructors. An official absence does not excuse a student-athlete from completing course work that was due while they were absent. It is the student-athlete’s responsibility to check with their instructors prior to each absence to verify how and when missed assignments should be completed.

Why this matters: 

1. Ensures fair grievance processes.

2. Provides transparency and due process.

3. Addresses potential biases.

Policy and Procedures: 

• Students who feel they have been treated unfairly by an instructor can file a formal written complaint as per the Instructional Grievance Process Policy Manual.

• The complaint system includes written records, transparency, substantiation, and due process.

• All parties must follow the timeline provided in the S-6 Instructional Grievance Process.

When a student issues a complaint about an instructor, the recipient should: 

1. Adopt a helpful but neutral stance.

2. Direct the student to the Student Complaint Form. The requirements of the form are outlined at the end of this section.

3. Refrain from additional action - such as forwarding the complaint to their supervisor, forwarding the complaint to the Academic Affairs Division, or discussing the complaint with other employees.

The Student Complaint Form:

• Needed because it:

  • Makes the consequences of the complaint transparent.

  • Gives the student control over if/when the complaint moves forward.

  • Allows the student an additional opportunity to review and consider course policies as they relate to the complaint.

  • Prompts the student to collect concrete evidence and consider if it supports their internal narrative.

  • Provides a “cool off” period during which the student can explore their emotions and reframe their perceptions, if needed.

  • Offers the student a chance to “back out” of the process, thus avoiding the unwanted consequences of issuing a complaint impulsively or as a result of dysregulated emotions.

  • Provides the instructor with detailed information related to how the student experienced the event or how the student interpreted the policy (these details are needed for the instructor to self-correct, if that is called for).
    
    

• When the student completes the Student Complaint Form, it is routed to the appropriate Division Chair (or Dean, if the instructor is the division chair). It’s the Chair’s/Dean’s responsibility to review the form, ensuring the information contained therein is intelligible, comprehensive, and evidence-based. The Chair/Dean should not accept the form until it meets that criteria.
  
  

• Once the Student Complaint Form meets acceptable criteria, it will be forwarded to the instructor. The form will offer the instructor:

  • Opportunity to add a rebuttal.

  • Opportunity to provide details regarding how the instructor’s action or policy supports the college’s values: Integrity, Diversity, Innovation, Partnerships, Excellence, Sustainability, Wellness.

  • Opportunity to provide additional documentation.
    
    

• The Chair/Dean will route the completed form back to both the complainant and the instructor, fulfilling the obligation for transparency.

• The Chair/Dean reviews the complaint, the rebuttal, and the evidence, and makes a decision if one is needed.

• If the complainant does not consider the issue resolved, they may forward the form to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for additional review, discussion, or a different decision, and then again, if needed, to the College President, who will provide final resolution.

The Student Complaint Form must:

• Ask if the student has spoken with the instructor regarding the issue.

• Inform the student that:

  • The instructor will be made aware of the complaint against them.

  • Their identity as the complainant will be revealed.

  • While they are protected from academic retaliation, the complaint may damage their relationship with the instructor.
    
    

• Inform the student that complaints must be substantiated with evidence.

• Require written student-perspective details related to the complaint.

• Require a copy of the related syllabus policy (or other instructor communications), with the relevant portions highlighted.

• Require a description of how the policy was unfairly or inaccurately applied or, when the complaint is not policy-related, require a detailed narrative describing the situation and why the complaint is justified.

• Require a description of how the situation impacted the student’s standing or final course grade.

• Remind the student that knowingly furnishing false information to any college official (including filing a false report or complaint) is prohibited by the Student Code of Conduct.

• Require a student signature.

Why this matters: 

1. Ensures student engagement.

2. Reduces scheduling conflicts.

3. Provides clear policies.

Policy and Procedures: 

As part of course management some instructors will need to administer tests or engage in other assessment efforts on specific, pre-scheduled dates during the term. Given that students choose their class schedules, they are obligated to engage in the planned activity on the scheduled dates at the designated locations, with the only exceptions being those outlined in 2.3.2 Attendance. To reduce controversy in this area, instructors are encouraged to:

• Include the dates in Class Search.

• Require students to acknowledge the dates on the first day of class.

• Provide a link to 2.3.2 Attendance.

• Remind students to review the calendar for all holidays/holy days during the term and provide a link to ND-4 Religious Accommodation Procedure and Request Form.

When the instructor takes proactive steps to inform students about mandatory student participation/attendance days, and provides access to the policies regarding accommodations, student requests for excusal, rescheduling, or alternate assignments, may be justifiably denied.

Why this matters: 

1. Supports administrative processes.

2. Ensures compliance with policies.

Policy and Procedures: 

• Maintain accurate class rosters

Division Chairs: 

• Division Chair contact information: Leadership and Academic Chairs Directory.

FAQ Information (Still in Progress): 

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