Registration
The registration process is facilitated through an online registration system (SIS). New and continuing students may access the registration system via MyVPCC. Information about the use of MyVPCC is available on the College’s website. Students can add, drop, and change classes during the published dates on the Academic Calendar.
Usually, students may not enter a new class after the add date. Any request for entry after that time must be approved by the instructor of the class and the academic divisional dean or appropriate academic administrator.
Attendance
Regular attendance is required in all classes. Students who enroll in a class but do not attend a minimum of one face-to-face class meeting or the equivalent for asynchronous distance learning classes by the last day to drop with a refund, or earlier date as defined and published on the Academic Calendar, will be administratively dropped from the course by the College. When absence from a class becomes necessary, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor prior to the absence whenever possible. The student is responsible for the completion of all assignments, quizzes, and classes missed during the absence. All coursework missed and not subsequently completed by affect the student’s grade in the course.
It is the responsibility of each instructor to explain his or her attendance policy in the course syllabus.
Absences and Administrative Withdrawals from Courses
Students are obligated to initiate their own withdrawals from a class. A student may withdraw from a course without academic penalty only if the student initiates the withdrawal via the Student Information System (SIS) prior to the last day to drop with a grade of “W” as posted on the Academic Calendar. In this case, the student will receive a grade of “W.” Per VCCS policy, instructors may withdraw students from a class after the add/drop period, but prior to the last day to drop with a grade of “W.” After the last day to drop with a grade of “W,”, if a student withdraws or is withdrawn from a course, a grade of “F” shall be assigned.
Exceptions to this policy may be made under mitigating circumstances; such circumstances must be documented, and a copy of the documentation placed in the student’s academic file. Only the Chief Academic Officer of the campus or their designee can approve an exception to this policy under mitigating circumstances. VCCS policy states that mitigating circumstances may include:
- Administrative error
- Documented extenuating circumstances (e.g., major medical emergency, extreme financial hardship, death of an immediate family member, etc.)
- A national emergency or mobilization [of VPCC military students] declared by the President of the United States and in accordance with Section 23-9.6.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Examples of mitigating circumstances:
- Administrative error – If you feel that you are incorrectly advised to take courses by VPCC, you must provide us with documentation. Such documentation could be a letter from the individual stating that they made an administrative error in your course selection.
- Death of the student or immediate family member – mother, father, sibling, spouse, child, or grandparent. A copy of the death certificate or obituary must accompany the request.
- Extreme financial hardship – You must provide documentation such as bank statements, two recent pay stubs, necessary bills (gas, electric, phone, car payment, rent, or mortgage) that you have in your name. Credit card bills do not apply. If you are collecting unemployment, please provide proof. If you are filing bankruptcy or have been served with an eviction notice, please provide this for it will greatly assist us in determining if you are experiencing extreme financial hardship.
- Immediate work reassignment for an extended period, or mandatory transfer (letter from employer or military deployment orders). A change in jobs does not qualify, nor does accepting a new position.
- Medical records, or doctor’s signed letter, on business letterhead, with the starting and ending dates of treatment and a statement that the student was on complete bed rest (homebound) or otherwise unable to attend for an extended period.
Students should review and complete the Withdrawal from Course(s) Form for consideration under this exception.
Students receiving financial aid or military/veteran benefits who withdraw from courses may be subject to changes in their funding that may create a debt to the College. Contact the appropriate office to determine the impact on your funds.
Student Records Retention Policy
The academic transcript is the only official record of a student’s academic history. All other student documents are subject to disposal by the College in accordance with the Virginia Community College System and Library of Virginia Records Retention Schedule.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Virginia Peninsula Community College is committed to maintaining the accuracy and confidentiality of students’ academic records in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other College, state, and federal regulations. FERPA is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate information.
All requests for official student information should be referred to the College Registrar. Requests for information in connection to a health or safety emergency will be managed by the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, or appropriate College official.
The College is obligated to notify its students annually of its compliance with FERPA, as amended, which sets forth requirements governing protection of students’ right to privacy in their educational records. If any student in attendance believes that the College has failed to comply with the above act and/or regulations, the student may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education; alternatively, the student may follow procedures established by the College.
Student Rights Under FERPA
- The right to inspect and review educational records within 45 days after the day the College receives a request for access.
A student should submit a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect to the College Registrar. If the records are not maintained in Enrollment Management, the student will be advised of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. Appropriate arrangements will be made for students who are no longer in the area.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s educational records the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.
A student requesting an amendment to their educational record should write the College Registrar, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants to change and specify why it should be
changed. Supporting documentation for the changes should accompany the request.
If the College decides not to amend the record as requested, the College will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.
Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure
without consent.
The College discloses educational records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interest. A school official
is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic research, or support position (including law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the board of trustees; or
a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official may include a volunteer or contractor outside the College who performs an institutional
service who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from educational records.
Directory information which may be released upon request without the student’s express written consent includes:
- Student’s Name
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Degrees, honors, and awards received
- Enrollment Status
- Major program of study
- Dates of attendance
- The most recent educational agency or institution attended
Students have the right to opt-out of teh disclosure directory information; the student should submit the request in writing to the College Registrar or manage their FERPA restrictions accessible iin MyVPCC. The restriction of directory information may limit access to other services. For example, if you are a loan recipient, your attendance at the College may not be reported to lenders.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington DC 20202
Disclosures Permitted Without Student Consent
FERPA permits the disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) from students’ education records, without the consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions. Virginia Peninsula Community College may disclose personal identifiable information under the following conditions:
- To school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom VPCC has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent), a person serving on the college’s board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing their tasks. A school official must have a legitimate educational need to review an educational record to fulfill a professional responsibility.
- To officials of another higher education institution where the student seeks or intends to enroll or where the student is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.
- To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent per the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) definition. Current year proof of dependency is required.
- The College complies with the Solomon Amendment federal law which provides military branches access to student contact and program study information for recruiting purposes.
- Provided certain conditions are met that are not included in the summary below, other exceptions to FERPA’s general consent requirement that permit disclosure of PII from education records include, but are not limited to:
- To authorized representatives of, among others the U.S. Secretary of Education, as well as State and loal educational authorities, for audit or evaluation of Federal or State supported education programs, or for the enforcement of our compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs:
- In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or received:
- To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school for the purposes of administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, or improving instruction:
- To appropriate official in connection with health or safety emergency:
- To the victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense concerning the results of a disciplinary hearing conducted by an institution of postsecondary education against the alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense with respect to the alleged crime or offense.
- To any third party the final results, as described in FERPA regulations, or a disciplinary proceeding conducted by an institution of postsecondary education against a student who is the alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense if the student is found by the institution to have violated its rules or policies as a result of the disciplinary proceeding, as long as the disclosure does not include the name of any other student, including a victim ro witness, without the written consent of that other student:
- To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena:
- In connection with a health or safety emergency:
- To a parent of a student at an institution of postsecondary education regarding the student’s violation of any federal, state, or local law, or any rule or policy of the institution, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance, where the institution determines that the student has committed a disciplinary violation with respect to that use or possession, and the student is under 21 years of age at the time of the disclosure to the parent:
Students may restrict disclosure of directory information by officially notifying Enrollment Management that such directory information should remain confidential. Notification must be submitted prior to the end of the first week of classes.
Prohibited Disclosures
In accordance with Va. Code Section 23.1-405 (C), the College shall not disclose the address, telephone number, email address of a student unless that student has consented in writing to such disclosure.
The College shall not disclose the address, telephone number, or email address of a student as directory information or pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request without the prior written consent of the student, unless the disclosure is to students enrolled in the college for educational purposes or institution business and the student has not opted out of such disclosure.
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