Policy Statement
Courses may need to be cancelled prior to the start of the semester due to low enrollment or other extenuating circumstances.
Purpose/Authority
The purpose of this policy is to establish a transparent, collaborative process if a course needs to be cancelled prior to the start of the semester due to low enrollment or other circumstances.
Definitions
Low Enrollment - A course is considered low enrollment if seats filled are less than 50 percent of the class maximum.
Major Sections
Subpart A. Student Break Even Analysis. Academic deans and other college administrators may use a break-even analysis formula to determine the financial impact of current course enrollments.
Subpart B. Other Considerations.
- Course enrollment
- The impact of cancelling the course on the program, especially where the course is a program and/or degree requirement.
- Whether the course is needed for the students currently enrolled to graduate or continue towards their educational goals in a timely fashion.
- Impact to faculty workload and contractual obligations.
- Late start courses
- Other program, campus-specific, or course-specific considerations as determined by college administration.
Subpart C. Student Financial Obligation. Students will not be obligated for tuition and fees of courses that have been cancelled.
Subpart D. Communication. Students will receive written notification of a course being cancelled no later than one week prior to the start of the semester. Student support will be available to ensure students are able to replace the cancelled course with another reasonable course applicable to their program of study. Faculty impacted by course cancellations will receive written notification from their dean no later than one week prior to the start of the semester. Exact course cancellation deadlines will be established at the beginning of each semester for the semester following based on the academic calendar and system office approval deadlines.
Subpart E. Extenuating Circumstances. Although every effort will be made to cancel classes by the deadlines established (at least one week prior to the start of the semester) extenuating circumstances may require the cancellation of a course less than one week prior to the start of the course. The academic dean reserves the right to make this decision, taking into consideration the impact that the cancellation will have on students and faculty.
Date of Last Review: 11/5/2024
