Registration, Add, Drop, & Withdrawal

Academic Load:

A full student program consists of enrollment in 12 to 18 semester units. Most full-time students will enroll for an average of 15 units each semester in order to complete a 60-unit degree program in the recommended four-semester sequence.

Students must obtain counselor approval for course loads above 18 units during Spring or Fall semesters, and above 9 units during Summer.

Attendance:

Regular attendance promotes success in class activities. Therefore, students are expected to attend all sessions of each class in which they are enrolled. A student may be considered excessively absent from a class and may be dropped by the instructor when the cumulative absences exceed the total number of hours that the class meets during a week. Each instructor establishes their own attendance standards; the instructor must make the attendance standards known in the course syllabus which is distributed at the first-class meeting.

Students should make certain they understand the standard to be met in each class.
College activities such as athletic events, student government conferences, music festivals, field trips, and similar sanctioned activities are approved instructional activities. However, this should not be interpreted to mean that a student is excused from class assignments. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with each instructor prior to the absence to clarify what work must be done for each class and the deadline for completion of the work to the instructor’s satisfaction.

A student who ceases to attend a class and fails to submit an official “drop” card to Admissions and Records or to a Center Assistant at one of the Center Locations, or drop through MyMendo before the drop deadline may receive a grade of “F”.

Students may continue to enroll in semester-length courses through the second week of instruction, subject to space availability.

During the first week, faculty approval is not required, except in closed classes. Beginning with the second week, faculty approval is required.

A limited number of classes are approved for audit.  Students may register as auditors in these courses if they have previously enrolled for credit for the maximum number of times allowed for the particular course and have received the approval of the instructor of the course.

The current legislated auditing fee is $15 per semester unit.  Auditors will also be billed semester fees (health fee, student representation fee, and student center fee) in addition to any applicable material fees. Students enrolled in credit courses for ten or more units are not charged a fee to audit three or fewer semester units per semester.

Auditing conditions are as follows:

1.  Auditors must meet the course prerequisites; 
2. Admission to the class is subject to instructor discretion. Faculty must sign an audit card to show approval for students to attend class as an auditor on a space-available basis. Under no circumstances will an auditor be given preference over a student enrolled for credit. For 9th - 12th grade students, a dual enrollment application is not required.
3. Auditor status is allowed only if:
   • the student has exhausted the repeat possibilities available to a credit student;
   • or for certain specified courses, instruction could not occur without the participation of the student.
4. Auditors will be allowed to register only after the second class meeting.
5. Students auditing the class will not be considered in the number needed for a class to continue.
6. A transcript of record will not be maintained.
7. Auditors shall provide their own class materials.
8. Auditors may not change their status in the course from auditor to credit student or the reverse.

Refunds of auditing fees will be made according to the existing College refund policy.

Information about which courses are designated for audit and specific procedures may be obtained from:

Admissions and Records Office -  707-468-3101 or registration@mendocino.edu

North County Center -  707-459-6224

Lake Center -  707-263-4944

Coast Center -  707-961-2200

The College reserves the right to cancel planned or scheduled classes due to insufficient enrollment, inability to assign a qualified instructor, or for other circumstances unforeseen at the time of the schedule publication. In the event a class is cancelled, efforts are made to help students relocate in other classes consistent with their needs. 

Fees associated with cancelled classes will be refunded to the student per the current refund process.

A course repetition occurs when a student who has previously received an evaluative symbol (i.e. A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D+, D, D-, F, W, P/NP, CR/NC, RD, I) in a credit course and wishes to enroll again in the same course. All course attempts in a student’s academic record count toward this enrollment limitation.

If a student receives a grade of D, F, NC, NP, or W in a course that is not designated as repeatable the student may repeat the course to improve the grade; however, the listing of the original grade will remain on the student’s permanent record.

A student may repeat a course no more than two times (three enrollments total) unless there is another provision that allows the repetition.

When a student has repeated courses to alleviate substandard coursework, the first two substandard grades may be excluded in computing the student’s grade point average (GPA). The course repetition will be annotated on the transcript and all work will remain legible insuring a true and complete academic history. The repetition of course policy, applies to courses taken in other accredited colleges or universities and similar policies at other colleges and universities will be honored.

Students enrolling in a course for the third and final attempt must submit a Final Attempt - Course Repetition form to a registration staff person and the enrollment must be manually processed.  

Course Repeats in Subject Families

Course Families are established by the Curriculum Committee, and identified in the college catalog, for active participatory courses in physical education/kinesiology and visual or performing arts with similar educational activities.

Although a course cannot be repeated, a student may attempt up to four courses in a subject family. This limitation applies even if the student receives a substandard grade (i.e., D+, D, D-, F, NP, NC) or a W. Enrollment limitations are monitored district wide for a subject family.

Course Repetition Special Circumstances

Title 5, section 55041-55045 allows repetition of courses where substandard grades have not been received in cases of special circumstances and only by petition of the student and approval by the Admissions and Records Office.

Special circumstances are defined as:

1. The student’s previous grade is, at least in part, the result of extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are verified cases of accidents, illness, or other circumstances beyond the control of the student; or
2. The course is required for legally mandated training; or
3. The course is a special class for students with disabilities which the student needs to repeat for a reason described in Title 5, section 56029; or
4. Another institution of higher education to which the student seeks to transfer has established a recency requirement which the student will not be able to satisfy without repeating the course in question, and where at least 36 months have elapsed since the student last took the course; or
5. A significant change in industry or licensure standards necessitates repetition of the course for employment or licensure.

Once a student enrolls, a grade will be assigned for any class that is not dropped.  Students are responsible for dropping classes by the specified deadlines stated on the Academic Calendar.

Drops can be processed through a student's MyMendo account with with a registration staff person at any of the following locations:

• Admissions & Records, Ukiah Campus, MacMillan Hall, Room 1200
• Coast Center
• Lake Center
• North County Center

Students may also request assistance in dropping classes via email.  Requests can be placed form the student's college email account to: registration@mendocino.edu

A student may drop a full-semester course prior to the end of the second week (or by 20% of the course, whichever is less) without any notation being placed on the permanent academic record.

Drops occurring between the dates allowed by the Academic Calendar will be noted on the permanent academic records as a “W” (withdrawal). The “W” notation is used for determining Progress Probation and Progress Dismissal. 

Excused Withdrawals

Students may petition for an “EW” notation when a student withdraws from a course(s) due to reasons beyond their control, which include but are not limited to, the following:

• Job transfer outside the geographical region;
•  Illness in the family where the student is the primary caregiver;
• An incarcerated student in a California State Prison or County Jail is released from custody or involuntarily transferred before the end of the term (In the case of an incarcerated student, an excused withdrawal cannot be applied if the failure to complete the course(s) was the result of a student's behavioral violation or if the student requested and was granted a mid-semester transfer);
• The student is the subject of an immigration action;
• Death of an immediate family member;
• Chronic or acute illness;
• Verifiable accidents; or
• Natural disasters directly affecting the student

Excused withdrawal petitions may be submitted up to one year after the semester a class was attempted.

The EW notation is not used in determining Progress Probation and Progress Dismissal nor does it count in the allowed repeats for a course.

Military Withdrawals

Military Withdrawal occurs when a student is an active or reserve member in the United States Military Services and receives orders compelling a withdrawal from courses.

Upon verification of such orders, a “MW” symbol will be assigned, if after the drop period. The “MW” is not used in determining Progress Probation and Progress Dismissal nor does it count in the allowed repeats for a course.

"W" Notation Limitations

No more than three “W” notations are allowed per course.

It is the intent of Mendocino College to guide students into courses in which they will have the greatest chance for academic success. Therefore, students will find that some have prerequisites, co-requisites or recommended preparation in their description. Following are the definitions for prerequisites, co-requisites, and recommended preparation:

Prerequisite - A course requirement that a student must meet in order to demonstrate current readiness for enrollment in a course or educational program. Completion of the prerequisite is required prior to enrolling in the course. Successful completion of a prerequisite course means that a grade of A, B, C, or P, was earned; C-, D, F, or NP grades are not acceptable.

Co-requisite - A course that a student is required to simultaneously take in order to enroll in another course.

Advisories on recommended preparation - indicates knowledge or skills that will be of great advantage to a student prior to enrollment in a specific course but are not required.

Prerequisite Challenge Procedure

If students feel they can meet the requirements, or one of the conditions listed below exists, and can provide documentation, then they can challenge a prerequisite.

The Prerequisite Challenge Form can be obtained from the Mendocino College website or Admissions and Records Office located on the Ukiah campus, or from the Coast Center, Lake Center or North County Center. The challenge must be filed in the Admissions and Records Office no later than the first day of the semester.

Criteria for challenging a course include:

1. The prerequisite or co-requisite has not been established in accordance with the District’s process for establishing prerequisites and co-requisites.
2. The prerequisite or co-requisite is in violation of Title 5, section 55003 Policies for Prerequisites, Co-requisites, and Advisories on Recommended Preparation.
3. The prerequisite or co-requisite is either unlawfully discriminatory or is being applied in an unlawfully discriminatory manner.
4. The student has the knowledge or ability to succeed in the course or program despite not meeting the prerequisite or co-requisite.
5. The student will be subject to undue delay in attaining the goal of his/her educational plan because the prerequisite or co-requisite course has not been made reasonably available.

Prerequisite challenge forms must be submitted with a written explanation for the reason selected to challenge as well as documentation to support the challenge.  Students are solely responsible for providing documentation to support their challenge.  Incomplete challenges will not be processed.

If a class fills, you may have the option to add to a waitlist.  Note, not every class includes a waitlist.

Students are made aware of the option to waitlist through MyMendo or the registration staff person assisting you with enrollment.

As students drop from the class, students on the waitlist will be given the opportunity to enroll in the available spot(s). Students are granted permission to enroll in the order that they appear on the waitlist and have 24 hours from the day/time permission is granted to complete their enrollment.

Students are notified of the opportunity to enroll from the waitlist via email.  Additionally, the status for the class noted in MyMendo will change from "Waitlisted" to "Register".  If enrollment is not completed within 24 hours, the permission will expire and permission granted to the next student on the waitlist.

As students are enrolled, or dropped from the waitlist, students remaining on the waitlist will move up toward the top of the list. 

Fees are not charged for waitlisted classes.  Fees are only charged if/when a waitlisted student has successfully enrolled in the class.

Students may not waitlist for multiple sections of the same course.  The enrollment system will limit waitlisting to one section of a class.

Students must attend the first class meeting even if they have not received permission to enroll.  If the class is completely online, students should email the instructor on the first day of class to learn if they will be granted permission to enroll.

Waitlists for full-semester classes remain active through the end of the first week of the semester.  Waitlists for short classes remain active through the add period for the specific class.

Students may contact the Admissions and Records Office should they have any questions about the waitlist option or their status on a waitlist: 707-468-3101 or registration@mendocino.edu