If the last date of academic activity for a student is not verified, Fullerton College will likely be forced to pay back those financial aid funds. In addition, a school may also be subject to corrective actions that could impact its participation in the federal student aid program. 

As noted, Fullerton College’s participation in federal student aid programs may be affected by the results of this program review. Despite robust state based financial aid, about 30% of students rely on federal financial aid. Just in 2022-2023, Fullerton College processed nearly $44 million in federal aid.  

Yes, AP 5075 Section 2.2 notes that “Instructors shall clear their rolls of inactive students not later than the end of the last business day before the census day for the course section. Inactive students are those who were no-shows or those who have discontinued participation in instructional activities.”  In addition, BP 4321 Section 2 notes that “Any change in a grade given by an instructor shall be subject to the Education Code Section 76224(a): When grades are given for any course taught in a community college district, the grade given to each student shall be the grade determined by the instructor of the course and the determination of the student’s grade by the instructor, in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence, shall be final. 

Under the September 2, 2020 final regulations, the Department modified and expanded the definition of “academic attendance’’ and ‘‘attendance at an academically-related activity’’ to include the criteria outlined in a new definition of academic engagement as provided under 34 CFR 600.2 . Academic engagement is the active participation by a student in an instructional activity related to the student’s course of study that is defined by the institution in accordance with any applicable requirements of its State or accrediting agency, and includes, but is not limited to the following academically-related activities:  

1. Attending a synchronous class, lecture, recitation, or field or laboratory activity, physically or online, where there is an opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students;  
2. Submitting an academic assignment;  
3. Taking an assessment or an exam;  
4. Participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar, or other interactive computer-assisted instruction;  
5. Participating in a study group, group project, or an online discussion that is assigned by the institution; or  
6. Interacting with an instructor about academic matters.  

Academically related activities do NOT include activities where a student may be present but not academically engaged, such as:  

1. living in institutional housing,  
2. participating in the school’s meal plan,  
3. logging into an online class or tutorial without any further participation,  
4. participating in academic counseling or advisement. 

A school must determine and maintain the records that most accurately support its determination of a student’s withdrawal date and the school’s use of one withdrawal date over another according to the school’s R2T4 policy. At a school that is not required to take attendance but is using a last date of attendance at an academically related activity as a withdrawal date, it is up to the school to ensure that accurate records are kept for purposes of identifying a student’s last date of academic attendance or last date of attendance at an academically related activity. 

A school may only count as days in attendance excused absences that are followed by some class attendance. That is, a school may not include as days attended any excused absences that occur after a student’s last day of actual attendance. 

For distance education, documenting that a student has logged into an online class is not sufficient to demonstrate academic attendance by the student. A school must demonstrate that a student participated in class or was otherwise engaged in an academically related activity.  

Examples of acceptable evidence of academic attendance and attendance at an academically related activity in a distance education course/program include, but are not limited to:  

1. student submission of an academic assignment,  
2. student submission of an exam,  
3. documented student participation in an interactive tutorial,  
4. webinar or other interactive or computer-assisted instruction,  
5. a posting by the student showing the student’s participation in an online study group that is assigned by the institution,  
6. a posting by the student in a discussion forum showing the student’s participation in an online discussion about academic matters,  
7. and an email from the student or other documentation showing that the student-initiated contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course. 

For all technical related questions, please send an email to federalprogramreview@fullcoll.edu. 

For all questions related to the Fullerton College’s status in this program review, please email the Dean of Enrollment Services Dr. Albert Abutin (aabutin@fullcoll.edu) and/or the Director of Financial Aid Greg Ryan (gryan@fullcoll.edu).