23 NCAC 02D .0324. REPORTING OF STUDENT HOURS IN MEMBERSHIP FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES

(a)  Regularly Scheduled Classes.

(1)           Definition of Regularly Scheduled Class.  A class is considered to be regularly scheduled if it meets all of the following criteria:

(A)          Assigned definite beginning and ending time;

(B)          Specific predetermined days and time the class meets;

(C)          Specific schedule is included on the Institution Master Schedule or other official college documents;

(D)          Class hours are assigned consistent with State Board approval and official college documents; and

(E)           Identified class time and dates are the same for all students registered for the class excluding clinical or work experience:

(i)            Classes which have a regularly scheduled lecture section and a non‑regularly scheduled laboratory section will satisfy the criteria.  The census date (10% point) shall be determined from the regularly scheduled portion of the class.  Verification of student participation in the laboratory section of the class shall be available for review; or

(ii)           A student is considered absent if that student did not attend during the specified times or days the class was scheduled to meet.

(2)           Definition of Student Membership.  A student is considered to be in class membership when the student meets all of the following criteria:

(A)          Enrolled as evidenced by payment of the applicable registration fees, or obtained a waiver as defined in Paragraph (a) of Rule .0203 of this Subchapter;

(B)          Attended one or more classes held prior to or on the 10 percent point in the class; and

(C)          Has not withdrawn or dropped the class prior to or on the 10 percent point of the class.

(3)           Student Membership Hour.  A student membership hour is one hour of scheduled class or laboratory for which the student is enrolled.  A college shall provide a minimum of 50 minutes of instruction for each scheduled class hour.  A college shall not report more hours per student than the number of class hours scheduled in official college documents.  Colleges shall not report more hours per student than the number of hours specified in the instructor's contract.

(4)           Calculation of Student Membership Hours for Regularly Scheduled Classes.  Student membership hours are obtained by multiplying the number of students in membership at the 10 percent point in the class by the total number of hours the class is scheduled to meet as stated in official college documents.

(5)           Maintenance of Records of Student Membership Hours.  Accurate attendance records shall be maintained for each class.  Attendance records shall be signed by the instructor or lead instructor, verifying their accuracy, and shall be maintained by the college until released from all audits as provided in the Public Records Retention & Disposition Schedule for Institutions in the Community College System.  Student membership hours shall be summarized in the Institution's Class Report and certified by the president or designee. 

(b)  Non‑Regularly Scheduled Classes.

(1)           Definition of Non‑Regularly Scheduled Class.  A non‑regularly scheduled class may include any or all of the following:

(A)          A class where a definitive beginning and ending time is not determined;

(B)          A class offered in a learning laboratory type setting (see Subparagraph (b)(6) of this Rule for definition of learning laboratory);

(C)          A self‑paced class where the student progresses through the instructional materials at the student's own pace, and can complete the courses as soon as the student has successfully met the educational objectives.  Classes offered as independent study are generally offered in this manner;

(D)          A class in which a student may enroll during the initial college registration period or in which a student may be permitted to enroll at any time during the semester; or

(E)           Any class not meeting all criteria for a regularly scheduled class as shown in Subparagraph (a)(1) of this Rule, is considered to be a non‑regularly scheduled class for reporting purposes. Note classes defined as non‑traditional (see Paragraph (c) of this Rule) which are identified as a separate student hour reporting category are not subject to the provisions in Paragraph (b) of this Rule.

(2)           Definition of Student Membership.  A student is considered to be in class membership when the student meets the following criteria:

(A)          Enrolled as evidenced by payment of the applicable registration fees, or obtained a waiver as defined in Paragraph (a) of Rule .0203 of this Subchapter; and

(B)          Attended one or more classes.

(3)           Definition of Student Contact Hour.  A student contact hour is one hour of student attendance in a class for which the student is in membership as defined in Subparagraph (b)(2) of this Rule.  Sixty minutes shall constitute an hour.

(4)           Calculation of Student Contact Hours for Non‑Regularly Scheduled Classes.  For these classes, actual time of class attendance for each student determined to be in membership shall be reported.  Sixty minutes shall constitute an hour.  Student contact hours for these classes are the sum of all the hours of actual student attendance in a class in a given semester.

(5)           Maintenance of Records of Student Contact Hours.  Accurate attendance records shall be maintained for each class.  Attendance records shall be signed by the instructor or lead instructor, verifying their accuracy, and shall be maintained by the college until released from all audits as provided in the Public Records Retention and Disposition Schedule for Institutions in the Community College System.  Student membership hours shall be summarized in the Institution Class Report and certified by the president or designee. 

(6)           Learning Laboratory.  Learning laboratory programs consist of self‑instruction using programmed text, audio‑visual equipment, and other self‑instructional materials.  A learning laboratory coordinator has the function of bringing the instructional media and the student together on the basis of objective and subjective evaluation and of counseling, supervising, and encouraging persons working in the laboratory. Contact hours shall be calculated as noted in Subparagraph (b)(4) of this Rule.

(c)  Classes Identified as Extension Non‑Traditional Delivery.

(1)           Definition.  Due to the methodology by which instruction is delivered, non‑traditional delivery classes are not consistent with the definitions of regularly scheduled or non‑regularly scheduled classes described in this Rule.  Non‑traditional delivery classes are defined as those classes which are offered through media such as internet, telecourses, videocassette, and other electronic media excluding classes offered via the North Carolina Information Highway.

(2)           For those classes identified as non‑traditional delivery, student attendance in class or in an orientation session, submission of a written assignment or a submission of examination is the basis for the determination of class membership at the 10 percent point of the class.  Student membership hours in such classes shall be calculated by multiplying the number of students in membership, as defined in the prior sentence, times the number of instructional hours delivered which are determined as follows:

(A)          Determine the number of hours of instruction delivered via non‑traditional delivery; and

(B)          Add the number of hours of class meetings.

(d)  Extension Student Work Experience and Clinical Practice.  The following criteria apply to the reporting guidelines for students enrolled in extension work experience and clinical practice courses, exclusive of work station based training as specified in 23 NCAC 02E .0402.  To be eligible for approval, these work experience or clinical practice courses shall be required by a licensing agency or accrediting body.  Examples of student work experience include cooperative education, practicums, and internships.

(1)           Student membership hours for student work experience and clinical practice shall not generate budget FTE without prior approval of such activities by the System Office.  When the number of approved student work experience membership hours increases by more than 30 percent per course, a new request for approval shall be submitted.

(2)           Work Experience.  Work experience for extension courses shall earn budget/FTE at the 100 percent rate for student membership hours, as required by a licensing agency or accrediting body.  These classes shall be coordinated by college personnel paid with college instructional funds and may be located in one or more sites.

(3)           Clinical Practice.  Clinical practice, as defined in 23 NCAC 01A .0101, refers to clinical experience in health occupation courses which shall earn budget/FTE at the 100 percent rate for student membership hours, as defined in Subparagraph (a)(3) of this Rule, and shall not exceed a licensing agency or accrediting body requirements.  These classes shall be supervised by college instructors who are qualified to teach in the particular program and who are paid with college instructional funds.  These classes may be located in one or more sites.

(e)  The Adult High School Diploma work experience shall not exceed 160 hours per student.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 115D‑5; S.L. 1995, c. 625;

Eff. September 1, 1988;

Amended Eff. September 1, 1993;

Temporary Amendment Eff. June 1, 1997;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2004; August 1, 2000; July 1, 1998.