The GCC English department accepts its responsibility to foster student habits which result in academic and professional success—regular attendance, promptness, and personal integrity.  Therefore, we encourage our instructors to communicate these expectations by syllabus and in one-to-one conversations with students as necessary.

When these expectations are not met, we support our colleagues who adhere to the following:

• Students who accumulate more than the equivalent of two weeks of unexcused absences will be dropped. Dropped students will not be reinstated.
• Chronic tardiness and/or early departures will be penalized.
• Late work will not be accepted.
• Cell phones should be turned off and out of sight.
• Plagiarizing or cheating on minor assignments will result in a 0.
• Plagiarizing or cheating on major assignments will result in class failure.
• Students who do not withdraw themselves by the student-initiated deadline will be given the grades they earn.

Individual instructors may enact more severe penalties.   On the other hand, realizing extraordinary circumstances do arise, exceptions may be made for students in communication with their instructors.

For additional clarification, consult the catalog/student handbook and the English department plagiarism policy, both available in print and online.

May, 2004