Oregon State University does not require that professors take attendance; however, the U.S. Department of Education nevertheless requires (34 CFR 668.22) the Office of Financial Aid to determine if a student who receives financial aid and fails to earn a passing grade in a course has actually attended and/or completed the course, or if they withdrew from a course without providing the university official notification. In addition, for students who officially withdraw we are required to document that they also began attending the course(s) from which they withdrew in order to determine the type and amount of financial aid they may be eligible to retain. Because a student could be a financial aid applicant at any point during the academic year, we must collect this information for all students, so that financial aid eligibility can be accurately determined.

F grades, N (no pass) grades, I/N and I/F grades require a last date of attendance.

Who must provide the Last Date of Attendance information?

Since the instructor is the only person at the institution who can document whether a student attended class or participated in an academically-related activity, this documentation must come from the instructor.

If you do not take attendance, you should provide the date of the last known academically-related activity. Definition of Academic related activity is below.

Indicate the student did not attend. According to federal regulations 34 CFR 668.21(c), the student is considered to have not begun attendance if the institution is unable to document the student’s attendance.

Indicate the student did not attend. According to federal regulations 34 CFR 668.277(I)(7)(I & ii) if there is no documented attendance or academically-related activity, you must identify that the student “Never Attended”.

If attendance is not taken, provide the date of the last academically-related activity. Definition of Academic related activity is below. The student is considered to have not begun attendance if the institution is unable to document the student’s attendance. 34 CFR 668.21(c)

Online course CRNs are set up to end on the last day of Dead Week or tenth week of the term, online course CRNs do not include the final exam week because online courses do not require a physical space on campus for the exam date and time. Therefore, if a student attended the online course, participated in final exam and still received a non-passing grade, the last date of attendance would be the last day of Dead Week, or tenth week of the term.  The dates entered in grade book as the last date of attendance for online courses that are after the tenth week will not be accepted by the system.

Last date of attendance can be corrected through the change posted grades feature.

Yes. Please indicate either the last date of attendance. If attendance cannot be documented through actual attendance records, your memory of the student’s attendance or an academically-related event, you must report that the student never attended. 34 CFR 668.21(c)

34 CFR 668.22(c)(3)

34 CFR 668.22(l)

The last activity may include, but is not limited to:

  • Class attendance.
  • Turning in a class assignment.
  • Taking an exam, tutorial or computer-assisted instruction.
  • Attending a study group that is assigned by the institution.
  • Participating in an online discussion about the course.
  • Initiating contact with a faculty member regarding the course material.

Academically-related activities do not include:

  • Living in institutional housing.
  • Participating in a school’s meal plan.
  • Logging in to a distance education course without any other active participation.
  • Academic counseling or advising.

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