Registration Policies

Open Enrollment

In accordance with District policy, all classes are open to enrollment and participation by any person who meets the academic prerequisites of the class and who is otherwise eligible for admission to Las Positas College.

Enrollment Limits

Students are cautioned that some classes and programs may prove to be so popular or so limited by physical facilities and/or availability of qualified instructors that all students who apply cannot be accommodated.

Student Success and Support Services (SSSP) - Priority Enrollment Regulations

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors approved changes that established system-wide enrollment priorities designed to ensure classes are available for students seeking job training, degree attainment or transfer, and to reward students who make progress toward their educational goals.

New students who have completed college orientation and assessment and who have developed education plans, as well as continuing students in good academic standing who have not exceeded 100 units, will have priority over students who do not meet these criteria. Among these students, active-duty military, veterans, current and former foster youth and homeless students will continue to have Level 1 registration priority for courses. Students in the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS and CARE), CalWORKs, and Disabled Students Programs and Services will also have priority.

Course Prerequisites

Students wanting to enroll in a course with a prerequisite must satisfactorily complete that prerequisite before they are allowed to register. A course has a prerequisite to ensure that a student has the appropriate body of knowledge to successfully take the course. Courses with a co-requisite require that a student either has taken the co-requisite before or is taking it at the same time as the courses.

Usually, a prerequisite is a course from a lower sequence of courses. For example: You may not enroll in Math 55 without first passing Math 65 with a “C” grade or better, or the equivalent. Usually, a co-requisite course is a lab or a course that provides supplemental instruction.

To see which courses have prerequisites and/or co-requisites refer to the individual course offerings in this Catalog or the LPC website.

Request for Course Substitution or Waiver of Program Requirement

Students who have had substantial prior experience related to the content of a college-level course, and who can present adequate evidence of their competence, may petition to have enrollment in that class waived without college credit for purposes of satisfying a program requirement. Courses considered for substitution must have been taken at an accredited institution. Petitions for course substitution or waiver of program requirements are available from the Counseling Center. Approval of the request by the Dean of Student Services is required prior to completing registration. Approval shall be based on the following criteria:

1. Adequate evidence of competence as supported by transcripts, statements of employers, military or technical school certificates, etc.
2. Statement from an instructor that the course reflects the appropriate subject matter and fulfills the necessary program requirements, and signature of the Division Dean to validate the course. Students shall be advised that courses waived receive neither unit nor grade credit and that other courses may be needed to satisfy the total number of units required to complete the program of study.

Classification of Students Based on Unit Load

The following classifications have been established based on unit load:

• Full-time student - Registered for 12 or more units
• Three-quarter time student - Registered for 9.0 to 11.5 units
• Half-time student - Registered for 6.0 to 8.5 units

Limitation on Unit Load

Eighteen (18) units per semester are considered to be a maximum load for a student. In order to take more than the maximum, an approval form must be obtained from a counselor. The College reserves the right to place unit limit restrictions due to fiscal constraints.

Course Conflict/Course Overlap

Students may not enroll in two classes that meet during any part of the same hour.

Withdrawing from Classes

Students are responsible for officially withdrawing from classes by the deadline date listed in the current Class Schedule. There is no automatic withdrawal process. Failure to follow the proper withdrawal procedures may result in a grade of “F”. Requests to withdraw from a class that are received by the “NGR” (No-Grade-of Record) deadline will not appear on a student’s academic transcript. If a student withdraws from a course after the “NGR” deadline but on or before the “W” (withdrawal) deadline, a “W” will appear on their transcript. A “W” notation will not affect the student’s grade point average; however, excessive “W” notations may affect: (1) progress status, (2) status as a full-time student, (3) eligibility for financial aid and other benefits, (4) athletic eligibility, or (5) ability to repeat a course (based on Title V regulations). Refer to the Class Schedule for important deadline dates.

Withdrawing from the College

Students who intend to withdraw from the College must initiate withdrawal procedures for each class in which they are enrolled. Students are held accountable for clearing all obligations with the College including fees, library books, equipment, and lockers. The deadline for withdrawal from classes with a guaranteed symbol “W” is Friday of the twelfth instructional week. Refer to the Class Schedule for deadlines.

Instructor’s Withdrawal Option

The instructor may drop students who miss the first meeting of a course. In addition, an instructor may initiate a drop if the student is absent for a total of four (4) consecutive or six (6) cumulative instructional hours and/or two (2) consecutive weeks of instruction.

Instructor’s Withdrawal Option: Distance Education

The instructor may drop students who miss the first meeting of a course. The first meeting of online or hybrid Distance Education courses is the first day of the class as specified in the Class Schedule listing. For these courses, instructor may drop students who do not log into their Canvas course and/or complete indicated activities by the third day of classes. Distance Education instructors may drop students if they have not submitted work and/or accessed the class for two consecutive weeks.

Repeating a Course

The College recognizes that the most recent completion of a course should most accurately reflect a student’s academic progress. Therefore, students may repeat for credit those courses taken for which grades of D, F, NP, W were received. The most recent grade (A, B, C, D, F, P/NP) received must be calculated into the GPA regardless of whether this grade is lower or higher than the original grade.

Effective Summer 2012, under the new Title 5 regulations, a student may only enroll in a course 3 times, through a combination of substandard grades (D, F, NP, or NC) and withdrawals (W). All prior course attempts at the ChabotLas Positas Community College District will count toward the limit. Students may seek approval to enroll in a course a 4th time through the petition process. The petition is limited to the following:

1. In extenuating circumstances, such as verified cases of accident or illness.
2. Due to a significant lapse of time (3 years or more) and:
   1. There is an established recency prerequisite established by the course curriculum; or,
   2. There is an established recency requirement as established by a transfer institution
3. In a variable unit or open entry/exit course that can only be completed once, but with multiple enrollments.
4. For cooperative work experience courses (up to 16 credit hours),
5. For special needs courses (continued need must be demonstrated for each enrollment).
6. When repetition of a course is legally mandated.
7. Where there is a significant change in industry or licensure standards.

When a student has repeated a course and earned a passing grade of A, B, C, D, or P, he or she may petition the Dean of Enrollment Services to count, for grade point calculation only, the most recently earned grade. The “Petition For Use Of Most Recent Grade in a Repeated Class” is available at the Office of Admissions and Records. Physical Education activity courses may not be repeated for a higher grade. Students are advised that both the original and subsequent grade will remain on their transcript and that in transferring to another institution, they may be held responsible for all units attempted.

Course Repetition: Special Circumstances

Students may not repeat a course in which they received a passing grade of A, B, or C. However, under specific conditions, the Dean of Student Services or designee may permit the repetition of courses for which a grade of “C” or better has been received. These conditions are:

• When the student’s previous grade is, at least in part, the result of extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are verified cases of accident, illness or other circumstances beyond the control of the student;
• When a student should repeat a course because there has been a significant lapse of time since the student previously took the course;
• When it is necessary to meet a legally mandated training requirement as a condition of continued paid or volunteer employment.

California Education Code (Title V, Section 55763) states that grades awarded for courses repeated under these specific conditions shall not be counted in calculating a student’s grade point average.

College Transcripts

Students who desire transcripts of their academic record must submit a written and signed request to the Office of Admissions and Records indicating the student’s name used while attending, SSN or W identification number, and the number of transcripts requested and name and address of the designated recipient. Transcripts are provided only in response to a written request and signed from the student. Official transcripts will be mailed directly to the designated recipient.

Copies of transcripts received from other colleges and universities cannot be forwarded to a third party. Students desiring such transcripts must request them directly from the issuing institution.