Attendance Verification
Faculty: Using the Engagement Roster
To remain in compliance with federal regulations, San Diego State University must determine if a student maintained eligibility for Title IV Financial Aid. Financial Aid eligibility is determined based on a student's attendance or participation in an academically related activity in the class.
Instructors of all courses will use their choice of the engagement verification methods to indicate which students have attended class or engaged in an academic activity; this is to be completed within five days after the schedule adjustment deadline each term.
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will utilize the roster/participation data to adjust financial aid packages as required by Department of Education* policy.
Instructors must verify which students have participated in academic activity no later than five days after the schedule adjustment deadline each term. They may choose one of the two methods below that best supports the structure of each course they are teaching.
- Canvas-based verification: build an interactive, grade-optional “check in” Canvas assignment (such as a syllabus quiz, comment, message to instructor, etc.) in each course with a due date on or before the schedule adjustment deadline each term.
- my.SDSU-based verification: log into my.SDSU to complete the Engagement Roster for each course within five days of the schedule adjustment deadline each term. Student engagement shall be indicated if a student completes an academically-related activity.
Students can demonstrate their engagement in a course by completing a variety of academically-related activities, including:
- Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students
- Submitting an academic assignment
- Taking an exam, completing an interactive tutorial, or participating in computer-assisted instruction
- Attending a study group that is assigned by the school
- Participating in an online discussion about academic matters
- Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course
Students are notified of the importance of attending classes at the start of the semester beginning at their orientation, and through messaging from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services and Office of the Registrar.
Students who do not attend the first class session of a course and who are not present at the start of the second meeting may be administratively dropped from that course within the first eight class days of the semester. Students who do not meet the prerequisite requirements can also be dropped within the first eight class days of the semester. Any student administratively dropped during this period will be notified at their SDSU email of the action. Not all instructors will drop students who miss the first class session or for lack of prerequisites. Students are responsible for all classes on their schedules and should check their schedules regularly to ensure accuracy.
- Identify students who may be in need of an intervention from an academic advisor or other staff resource.
- Support the academic success of students.
- Identify "no-show" incoming students and disenroll them before census.
*The policy was presented to the University Senate in February 2021 and accepted as an information item. The U.S. Department of Education requires institutions to return funding from Title IV financial aid programs no later than 30 days after the institution becomes aware that a student who has received aid will not or has not begun attendance or participation in an academic activity. The Secretary of Education considers that a student has not begun attendance in a payment period or period of enrollment if the institution is unable to document the student's attendance at any class during the payment period or period of enrollment (34 C.F.R. § 668.21).