Lansing Community College
Procedure Details

Procedure Title: Student Engagement
Procedure #: AA.035
Revision #: 000

Unit Responsible: Provost's Office
Individual Responsible: Provost or designee

Effective Date: 11/21/2025
Initial Approval Date: 11/21/2025
Last Review/Update Date: 11/21/2025
Next Review Date: 11/01/2028

*Does this procedure support a Board Policy? Yes
If yes, identify: 3.170-Student Attendance

Board policies can be found at: LCC Board of Trustees Policy Page

*Does this procedure support HLC criteria and/or Assumed Practices? Yes
If yes, identify: 2A, 3A

HLC Criteria can be found at: HLC Accreditation Criteria
HCL Assumed Practices can be found at: HLC Assumed Practices

*Does this procedure support a State or Federal Regulation? No
If yes, identify: N/A

*Note: Standard Operating Procedures should be in furtherance of some LCC policy and/or accreditation criteria, even if the relationship is not direct. Assistance in determining this information can be obtained from the Academic Procedure Advisory Committee (APAC) and/or the Accreditation Liaison Officer.

Student Engagement, BP 3.170

1. Purpose

To ensure that faculty teaching credit-based courses, particularly via distance education, are engaging their students in regular and substantive interaction (RSI).


2. Scope

Applies to all faculty teaching credit-based courses, academic programs, and personnel responsible for maintaining and reviewing official syllabi.


3. Prerequisites

RSI between faculty and students is essential to distinguishing distance education (e.g.,  Online, Online Real-Time (ORT), Hybrid, Hyflex) from correspondence education. Distance education is eligible for Title IV funding due to the presence of RSI.

In accordance to the guidelines of 34 CFR 600.2, Lansing Community College (LCC) is approved by the Higher Learning Commission to offer distance education courses and programs (the highest level of approval).

34 CFR 600.2 provides definitions for academic engagement, distance education, substantive interaction, and regular interaction for institutions that desire eligibility to offer distance education supported by Title IV funds. In accordance with these guidelines, Lansing Community College (LCC) is approved by the Higher Learning Commission to offer distance education courses and programs (the highest level of approval).

LCC has determined that the guidelines for RSI in distance education are required for all course sections taught at LCC, regardless of modality.


4. Responsibilities

  • Course Information Management Team (CIMT) – Responsible for entering the standard “Faculty and Student Engagement” language in the course templates in Concourse, so the language is included in the section syllabi when the Director of Academic Operations (DAO) creates those syllabi.
  • Academic Program Faculty – Responsible for determining any program-specific requirements that exceed the minimums set by LCC – may be modality-specific.
  • Individual Faculty – Responsible for editing the “Faculty and Student Engagement” language to meet program requirements and tailoring any additional methods of engagement unique to their sections.
  • Divisional Syllabi Auditors – Responsible for ensuring that faculty have appropriately edited the “Faculty and Student Engagement” language in their syllabi.


5. Procedure

1.      CIMT will enter the standard “Faculty and Student Engagement” language in all course templates so that when the
         DAO creates the section syllabi, that language will be included prior to their release to faculty.

2.      Academic programs may identify the methods of engagement required of their faculty for each course, as
         determined by their program and/or academic division. These requirements may be modality-specific for courses
         which are taught in multiple modalities.

3.      When faculty prepare their syllabi, they will edit the “Faculty and Student Engagement” language to meet program
         requirements, and then add any additional methods of engagement they also intend to use.

Note: Faculty cannot require students to keep their cameras on during meeting times in distance education sections, even for
purposes of engagement, unless a student is giving a presentation or making a formal speech for a grade.

4.      At the beginning of each semester, the Divisional Syllabi Auditors will check course syllabi to confirm that the
        “Faculty and Student Engagement” language has been appropriately edited in each section.

.


6. Reference

Part 600 – Institutional Eligibility Under the Higher Education Act of 1965, As Amended 

 

Official LCC Language for Faculty and Student Engagement included in all course templates:

“Faculty and Student Engagement

 In this course, I will engage with you by providing grading and feedback xxxx business days after your assignments are due, responding to your emails within two business days and through the following methods of engagement.

·     Providing a regular schedule for submitting assignments.

·     Posting regular course announcements.

·     Utilizing technology tools, strategically and purposely, to improve the understanding of course topics (for example,
      presenting course materials using various techniques and approaches, including text, audio, video, or screen
      capture).

·     Creating assignments and activities that are engaging and relate to the learning outcomes of the course.

·     2 additional student engagement methods

(Faculty may add more ways of engagement.)”

7. Definitions

From 34 CFR 600.2:

Academic engagement: Active participation by a student in an instructional activity related to the student's course of study that--

(1) Is defined by the institution in accordance with any applicable requirements of its State or accrediting agency;

(2) Includes, but is not limited to—

(i) Attending a synchronous class, lecture, recitation, or field or laboratory activity, physically or online, where there is an opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students;

(ii) Submitting an academic assignment;

(iii) Taking an assessment or an exam;

(iv) Participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar, or other interactive computer-assisted instruction;

(v) Participating in a study group, group project, or an online discussion that is assigned by the institution; or

(vi) Interacting with an instructor about academic matters; and

(3) Does not include, for example—

(i) Living in institutional housing;

(ii) Participating in the institution's meal plan;

(iii) Logging into an online class or tutorial without any further participation; or

(iv) Participating in academic counseling or advisement.

Distance education: 

(1) Education that uses one or more of the technologies listed in paragraphs (2)(i) through (iv) of this definition to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor or instructors and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor or instructors, either synchronously or asynchronously.

(2) The technologies that may be used to offer distance education include—

(i) The internet;

(ii) One-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices;

(iii) Audio conference; or

(iv) Other media used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in paragraphs (2)(i) through (iii) of this definition.

(3) For purposes of this definition, an instructor is an individual responsible for delivering course content and who meets the qualifications for instruction established by an institution's accrediting agency.

(4) For purposes of this definition, substantive interaction is engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion, and also includes at least two of the following—

(i) Providing direct instruction;

(ii) Assessing or providing feedback on a student's coursework;

(iii) Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency;

(iv) Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency; or

(v) Other instructional activities approved by the institution's or program's accrediting agency.

(5) An institution ensures regular interaction between a student and an instructor or instructors by, prior to the student's completion of a course or competency—

(i) Providing the opportunity for substantive interactions with the student on a predictable and scheduled basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course or competency; and

(ii) Monitoring the student's academic engagement and success and ensuring that an instructor is responsible for promptly and proactively engaging in substantive interaction with the student when needed on the basis of such monitoring, or upon request by the student.