Distance Education
Welcome to Distance Education at Southside Virginia Community College. Here you will find links to information regarding cyber course requirements and a brief online self-assessment, called READI, to help you judge your readiness for online learning. Please read all information before registering for a cyber course. Academic advisors and counselors can also assist you in decision making regarding online education.
Students who register for cyber courses should be familiar with Blackboard, an online
course management system. If you need assistance with Blackboard, email blackboard@southside.edu. After logging in to Blackboard, you will find the online faculty email directory. Please contact your instructor(s) as soon as possible via your SVCC e-mail
account. Tell the instructor your name, the course for which you have registered, and
your correct SVCC e-mail address. Links to the courses are made available on the first
day of classes of each term. Plan to visit Blackboard as soon as classes begin to find your
course web site. To be successful, remember that it is the student’s responsibility to
email the instructor and log in to Blackboard to find the online course.
Cyber students must have a computer, Internet access, word processing software
(Microsoft Word is preferred) and be proficient users of both Blackboard and e-mail
accounts. Other technical requirements can be found at the Requirements for Taking Courses Online link below. Students who wish to use SVCC’s facilities for these requirements can travel to any campus or center to do so. Campus computer labs have posted hours and may require prior permission for night or weekend use. Please check to determine when campus computer labs or the campus library computers are available for use.
Students are responsible for submitting assignments and taking examinations
according to the instructor’s directions. Students must adhere to the conditions stated
in the syllabus regarding procedures for taking tests and examinations and/or performing
laboratory exercises. These conditions may require students to travel to a college
campus, another school, a public library, or other site to take tests and examinations
under supervision and/or perform laboratory exercises or field work.
Cyber Courses
VCCS Policy 5.6.0 Grading System for Credit Classes (SB)
In order to receive any letter grade, a student must have attended a minimum of
one class meeting or the equivalent in the case of a distance learning course. In
a distance learning course, initial student attendance is determined by course
participation as measured by accessing and using course materials, completion
of a class assignment, participation in a course discussion, or other evidence of
participation. Students who enroll in a course but do not attend a minimum of
one class meeting or the distance learning equivalent by the census date or
earlier date as defined and published by the institution must be administratively
deleted from the course by the college. Existing college policies regarding tuition
refund shall remain in effect. | 
