Chapel Attendance
Chapel services are held once each day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 10:05AM and 11:00AM in the Chapel Auditorium.
All students are expected to attend chapel. All resident students are required to attend. Attendance is also required for all full-time commuting students under 23 years of age with classes both immediately before AND immediately after the Chapel period (e.g., if a student has M,W,F classes at 8:55AM and 11:05AM, then that student is required to attend the chapel service offered on those days. Conversely, if the student has a class at 8:55am and their next class is not until 12:10PM, that student is eligible for a chapel exemption). NOTE: no student is automatically exempt from chapel attendance based on age or class schedule; Any commuter student wishing to apply for an exemption must complete a chapel exemption form for each semester in order to be officially exempted.
Students are granted a total of six unexcused chapel absences per semester. These unexcused absences may be used at the student's discretion. Additional excuses will not be granted for non-emergency illness, medical appointments, or appointments with IWU faculty/administrators. Students are encouraged to exercise wisdom when using their allowed absences. Seniors desiring to be excused for senior development activities must complete an Excused Absence Request with the Office of Student Engagement. It is the student's responsibility to provide the Dean of the Chapel's Office with the documentation received from Student Engagement. If approved by the Dean of the Chapel's Office, up to two senior development absences per semester may be excused. Excuses for personal hospitalization, or death of a family member must be submitted to the Student Engagement office.
Attendance for Chapel is registered as students exit the auditorium at the end of chapel. A student must be prepared to scan his or her ID card upon exiting to be counted present. Attendance s not registered for any student scanning out early. All students must arrive to chapel by 10:15AM to receive credit.
Attendance credit will not be given to students without student IDs. Students who forget or lose their student ID card will be able to receive credit - one time per semester - by submitting detailed notes of what happened in chapel, (including an outline of the message if appropriate) to the Office of the Dean of the Chapel located in the Chapel Auditorium. To receive credit, chapel notes must be submitted within 24 hours of that specific chapel date. if a student ID card does not scan properly, stop by the Dean of the Chapel Office to report the problem immediately.
Students are expected to be reverent in chapel. Discourteous and distracting behavior is not expected or tolerated. Students are encouraged to refrain from studying or using electronic devices for purposes other than participating in worship (i.e. scripture and note taking). Men and women are expected to adhere to the dress code outlined in the Student Handbook. Food and drinks are not permitted in the auditorium. Above all, you are expected to come prepared to encounter God.
Attendance Integrity
Students who attempt to defraud the chapel attendance system in any manner have committed a serious integrity violation. A student who falsifies his or her chapel attendance in any manner will not receive credit for the falsified chapel and will be required to meet with a representative of the Office of the Dean of the Chapel. Upon determination of a violation, a report will be sent to the Director for Student Conduct & Community Standards.
Attendance Exemptions
A Chapel Exemption Form must be completed and approved by the Office of the Dean of the Chapel within for those students who will be consistently absent from chapel due to student teaching, work schedules (must obtain supervisor’s signature), practicum, or internship opportunities relating to the student’s major area of study. Students granted exemption for one day a week will be allowed four absences per semester and students granted exemption for two days a week will be allowed two absences per semester. Students are strongly encouraged to submit exemption requests within the first 3 weeks of the semester to avoid complications with his or her attendance record. Please NOTE: Commuter students who meet the requirement for a chapel exemption must apply for a chapel exemption as no on is automatically exempt from chapel.
Chapel Accountability
Students are responsible for monitoring their own Chapel attendance online through ‘DataConnect’ on the IWU Portal.To check your chapel attendance record, first go to the Spiritual Life tab on the home page, then click on "Chapel" in the drop-down menu. On the left side of that page is a link labeled "chapel forms and attendance." Click this link and then choose the "chapel attendance" link in the center of the page to view your record (Click here).
If there is a discrepancy, students may challenge their attendance by e-mailing chapel@indwes.edu and providing full details about the particular chapel service. Once approved, updates or changes are processed in 2 working days on average.
At midterm of each semester, students will receive an email if they have reached four or more unexcused absences. Students who exceed the allowed chapel absences will be notified of such at the end of each semester. These emails may be sent to advisors, coaches, music directors, etc.
Students who exceed the allowed chapel absences for the semester will be required to make up chapels through the following process: listen to two chapel recordings and complete two forms to make up one excessive chapel absence. Recordings from the current semester or the semester during which the absences occurred will not count toward chapel make-ups. recordings are available online via the chapel page on the IWU portal. Makeup forms are processed in 2 working days on average. Note that delays are possible during holidays/breaks, May term, and the summer months.
In addition, students who exceed the allowed chapel absences for the semester will be subject to the following:
- At the end of that semester a hold will be placed on his or her account until all excessive chapel absences are made up. Chapel holds from the Fall semester will prevent registration for classes for the following Fall semester. Chapel holds from the Spring semester will prevent registration for classes for the following Spring semester.
- A student who incurs a chapel hold for multiple semesters may be reported to the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards.
