Chapel Policies and Procedures

Chapel Attendance

Chapel Attendance

The entire IWU community is encouraged to participate in many spiritual formation opportunities throughout each week of the Fall 2020 semester. A community-wide chapel service will be streamed each Wednesday at 10am as we explore the story of God, engage in worship, and empower one another to lead lives of spiritual vitality. The feed can be accessed individually through iAttended or in various watch parties across campus.

All IWU-Marion, undergraduate, residential students and full-time, undergraduate, commuting students under the age of 23 are required to accrue a minimum of 15 chapel credits over the course of the spring semester. Students will accrue credits by attending/viewing any combination of the following.

1. Wednesday morning LIVE streaming Chapel (not available for credit after the 10a hour)
2. Small Groups approved through the Chapel Office
3. Faith Integration Groups offered through the Chapel Office
4. Small worship gatherings approved through the Chapel Office such as Awaken, Coram Deo, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, House of Prayer, etc.
5. Come & Go Communion offered monthly

Students are encouraged to approach these experiences prepared to encounter God. Students should refrain from studying or using electronic devices for purposes other than participating in worship (i.e. scripture, note taking, scanning for chapel credit, watching streams, etc).

Chapel credit accrual will be tracked through the iAttended app (available for both iOS and Android devices). Student codes or event codes must be scanned to receive credit for attendance and involvement. Late arrivals/early departures will not be given credit. Attendance credit will not be given to students who have lost or forgotten their device.

Students who do not own an individual device such as a smart phone or tablet need to contact the Chapel Office within the first week of the semester to make alternative arrangements.

Credit Events

Students can pick and choose from the following chapel credit options to accrue their 15 chapel credits:

STREAMING CHAPEL

Chapel will stream every Wednesday at 10am. Students can access the stream through the iAttended app or attend a watch party across campus. Space will be limited. Students must use the iAttended app to receive credit for attendance and involvement. Streamed chapel will not be available for credit AFTER the 10am hour on Wednesdays.

SMALL GROUPS

Students can sign up to be a part of a small group approved through the Chapel Office. Links to sign-up are available through iAttended, the Chapel portal page or through the @indweschapel Instagram. Students must use the iAttended app to receive credit for attendance and involvement.

FAITH INTEGRATION GROUPS

Students can also choose from an offering of four-week, medium-sized groups that will cover a range of topics like: how to study the Bible, dealing with doubt, faith and politics, dating and relationships, prayer and spiritual warfare. As space is limited, students must use the iAttended app to reserve a spot. Students must use the iAttended app to receive credit for attendance and involvement.

SMALL WORSHIP GATHERINGS

Students can engage in smaller worship gatherings approved through the Spiritual Formation Office such as Awaken, Coram Deo, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, House of Prayer, etc. Space is limited; students must use the iAttended app to reserve a spot. Students must use the iAttended app to receive credit for attendance and involvemenent.

COME & GO COMMUNION

One time per month, between 10am and 10:40am, the entire IWU community is invited to meditate on Scripture and receive socially distanced communion and prayer. Students must use the iAttended app to receive credit for attendance and involvement.

Attendance Tracking

Students are responsible for monitoring their own chapel attendance through the iAttended app.

Students will periodically receive courtesy chapel attendance credit updates from the Chapel Engagement Team. Total chapel credit counts and official chapel standing will be emailed to students at the start of finals week in each semester.

Attendance Accountability

After the Fall semester, any student who does not accrue 15 credits will have a chapel violation placed on their student account and will be notified via email of the violation. To resolve the chapel violation, a student must attend a Chapel Workshop and submit an online chapel attendance plan. (Failure to attend the chapel workshop or submit the plan will result in immediate chapel probation).

If a student with a previous chapel violation does not accrue enough credits in any semester following the chapel violation, said student will be placed on chapel probation for the entirety of a semester, and will be notified of the probationary status via email.  Chapel probation is a warning status into which a student is placed when the student is in jeopardy of suspension or dismissal from the University. Chapel probation may involve exclusion or removal from certain co-curricular activities or positions of leadership. The decision to exclude or remove a student from an activity or position is based on whether the office responsible for said activity or position has determined a student's role to be a Student Leader position or has other internal policies. A permanent record is kept in the student’s account and attendance information is available for advisors, coaches, music directors, etc.

If, while on chapel probation or in any semester following chapel probation, a student does not accrue enough credits in a semester, said student will be Suspended from the University, notified via a phone call and email from the Chapel Standing Committee. Undergraduate students suspended for chapel violations may reapply through Admissions Office after one semester away. Readmission is not guaranteed, however, the Chapel Standing Committee will review all applications. Students must complete the following to be considered for readmission:

1. Submit a letter stating intention to abide by University values and expectations regarding chapel attendance and participation.
2. Fulfill all other readmission requirements.

Students who wish to appeal the Suspension must complete the online Suspension Appeal Form within three days of notification of the Suspension (given in the final week of a semester).  The Chapel Standing Committee will review the request.

A student who flagrantly violates the chapel attendance policy with less than half the number of required credits may be placed on chapel probation without receiving a chapel violation. (“Flagrantly” is defined here not only in terms of total credits, but also in failure to respond to requests to address attendance issues.)

Chapel Credit Reductions

A student may be granted a reduction in the number of required chapel credits according to the chart below. Students in full-time student teaching, internships, studying abroad, in the final semester before graduation (with accepted application prior to the start of the semester), or over the age of 23 will be automatically reduced to ZERO required chapel credits. Commuting students working 30+ hours a week will need to submit a chapel credit reduction request on the chapel portal page.

Attendance Integrity

A student who falsifies his or her chapel attendance in any manner will not receive credit for the falsified chapel and may be required to meet with a representative of the Spiritual Formation Office. Students who attempt to defraud the chapel attendance system have committed an Honesty/Integrity violation (see the Student Handbook).