Chapel Requirements
(Policy 2.23)
Chapel programs at Blue Mountain Christian University are considered an essential part of the Blue Mountain Christian University experience. As a part of implementing its Christian mission, the University designs chapel programs to enhance a student’s spiritual growth and development. Because of its significance in the Christian learning environment, chapel attendance is carefully monitored with high expectations for behavior conducive to worship.
Attendance Requirements for Chapel. Chapel is held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00 AM. All degree-seeking undergraduate students who enroll for 12 or more semester hours of credit are required to attend chapel. All resident students are required to attend chapel. Graduate students are not required to attend chapel. Students must have their I.D.’s scanned at the end of chapel in order to be counted present for chapel. Students who do not have their I.D. will be counted absent. Students must be in the auditorium no later than 10:10 a.m. to be counted present. Students are allowed (6) six chapel absences each semester.
Students must have a (P) grade in each semester of attending Blue Mountain Christian University before graduation. BMCU administration may temporarily alter Chapel Requirements in response to a campus emergency. Alterations will be posted on the University's website.
Students are allowed six chapel absences each semester. These six allowed absences will not be used in determining the chapel grade. Students who are absent on the seventh absence and every absence thereafter, will pay a $50 fine. (Students missing more than the six allowable absences must pay their chapel fine(s) before a grade is determined.) Students are not, however, allowed to miss any of the following special programs: Convocation, Founder's Day, Ministerial Alumni Day, SBA Installation, and Awards Day. The dates for these special chapel programs are posted on the University calendar. Missing any of these chapels will result in a $50 chapel fine.
Chapel Attendance Exceptions. Exceptions to chapel attendance requirements are made on a semester-by-semester basis for any of the following circumstances:
- Non-Resident students who have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays only or do not have any classes before 12:30 p.m. on the Monday-Wednesday-Friday sequence;
- Students with jobs (must present a letter from an employer who requests that the student be excused in order to work);
- Students who are engaged in the Internship in the Elementary School or Secondary School;
- Students enrolled in a 3-credit hour departmental internship during the junior or senior year are exempted for 2 out of the 3 chapels per week provided the internship site is at an off-campus location;
- Students who exceed the sixth allowed chapel absence while participating in a University-sanctioned event;
- A Blue Mountain Christian University graduate who returns as a student.
Students requesting chapel exemption must fill out a chapel exemption form on the student portal or University website. The Office of Student Life will notify the student by email if he or she is exempt from chapel for the semester.
Credit for Chapel. Attendance is checked at each chapel and a passing (P) or failing (F) grade that reflects a student’s attendance is recorded on the student’s transcript at the end of each semester. Chapel grades, although appearing on the student’s transcript, will not carry any credit nor will they affect the student’s grade point average. Based on attendance, grades are assigned for chapel according to the criteria below.
Students who miss no more than the six (6) allowed chapel programs or services during a semester will receive a passing (P) grade.
Students who miss more than the six (6) chapel programs or services during a semester will receive an failing (F) grade. However, students can have the grade of F removed, along with chapels fines* (see below) removed from the student's account by attending a specific amount of make-up chapels. These are announced by the Office of Student Life.
*On the seventh absence and each absence following, a $50 fine will be assessed to the student's account and must be paid by the end of each semester.
If a student goes over the number of allowed absences, and attends up to (3) chapel make-ups, the fines will be removed as well as the grade of F. A student who goes over the number of allowed absences and does not attend the chapel make-ups, will be required to pay any fines to have the grade of F removed.
Students should complete the requirements for the excessive chapel absence during the semester in which the absence occurs. However, students currently with holds on their accounts due to Chapel absences should follow the procedures for clearing the absences which were in force when the absence occurred.
If a graduating senior has a grade of failing (F) due to chapel fines, his/her diploma will be held until the fines are paid.
Satisfactory chapel attendance is a graduation requirement.
A student who earns a failing (F) chapel grade in chapel and does not continue to be enrolled at the University must complete the requirements for removal of the unsatisfactory (U) grade before, if accepted, being re-admitted.
Expectations for Behavior at Chapel. Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately during chapel. Communication devices must be turned off and caps and hats are always removed before entering the auditorium for chapel. Activities such as eating food, drinking, talking, studying, text-messaging, or sleeping are unacceptable. Students are to respect the guest speaker and musicians by refraining from any of the above.