Attendance Requirements
All full-time undergraduate students (including residents and commuters) are required to attend chapel three times a week. No student is automatically excused from chapel for any reason without petitioning through the Office of Chapel Programs. You may choose from any of the following experiences.
Chapel credit is offered for these seven experiences only:
- 9:30-10:20 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday in Upper Turner Campus Center (UTCC) and the Felix Event Center
- 9 p.m. on Wednesday nights in UTCC (Kalɘo)
- 9:30-10:20 a.m. on Friday mornings in Munson Chapel (International Chapel)
- 9 p.m. on Thursday nights monthly (Liturgical Chapel)
For Seniors Only
- 9 p.m. on Monday nights in UTCC (Senior Chapel)
Personal Absences
Personal absences are granted each semester, and students must use these absences to cover any and all unforeseen personal circumstances that would cause them to miss chapel throughout the semester. Brief illnesses, personal travel days, employment or graduate school interviews, studying, tardiness, etc. are all classified as personal absences. Regular chapel attendees (those who must attend three chapels a week) are allowed 10 personal absences per semester. If you are regularly excused from one chapel per week, you will be allowed seven personal absences per semester. If you are regularly excused from two chapels per week, you will be allowed four personal absences per semester. Once you have reached your limit of personal absences, any further unexcused absences will immediately result in Chapel Probation.
Excusable Absences
Excusable absences may be granted for severe conditions or special situations which temporarily affect chapel attendance. Written verification is required for excusal. Examples of absences which may be excused include hospitalization, family funeral, extended illness, or mandatory court appearances. Excusal for other circumstances of a similar nature will be excused at the discretion of the Chapel Programs office. Class trips or faculty-sponsored activities are excusable absences. It is the student’s responsibility to request a letter from the professor (prior to the event) and notify the Chapel Programs office. This letter must include the time and date of the event, and the name and ID number of each student attending. Chapel attendance is the student’s responsibility. Students are expected to keep track of their own absences. As a convenience, students may check their attendance on their Cougar’s Den account (formerly üdeupa); however, students are ultimately responsible for keeping a record of their attendance. Cougar’s Den is updated daily at midnight, so attendance for a specific chapel may not be reflected until 24-36 hours after that chapel. Students have two weeks to provide verification for any excused absence or to address any attendance discrepancies.
Heath Center Excuses
- Excusable absence
An excusable absence may be given by the medical doctor or the lead nurse practitioner. - Documentation to Chapel Programs
An excusable absence may be submitted to the Office of Chapel Programs within two weeks of the date on the date on the paperwork provided by the Health Center. - Extended Excuse Period
An extended excuse time period may be determined by the medical doctor or the lead nurse practitioner (not a nurse). - Medically Excused Absence
An excusable absence begins the day of the office visit with the medical doctor or lead nurse practitioner. - Retroactive Excuses
If an excusable absence is requested, students must request the documentation at the time of the office visit. Retroactive excuses will not be extended by the Health Center.
Questions
Students must call the Health Center for any health-related questions. Students must call the Office of Chapel Programs for any attendance-related questions.
For more information about chapel attendance, please contact the Office of Chapel Programs at chapel@apu.edu.
