Chapel Exemption & Policies FAQ

Earning Chapel Credit

Students will earn chapel credit by checking in on the official AU student app for Android or iPhone. After downloading the app, students must use their AU  “anderson.edu” RavenMail email address to create an account and sign in.

Once in the app, tap Enter Code and input: GRD4

Download the iAttended app now

Chapel Exemption Form

Submit a Chapel Exemption Form through ETrieve in your AccessAU account. 

Chapel Policies FAQ

Who must attend Chapel?
All full-time undergraduate students (12 hours or more) must attend chapel.
How many attended chapels are required?
The Chapel-Convocation attendance policy is based on the attending 2/3 of the regularly scheduled Chapel-Convocations each semester. There are no less than 27 regular opportunities and therefore the requirement is 18 credits. If you have a legitimate reason for not being able to earn the required 18 chapel credits, you may consider pursuing a Chapel-Convocation Exemption.
What happens if a student doesn’t make the required number?

A student will be placed on chapel alert for a first offense and will be required to participate in community support meetings. Students with a second consecutive offense will be placed on chapel warning and required to participate in individual support activities. If the chapel requirements have not been satisfied for a third semester, the student is placed on chapel probation and a monetary fine of up to $250 is assessed. A student who does not satisfy chapel requirements after being on probation will be placed on chapel suspension and will be suspended from the university for a designated period of time.  

What happens if a student drops to part-time during the semester?

For any student dropping to part-time while living in a residence hall, the attendance requirement remains 18 credits. For students commuting or living off-campus the requirement of 18 will be calculated to two-thirds of those chapels the student was eligible to attend prior to dropping to part-time. The date of the change in the registrar’s date will be the basis for recalculating the attendance requirement.

What should a student do who has a legitimate, ongoing reason to miss chapel?

There are two ways to fulfill the chapel attendance requirement, either attend 18 or more chapels or file a chapel exemption form in a timely manner and receive an exemption if appropriate. Common reasons for pursuing a chapel exemption are working 30 or more hours per week, working during the chapel hours, commuting from outside the city limits of Anderson with no classes on Tuesday or Thursday before 1 p.m., or an internship/practicum.

What happens if a student forgets to turn in a Chapel-Convocation Exemption form on time?
Since exemptions are only recognized for future dates and not applied retroactively, you will be required to earn the adjusted chapel credits or you will face Probation or possibly Suspension.
What if a student has a job that affects Chapel?
Students who document and submit the proper paperwork regarding their employment can be exempt based on:

  • Consistently working 30 hours or more per week.
  • Working during the Chapel Hour on either a Tuesday and/or Thursday.

There are no on-campus jobs, aside from Chapel usher, that should hold working hours during the Chapel hour. All offices except for the Welcome Center are closed during this time.

Do commuter students need to attend
Exceptions are made for students who commute from home (living with parents) who:

  • Live outside the city limit, and
  • Have no classes on either Tuesday and/or Thursday before 1 p.m.
What if a student has a practicum or is student teaching during the Chapel hour?
The School of Education will provide the Chapel Attendance office a list of those students who are Student Teaching. Those students who participate in a practicum will need to provide the Chapel Attendance Office a copy of their practicum schedule signed by the co-operating teacher that accompanies the Chapel-Convocation Exemption form.
What happens if a student gets caught trying to “scam” the Chapel Attendance Policy?
Conduct related to chapel attendance is considered by the university judicial code as one of the following:

  • 4.11  Violation of Published Rules
  • 4.22  Misuse of University Documents
  • 4.43  Furnishing False Information
  • 4.44  Contempt
  • 4.46  Other Misconduct

Sanctions will apply to those found in violation.