What you need to know about the upcoming logistical changes with NGU chapel
Mary Margaret Flook, Staff Writer
Monday morning at 10 a.m., the chapel doors open as the student body gathers for a time of worship and the Word. Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. the chapel doors open again. In the fall, more doors may be opened for students as the structure of chapel will be changed.
On March 30, there was an email sent out to students describing upcoming changes occurring with chapel. What are these changes? What is the purpose behind these changes?
Chapel is a graduation requirement at NGU, occurring twice a week. Chapel has been a half credit class, affecting both credit hours, class schedules and GPA. A student’s grade in chapel is determined by their attendance. A student must attend 22 chapels to earn an A in the class or attend more than 15 chapels to pass the class. Students have been required to pass chapel all 8 semesters to fulfill this graduation requirement.
Beginning in the Fall of 2023, chapel will remain a graduation requirement, but the requirements will be different. It will be a “pass or fail” class that requires a total of 18 attendances to pass one semester. Seven semesters of chapel will be required for graduation, which will leave one semester free. In addition, chapel will be a zero-credit class that will no longer affect credit hours or GPA.
Students who fail chapel for a semester will have to use their “free” semester to fulfill the graduation requirements. Failing more than one semester of chapel will result in a make-up assignment.
Jody Jennings is the vice president of campus ministries and student engagement. According to Jennings, one factor that led to this change in chapel requirements is cultural events. Jennings said that a number of years ago, cultural events made a shift to become a “pass or fail” class. Cultural events require four semesters to meet the graduation requirement. Because chapel did not also change its’ structure, it led to some confusion.
Chapel was the only class outside of “regular academics” that held a half-credit value. Jennings said sometimes that half-credit class would push students into overload, which could impact financial aid, their schedule and even graduation.
According to Jennings, this chapel change will enable students to have a semester off of chapel which will encourage students to take part in internships.
This change may also help student-teachers not have to enroll in online chapel. Jennings said that he does not want to prevent a student from serving in an internship, rather he wants to encourage them to.
Despite these changes, the focus of chapel remains the same. According to Jennings, chapel will remain a priority, and the goal is to improve chapel. Jennings said, “We’re not backing down from chapel.” Instead, Jennings said they are making it possible for students to get internships without extra hoops to jump through.
According to Jennings, chapel has several purposes. It is a place where students can connect personally with God and be encouraged in their faith. It is a place of corporate gathering. And it is a place where the culture of the university is shaped.
The structure of chapel may be changing, but the purpose remains the same.
