Policies and Procedures

Spiritual Formation

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Overview

Faith is woven into daily life at ACU – from Bible classes to service opportunities to informal chats with professors. Because communal spiritual formation is an essential part of this faith foundation, ACU undergraduate students must meet specific spiritual formation requirements. 

The Spiritual Life Office and individual students are expected to work together to maintain the integrity of this requirement. The Spiritual Life Office provides a flexible structure that equips students to explore all they are called to be. 

Spiritual Formation Requirements

All full-time (enrolled in 12 hours or more) undergraduate students under age 25 must attend approved spiritual formation events each semester.

Requirements follow a tiered system based on your number of years at ACU. Each spiritual formation event is worth 10 points. 

  • Year 1: 400 points per semester (3 events/week on average)
  • Year 2: 350 points per semester (3 events/week on average)
  • Year 3: 300 points per semester (2 events/week on average)
  • Year 4: 250 points per semester (2 events/week on average)

Transfer students will have the highest requirement (400 points) for their first semester. After they have met that requirement, in subsequent semesters, they will have a requirement equivalent to their classification.

A list of approved opportunities can be found in the Compass app or on the Spiritual Formation Events Calendar.

 

Spiritual Formation Opportunities

Chapel in Moody Coliseum

Monday and Friday | 11-11:30 a.m.*

*Chapel will not take place on university holidays (Labor Day, Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Spring Break, Good Friday).

Small Group Chapels

Small group Chapels of all sizes and interests are available.

  • Tuesday-Friday | 11-11:30 a.m.
  • Any day of the week outside of the 11 a.m. hour.

A detailed list of these events can be found on your Compass app or the SFE Calendar.

Opening Assembly

On the first day of classes each fall semester, the official Opening Assembly for the university takes the place of Chapel.

Record your Attendance

Attendance for Chapels hosted in Moody Coliseum are registered by tapping your student ID card on a card reader found located around the venue before and after Chapel.

  1. Scan between 10:30 and when Chapel begins
    and
  2. Scan after the Chapel has concluded (by 11:35). You cannot scan until the speaker’s benediction has ended.

You will not receive credit if you tap in late or tap out too early.

Attendance for Small Group Chapels are registered by scanning a QR code provided by the leader of that Chapel with your Compass app.

Students are responsible for monitoring their Spiritual Formation points through the Compass app or their myACU portal.

Students clap and sing during a praise day Friday Chapel.

Contact the Office of Spiritual Life

Students who have questions or concerns regarding their point balance are encouraged to contact us or visit the Office of Spiritual Life.

Phone: 325-674-2407
Email: chapel@acu.edu
Location: McGlothlin Campus Center, Room 42 (lower level) 

Exemption Requests

Exemptions may be granted in certain situations. Students who meet the exemption criteria are welcome to apply.

Criteria to Qualify for Exemption

  1. Students have a job (on or off campus) that prohibits them from attending Chapel during the 11 a.m. hour.
  2. Students are volunteering (on or off campus) at a time that prohibits them from attending Chapel during the 11 a.m. hour.
  3. Students have a doctor’s or therapist’s note excusing them from Chapel requirements based on mental/physical/emotional health.

Important Exemption Reminders

  1. The Spiritual Life Exemption online form must be completed.
  2. Students requesting an exemption must submit a new exemption request each semester.
  3. In order to receive the full number of exemptions, the exemption must be processed by fall break (fall semester), by spring break (spring semester) or within two weeks from the start date of any reason given for the exemption.
  4. Students must submit the required documentation/evidence of the reason for the exemption (a letter from the new employer on company letterhead, doctor’s note, etc.).
  5. Failure to submit an exemption request by the appropriate deadline may result in a student’s failure to earn enough points for the semester.
  6. Students with approved exemption requests received by the deadline of the semester will be given exemption points if they are approved, bringing them closer to the required 500 points.

Chapel Accountability Policy

Upon completion of each semester, students who have not attained their required Spiritual Formation points for their first time, will have committed a Chapel Violation. If this is not the student’s first time failing to attain the required points, then the student receives Chapel Probation.

Students with Chapel Violation will be required to:

  1. Sign a Chapel Violation Contract
  2. Attend a Spiritual Life Town Hall Meeting during the first week of school the following semester
  3. Earn their required number of Spiritual Formation points in their next semester.
  4. Complete Chapel Violation Canvas course by Fall Break during the fall semester and Spring Break during the spring semester. Failure to complete the Canvas course will result in being placed on Chapel Probation for the following semester.

A student who does not complete all of these items, or fails to achieve their required number of Spiritual Formation points in any future semester, will be placed on Chapel Probation.

Students on Chapel Probation will be required to:

  1. Sign a Chapel Probation Contract
  2. Attend a Spiritual Life Chapel Probation Town Hall Meeting during the second week of school
  3. Earn the required number of Spiritual Formation points in their next semester. Students on Chapel Probation will not move down a tier in Chapel requirements. So, for example, if a student is placed on Chapel Probation at the end of their first year, they will still have 400 points required for the next semester.
  4. Complete Chapel Probation Canvas course by Fall Break during the fall semester and Spring Break during the spring semester. Failure to complete the Canvas course will result in being placed on Chapel Conduct Probation for the following semester.

In addition to being on Chapel Probation, a student will not be able to participate in the following activities:

  • Sing Song
  • Study Abroad
  • Leadership positions in the following areas:
    â—‹ Student Productions
    â—‹ Student Organizations
    â—‹ Sororities or Fraternities
    â—‹ Student Leadership Roles

Students can apply for an appeal if unforeseen circumstances such as family and medical emergencies keep them from their requirements.

A student who does not complete all required actions, or fails to achieve their required Spiritual Formation points in any future semester, will be referred to the dean of students, will be placed on Conduct Probation, and will be required to fulfill all requirements of probation or risk being suspended from the university.

Students on Conduct Probation will be required to:

  1. Sign a Conduct Probation Contract
  2. Attend a Conduct Probation Town Hall Meeting during the third week of school
  3. Earn 500 Spiritual Formation points in their next semester

In addition to being on Conduct Probation, a student will not be able to participate in the following areas:

  • Sing Song
  • Homecoming Parade and organization breakfasts/events
  • Study Abroad
  • Intramural sports
  • Leadership positions in the following areas:
    • Student Productions
    • Student Organizations
    • Sororities or Fraternities

Students placed on Conduct Probation can appeal the decision to the Vice President for Student Life.