Chapel Credits: Fair or Unfair?

Anyone who is a student at Andrews University is well aware of the co-curricular and chapel credits that are required for all students. According to the Andrews University student handbook, traditional residence hall students are required to have a total of 30 credits of co-curricular activities. Twelve of those credits are chapel credits, twelve are co-curricular credits, and the remaining six are residence hall credits. Within the student body, there are numerous conflicting opinions regarding this topic. There are those who believe that co-curricular and chapel credits are a fair and valuable part of Andrews University’s curriculum, but there are also those who believe that they are unfair and unnecessary. I spoke with some students to find out their opinions on this topic.
Within the opinion that co-curricular and chapel credits are unfair, there were several main reasons that were continuously stated. The first of those reasons is that requiring students to attend chapels is a violation of religious freedom. Although this is a Seventh-day Adventist university, there are students of many faiths that attend. Our student body is comprised of a diverse and varied population of many different religious identities such as Seventh-day Adventist, Christian, Muslim, Non-denominational, Atheist, and many others. Some students believe that students who do not identify with the Seventh-day Adventist religion should not be required to attend Seventh-day Adventist worship services if they do not wish to. Religion is a deeply important aspect of many people’s lives, and every religion has its own practices and traditions. Requiring a student not of the Adventist faith to participate in a Seventh-day Adventist worship service brings about the possibility that a student would have to participate in something that is not in alignment with their own beliefs and methods of worship. One student that I spoke with, Lianna Glass (sophomore, visual communications), said, “No, chapel credits are not fair. I shouldn’t be forced to worship in a certain way.” Everyone has their own personal relationship to God and should be allowed to worship God in whatever way they see fit. So, to some students, university-mandated worship services are a violation of their religious freedom.
The second reason that many students stated was that they believe that required co-curriculars are a distraction from their studies and academic life. According to the Andrews University Academic Bulletin, the minimum number of credits for a full-time undergraduate student is 12 credits, and depending on what their major is, they could be taking anywhere from 4 to 6 classes. This typically ensures a heavy workload of homework and additional studying to maintain a passing grade in each of their classes. Some students believe that adding an additional 30 credits of co-curricular and chapel credits does not allow them to properly use their time to the fullest extent and that co-curricular events are filling space that they could use for homework or for studying. One student that I spoke with said, “[co-curriculars] make me waste time on things that aren’t schoolwork. A lot of them feel unnecessary for me to spend time on. I could just do homework or something instead.” Additionally, attending required co-curricular activities or chapels can make it difficult for students to get to their following class. Usually, scheduled chapels end at 12:20, so if a student has a class at 12:30 on the other side of the campus, there is a good chance that they will not make it on time to their class, especially since after a chapel or co-curricular the sidewalks are crowded with students who are trying to get to their next class as well. Students could potentially be late to their class multiple times a week and miss valuable instruction time through no fault of their own.  A student that I spoke with said, “I understand that as college students, we are going to be busy, but this added layer of co-curricular makes it even more difficult to have time for anything else.” So, for students who have been late to their classes because of a chapel or co-curricular, the requirement is a frustrating disruption to their academic life.
The third reason that many students stated was that they believed that charging students an extra fee for missing co-curricular or chapel activities was unfair. The Andrews Student Handbook states, “A co-curricular fee is assessed at the end of each semester. This fee accumulates based on nonattendance. There will be a fee of $25 for the first credit short of the required number and $15 for every credit short thereafter. A maximum of $460 may be charged to traditional students and $160 to non-traditional students per semester.” (Undergraduate Co-Curricular Policy, andrews.edu) Some students believe that charging a fee for nonattendance is unfair, especially since many students are already paying a lot of money to attend Andrews University, and adding additional fees only adds more financial stress on them and their families. For many people, college is a considerable financial burden, so charging an additional fee of up to $460 for non-academics will only exacerbate their difficult situation. One student I spoke to said, “Students are forced to choose to study, eat, or go to a chapel, or else they will be fined.” Being financially punished for prioritizing school work or personal health doesn’t seem fair to students who are dedicated to their academics. Another student that I spoke to said, “Some of us are already paying thousands of dollars. Paying extra fees is impossible for some of our circumstances. If the school wishes to require co-curriculars, students should be rewarded for going rather than penalized for not going.” Another student that I spoke with, Helena Hilton (sophomore, dental hygiene), said, “What if someone wasn’t able to pay those fines because they didn’t have the finances for it? If they want students to attend they should use positive incentives to get people in chapel rather than taking money away from students.” Some students believe that charging a fee for missed co-curricular activities or chapels is an unfair and inconsiderate practice that negatively impacts many students.
On the other side of the debate, there are students who believe that required co-curriculars and chapel credits are a valuable and important part of the Andrews University experience. One of the reasons that students I spoke to gave for their support of the co-curricular program was that requiring students to attend chapels is a good way to ensure that students are participating in the religious resources offered on campus. Some students want to participate in chapels and other religious activities but are so preoccupied that they would forget to attend if they were not required. Other students also believe that required chapels are a helpful tool to help them manage their time and stay active in the religious aspects of their college experience. One student I spoke with said, “I enjoy that the co-curricular credits give me a reason to go to vespers. I feel I would not take advantage of all the spiritual opportunities at school if I had no reason to go.” The life of a college student is a busy one and with all of the responsibilities that come with it, it can be hard to set aside time for God. So, for some students, having university-mandated time set aside for worship and fellowship is a resource that they cherish and appreciate.
Another reason that the students I spoke with gave for their support of the co-curricular program is that it helps to develop a campus community and helps students make friends. Entering into a new environment can be frightening, especially when you don’t know anyone else there. Having required events where you are exposed to new people can be a helpful way to make friends and find a sense of community. A student that I spoke with said, “For students who spend a lot of time in their dorm room it can be a really good opportunity to get out and see new people.” A lot of people are introverted, so for introverted students who have a hard time initiating situations of socialization, co-curriculars provide an opportunity for them to go and interact with other people. Co-curricular activities put you in situations where you are able to interact with students that you have never met before but they can also help students to see their friends that they don’t see often. A lot of students have friends who are not in the same major as them and don’t have any classes with those friends. With the busy schedule that each student has, it can be hard to meet up with friends who don’t share similar schedules, but co-curricular activities give you a chance to see those friends and spend some time with them. A student that I spoke to said, “I enjoy going to co-curriculars because it gives me the chance to see my friends that I don’t have classes with. It gives us a set time. We’re all busy so it’s nice to have this one chance where we all have to be there so we’ll see each other.” For many students on campus, co-curriculars and chapels are an opportunity to see the friends they don’t often see.
The third reason that the students I spoke with gave their support for the co-curricular program is that since this is a Seventh-day Adventist campus, it should be expected that there would be requirements for Seventh-day Adventist worship services. Before a student applies or registers to be a student at Andrews University, they are able to view the requirements for academics and co-curricular activities and can determine if they are comfortable with those requirements. One of the students that I talked to said, “This is a private religious campus. Everyone here was informed of this school's religious affiliation so it should not come as a shock that some religious events would be required.” To some students, chapel credits are an obvious requirement for a Seventh-day Adventist campus and are a valuable part of the Andrews experience. Andrews University’s motto is “Corpus, mens, spiritus” which means body, mind, spirit. The focus of this institution is not only to help students grow academically but also spiritually, so including required chapels along with required academic classes follows the motto that has been in place since the University was founded in 1874. The mission statement of Andrews University is “Seek Knowledge, Affirm Faith, Change the World,” and so some students view the required chapels as a way of fulfilling that mission and helping students grow spiritually.
Through my interactions with the students on the Andrews University campus, I determined that there are many different opinions about the co-curricular program. There are those who believe that requiring chapel and co-curricular credits is fair and there are those who believe it is unfair. There is no correct all-encompassing opinion for this situation. However, while I was speaking to my fellow students, I was reminded that everyone has their own perspective on every situation and that it’s important to be respectful of people who may hold perspectives that oppose our own. It’s vital that when sharing our opinions on a topic like this we do so with respect for others and we listen to the opinions of others so that we can work together to find a solution that is right for everyone.