Undergraduate students are required to earn 55 Chapel Credits each semester which create a problem in an individual's academics and free will.

• Chapel credits create many problems within student's degree plan and academics. For example, nursing students are unable to attend chapel on most day's due to their schedule at hospitals.
• Chapel credits are forced upon students to, rather than to attend by choice.
• Sometimes, student's do not want to attend chapel, so they will swipe their id's but not attend chapel.
• Often times, students do not listen to the speakers in chapel and become more focused on their electronics.

Solutions

Solution 1: Student Life should reduce chapel credits to 25 allowing students to have a more flexible scheduled

Pros:

1. Students Will have a flexible schedule to plan for academics, and outside school activities
2. Students will be more engaged in chapel knowing the burden of Chapel Credits are not as high.

Cons:

1. Students Will not attend chapel to meet the minimum requirements for spiritual formation credits.

Solution 2: No attendance requirements for students to attend chapel Monday through Friday.

Pros:

1. Students will no longer feel forced to attend chapel while having more freedom
2. Students that are willing to engage in Chapel will attend

Cons:

1. Many students will not have a strong Christian foundation.
2. ACU would no longer have many of values they claim because of the role chapel played in the christian environment.

Counter Argument

Yes, In fact students will probably stop attending chapel, but the individuals that want spiritual formation reduced or no attendance requirements are the one's distracting other's in chapel along while using their electronic devices.

Best Solution

The best solution for Student Life, would to reduce the amount of spiritual formation credits for students to accumulate. Because this will allow students to have more time for academics. Furthermore, it will also allow students to not feel forced to go to chapel while feeling more engaged.

Call for Action

As a student at Abilene Christian University, Chapel should not be forced upon an individual because as adults we understand the importance of having a strong christian foundation. Furthermore, forcing an individual to attend chapel to participate in a activity thats against their denomination or religious background is simply not right. And by reducing the amount of required chapel credits or no attendance requirement will simply engage students more in a christ like environment.