.- Come together: liT he university charter specifies thai;~ daily chapel service be held with attendance mandatory for students taking more than eight credit hours a semester. Services last 30 minutes and always include a devotional period and announcements of general interest. The planned programs are designed to stimulate students' intellectual, religious, social or aesthetic development. " - Harding Handbook, 1979-80. According to President Oifton L. Ganus Jr., "The long range purpose of chapel is to help develop the climate of opinion on campus. I think this is one thing about a Christian school that sets it apart and makes it different and better in many respects." According 10 the Handbook, 1. Students with eight unexcused absences must see the appropriate official in the Student Personnel Office to explain his absences. 2. Students with ten unexcused absences will be placed on chapel probation. Parents will be notified. Chapel probation 1. ADDRESSING the first assembly of the entire student body, faculty and staff since 1965, President Clifton l. Ganus Jr. speaks in the Benson Auditorium January 10. 2. EXAMINING the merits of the new facility on the first day of chapel are sophomores Terri Johnston and Perry Johnson. means: (a) a student forfeits his opportunity to represent the university in extracurricular activities; (b) it may be carried over into the next semester with from 0-8 absences allowed for the following semester; and (c) in the semester following probation if a student exceeds the number of unexcused absences allowed he may be asked to withdraw immediately. 3. A total of 14 unexcused absences will mean that a student will be subject to suspension from school either immediately or the following semester. If the student is a senior in his last semester his graduation may be delayed. 4. A student who is consistently on chapel probation may be asked not to return for one or more semesters. Until this year, chapel met in two assemblies at 11,00 and lIAS a.m., alternating with lunch periods. Typical programs consisted of preachers or other speakers visiting the campus or faculty members, and slide shows were often presented by campaign groups or departmental clubs. In past years, selected students were invited to give "senior speeches" during the spring semester before graduating. Drama groups such as the Troubadors performed from time to time, and for each of the queen contests, nominees were presented in chapel, where elections were heJd. The assembly served as a forum for discussion of current issues such as ERA Reactions to the fall's makeshift chapels and the economic situation as it affected the American free market. Wednesdays were reserved for announcements by dubs, organizations and anyone else with information of interest to a significant segment of the student body. Junior Rhonda Cash commented, "If for no other reason, I've always hated to miss chapel because if I am there, I know what is happening on campus." Summarizing the year where chapel was concerned took only a word - Benson. Weather not suiting construction defied the ~administrative hopes for a single assembly to open the university year. When students poured into the campus for August registration anticipating a completed Benson Auditorium, they were more than a little disappointed. The only alternative short of complete reorganization of the schedule was to keep the single chapel period; thus, policymakers planned three assemblies to accommodate the students. The solution was not ideal, but it worked as a temporary arrangement. Juniors and seniors met in the New Gym and sophomores in the American Heritage Auditorium. Freshmen, transfers and some students of other classes met in the Main Auditorium. 'This semester was an unusual situation. We didn't want to divide it up into three (assemblies) but we didn't lit
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