Co-Curricular Choices and Changes

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A Gathered and Growing Community
As part of earning an Andrews University degree, undergraduate students are expected to engage in out-of-class learning. This complements classroom education and allows students to document valuable experiences that can be shared with graduate schools and prospective employers.

Learning Outcomes. Co-curricular education targets learning outcomes in four areas.

• A Healthy U focuses on physical fitness, sustainable nutrition and personal wellbeing.
• A Successful U focuses on academic skills, creative capacities and career readiness.
• A Committed U focuses on faith development, spiritual support and Christian influence.
• A Better U focuses on cultural competence, service orientation and leadership development.

Together with the academic curriculum, these programs deliver the whole-person education at the heart of Andrews University’s mission.

Programs Offered.  Four types of co-curricular programs are offered:

1. Chapels meet every Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in the Pioneer Memorial Church and allow students to interact with a wide range of inspiring pastors, community leaders, authors, students and alumni.
2. Choices meet every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in a number of locations. These small to mid-size programs vary from week to week and include Academic Assemblies, Short Courses and AUSA Forums. Additionally:

• Residence Hall Choices occur throughout the week in the residence halls.
• Other Campus Choices include Friday vespers, student concerts and recitals, student gallery openings and approved educational programs planned by student organizations and campus departments.

3. Changes is a program that offers co-curricular credit to students who document and reflect on their involvement in leadership, ministry, service, professional or workplace opportunities. This is done by completing the Changes Form, located in the co-curricular education portal in OrgSync. One credit is given for each hour of involvement, up to a maximum of 10 hours per semester.
4. First 100 Days programs are designed for first-year students and include First-Year Seminar and Mentoring Group sessions held on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. during the fall semester.

Co-Curricular Fee. 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 $13 for every credit short thereafter. A maximum of $402 may be charged to traditional students and $142 to non-traditional students per semester. As an incentive for participation, this fee can be minimized or completely eliminated by fulfilling the requirement.

Attendance Requirement. Engaging in out-of-class learning is part of earning an Andrews degree. Co-curricular appointments should be treated just like classes when planning work schedules and overall academic load.

1. Traditional Undergraduates. All traditional undergraduates are required to attend 30 co-curricular programs a semester, meeting one minimum (below) as part of the total requirement.
   • Tuesday/Thursday minimum. Students must attend a minimum of 15 programs offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. co-curricular period.
   • The remaining credits can be invested in ways that best support your life and career goals. A maximum of 10 credits may be earned through experiential learning in the Changes program.
2. First-Year Students are new traditional students who have not attended a college or university full-time. During the fall semester, first-year students are required to attend nine First 100 Days programs, scheduled on Tuesdays during the 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. co-curricular period. These programs are part of the 30 co-curricular credits required for the semester but are in addition to the 15-credit Tuesday/Thursday minimum and do not count toward it.
3. Non-Traditional Undergraduates. Students 25 years and older or who are parents with a child in their care are identified as non-traditional. Non-traditional undergraduates are required to accrue 10 credits a semester, drawn from any of the available programs. They also have the option of viewing programs online and submitting a report in lieu of physical attendance. Parents under the age of 25 must present a copy of their child’s birth certificate to the Student Life office in order to receive non-traditional status.
4. Exempted Undergraduates. Marital status or work conflicts do not exempt students from attendance. However, if an undergraduate student is registered for 7 or fewer credits, pursuing a second bachelor’s degree or has 120 earned academic credit hours or more by the beginning of the semester, the student is welcome but not required to attend programs. Earned credit hours can be viewed using the University Academic Record link on the iVue page. Do not use the CAPP program to figure earned credit hours.

Co-Curricular Requirement At-a-Glance

Pass/Fail. Traditional undergraduates must complete at least 60 percent of the co-curricular requirement (18 out of 30 credits) in order to pass for the semester. Students who fall short of the pass level will be placed on co-curricular probation.

Co-Curricular Probation and Registration Hold. Students placed on co-curricular probation may have their registration put on hold if their participation does not return to a satisfactory level the following semester.

Absences. Absences due to occasional field trips, medical appointments, occasional illness or family emergencies will not be excused. Students should plan to offset these conflicts with attendance at other programs. Those who miss a Thursday Chapel program for one of these reasons may have the option to view a missed program online for credit (if it has been recorded). Please contact the Student Life office within one week after your absence.

Attendance Monitoring. Students are responsible for keeping track of their attendance throughout the semester. To access your attendance record, go to the Andrews Vault and click on “The Co-Curriculum.” If programs you have attended do not show up on your record, please report the program within 21 days using the “Missing Programs” link in your record.