Because La Sierra University is a Christian faith-based institution owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, corporate worship and fellowship is a major activity designed for spiritual growth. The University does not apologize for requiring its undergraduate students to attend these services and desires that students regard these programs to be significant spiritual and educational experiences of their Christian liberal arts education.

Therefore, all undergraduate students taking eight units or more (regardless of age) are required to attend. It is the students responsibility to keep track of his/her University Worship and Assembly attendance, as each student will be held accountable for all absences.

University Worship meets every week, except during University-approved breaks (Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, and Spring Break).

• Corporate worships will meet four times a quarter on Thursdays at 11:00 AM in the La Sierra University Church.
  
  
• Week of Spiritual Emphasis programs will held during Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters. Three meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, at 11:00 a.m. in the La Sierra University Church. Dates are printed in the University's calendar.
  
  
• Alternative worships (Breakouts) will meet five times a quarter at various times and locations. Each student is required to enroll in an alternative worship of his/her choice. Once enrolled, a student must meet with that worship group for the entire quarter. Students cannot switch groups during a quarter.

All freshmen will automatically be assigned to meet with their Mt. High Family Groups for the Fall quarter alternative worships.

Assembly Programs University assemblies are held five times per quarter on Tuesdays at 11:00 AM. Assembly programs are planned and coordinated by the Office of Academic Affairs. Dates and locations vary. Please check here for a current schedule.

Attendance Requirements
All undergraduate students (regardless of age) taking 8 units or more are required to attend University Worship and Assembly programs. See Exemptions and Exceptions,below.
Students are required to attend 14 of the 17 University Worship and Assembly programs scheduled each quarter.

Any student arriving more than 10 minutes past the starting time will not receive credit for that University Worship or Assembly program. Likewise, any student leaving prior to University Worship or Assembly program's dismissal will not receive credit.

Attendance for University Worship (UW) and Assemblies held in La Sierra University Church is registered by obtaining an attendance card from a University monitor between 10:50 and 11:00 a.m., completing the requested information on the card, and returning the card to a monitor within 15 minutes after UW/Assembly is dismissed.

Each individual student must turn in his or her card at the end of the program in order to be counted present. Attendance is not registered for any student turning a card in early.

Attendance for approved University Worship options or departmental assemblies is registered by cards or by signing in with the approved advisor. Sign-in sheets are processed within 24 to 48 hours after Student Life receives them from the worship coordinator.

Students are not permitted to hand in their card and not attend University Worship and Assemblies, or in the case of alternative University Worship, sign their name and not attend. Also, students turning in more than one card will not receive credit for any of the cards turned in.

Such offenses will result in probation upon the first occurrence and immediate citizenship probation upon the second.

The University no longer grants full quarter exemptions. All undergraduate students will be required to participate in the University Worship program. The University will permit students to apply for date-specific exemptions for the following reasons:

Students who have no class prior to 1:00 PM on assembly or corporate worship meeting days will automatically be excused for those meetings. However, all students will be required to participate in an alternative worship group (5 times a quarter).

Students fulfilling mandatory student teaching requirements, observation assignments, or internships. Please note: You will not be cleared if the department has not given Student Life prior notification.

Severe medical conditions that temporarily affects worship/assembly attendance. Condition must be verified in writing by an attending physician or from the campus physician.

Students away from campus on an authorized academic field trip. Please note: You will not be cleared if the professor has not notified us.

Family emergencies or unusual family occasions. Please come in to the Student Life Office within one week of the requested absence to be excused.

Student-parents who are responsible for caring for their child(ren) during the corporate University Worship/Assembly hour. However, students will be required to participate in an alternative worship group (5 times a quarter).

Graduate students, Evening Adult Degree Program (EADP) students, students who have already been awarded a bachelors' degree, and students taking less than 8 units are automatically exempt from attending the required University Worship/Assembly programs (although they are welcome to participate at any time).

Note: Work conflicts do not qualify as excused absences unless financial need can be demonstrated.

Exemptions for volunteer work, lunch, running errands, class meetings, homework, or other personal business may not be granted.

The UW Attendance Review Committee will review all petitions for exemptions and exceptions. In cases of private or other unusual circumstance, a student may petition directly with the Associate Vice President for Student Life to discuss having such absences excused.

Date-specific exemptions must be applied for within the first two weeks of the quarter. Requests are good for one quarter only. A new request must be submitted each quarter. Any exemption filed after this deadline is subject to a $50.00 administrative charge.

The process and required forms for exemptions are available on the University Worship and Assemblies web site

Beginning this fall quarter, Campus Ministries will provide opportunities for students to receive credit for a corporate University Worship program they missed. Students will be able to watch the video of a missed corporate University Worship program and write a one-page reflection paper. Video procedures and paper guidelines are available in Campus Ministries. Deadlines to completing the paper will apply.

It is the student's responsibility to treat UW as any other required class. Students can monitor their attendance records through their student access account on the web. If a discrepancy is noted, it is the responsibility of the student to resolve this discrepancy with the Office of Student Life.

Students who do not fulfill applicable requirements will be subject to a three-step compliance policy. The steps include: 1) Attendance Probation, 2) Citizenship Probation, and 3) a Dismissal/Reapplication to the University.<

1. Attendance Probation

A student choosing not to comply with the University&rsquo;s attendance policy during any given quarter will be placed on Attendance Probation. This probation serves as a disciplinary warning and will be documented in the students&rsquo; University Worship/Assembly Attendance file.

Students will be notified of their Probation by mail (to their permanent address) the week following the end of the quarter. This letter will include a copy of the University Worship/Assembly attendance policy for the student to review. A student may have his/her Attendance Probation status nullified after three consecutive quarters of compliance.

2.Citizenship Probation

If a student again violates the attendance policy during a future quarter, he/she will be immediately placed in the "Citizenship Probation" status.

Students who are on "Citizenship Probation" will have a discipline file on record in Student Life and be subject to all activity restrictions that apply.

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), La Sierra University is permitted to share student discipline files with school officials with legitimate educational interest; other schools to which a student is transferring (including graduate schools) and employers seeking recommendations (with student's consent).

Students can petition to have their "Citizenship Probation" status and discipline file expunged after three consecutive quarters of satisfactory worship attendance. Seniors violating this policy will be required to wait one year after graduation to request that their file be expunged. Petitions will be presented before the Student Life Committee for consideration

3. Dismissal/Reapplication to University

Students who continue to have excessive absences after being placed on "Citizenship Probation" will be required to re-apply for admission to the University. A personal interview with the Associate Vice President for Student Life will also be required before a student can register for classes.

The student who is under disciplinary review, and does not believe the disciplinary action is fair, has the right to request the Vice-President for Student Life in writing for the disciplinary action to be reviewed by the Student Life Committee.

Please refer to the Disciplinary Appeals Process as outlined in the Student Handbook (pg. 31).

One year from the date of the violation, a student who has had no further disciplinary problems may appeal to the Student Life Committee to have the matter expunged from their record.