Attendance Policy
Attendance at all class sessions, field education hours, faith-sharing groups, community chapels for Core students, and retreats is expected. The adult learning model for curriculum delivery practiced by NES makes classroom attendance all the more important. Emergency situations are the only exception, in which case students are responsible to notify their instructors or supervisors in advance when possible. Students are responsible for all missed class material and must make up any time lost in field education and faith-sharing groups and students should not expect faculty to provide a review of material missed. A student who misses more than 20% of the class sessions for a course will receive a grade of “F.” Students are also advised that excessive class absences, whether excused for emergency reasons or unexcused, may negatively affect evaluation and continuance in a given course.
Policy for Attendance at Faith-sharing Group Sessions
Faith-sharing groups are an integral part of the personal and spiritual formation program requirements at Northeastern Seminary. Northeastern takes seriously its mission to prepare men and women for Christian service spiritually as well as academically. Attendance at all faith-sharing group sessions (six in each Core course), including the opening new student spiritual retreat experience, is essential to a student’s successful completion of the Core curriculum. Students cannot miss more than one faith-sharing group session in each Core course (PSF 511—514NE) and still earn a passing grade. Tardiness will count against the attendance requirement.
The faith-sharing portion of PSF 511—514NE begins with the new student spiritual retreat. This is incorporated into the two-day new student orientation held prior to the start of the semester. Please note that failure to attend the new student retreat will result in delaying a student’s entrance into the NES program. After the retreat, faith-sharing groups will meet six times in each Core course for the duration of the Core curriculum. A schedule of these is provided in your semester Core calendar.
If through an unavoidable circumstance a student must miss or will be late to his or her faith-sharing group, it is the student’s responsibility to call his or her faith-sharing group facilitator in advance or as soon as possible afterward to the explain the absence. Written policies are on file regarding the consequence of failing to fulfill this or any other academic requirement at NES.
All-Seminary Retreat Attendance Policy
The All-Seminary Retreat is an important annual event in the life of the seminary. It is the one time during the academic year when all NES students, staff, faculty and administrators have the opportunity to be in one place, and intentionally to set aside a day to step out of their normal routines to enjoy the presence of God and one another together.
All NES students are expected to participate in the annual retreats during their seminary tenures, and alumni are invited to do so. Students should plan to attend the All-Seminary Retreat as part of the seminary experience.
Students will have a required assignment related to the All-Seminary Retreat during each BHT Core course that occurs during the fall semester. Other courses may also have class assignments related to retreat participation.