Think twice before showing up late for Monday Chapel, because it could get crowded.

Dr. Schubert sent an e-mail to faculty and staff earlier this week expressing the expectation that faculty and staff will regularly attend Monday Chapel throughout the semester.

The e-mail expresses the significance of faculty and staff attendance at Chapel and announces a plan to make, “a new commitment to worship in Chapel as one body at the beginning of each week.”

Mark Lewis, assistant dean for Spiritual Life and Chapel programs, said they encourage faculty and staff to sit among the students, but also will reserve 340 floor-level seats in sections L and A for faculty on Monday only. Also only on Monday, 360 seats will be set up on the floor, 60 more than normal, and the lower half of sections O and S will be available to help provide more seating for everyone attending Chapel.

“I greatly appreciate the president’s call for faculty and staff to come one day a week,” Lewis said. “It acknowledges busyness while also acknowledging an important aspect of who we are as a university.”

The university always has been interested in effectively involving faculty and staff in Chapel, but it can be a challenge, Thompson said. However, he believes the the decision to encourage Chapel attendance on Monday makes it as convenient as possible for faculty and staff to attend.

Thompson said they expect that the majority of faculty and staff will be in Chapel on Mondays to participate in praising and worshiping and listening to speakers. He also said the arrangement could facilitate discussion of topics between faculty, staff and students.

“I hope that our faculty and staff have an additional way to interact with students, and I hope our students will be open and receptive to that critical mass joining us in that space, and that they will be respectful of that and engage.”