Not enough Kudos could end in probation

Students not meeting semester Kudos requirements for the Ethos program could now face probation.

A full-time student at Oklahoma Christian University is expected to acquire 65 Kudos a semester under Ethos — the spiritual life program — which replaced traditional chapel requirements in the 2014-2015 school year.

“We expect for the students to get 65 [Kudos],” Associate Dean of Students Jeff Bennett said. “If they don’t get 65 and only get 60 to 64, then we will decide at our discretion what they need to do. Sometimes they will need to do something. Other people, based on their history and so forth, we may just forgive a couple of those.”

For a student that receives 50 to 59 Kudos, they will be put on up to four weeks of probation, or until they make up the missing requirements, whichever comes first.

A student that earns 40 to 49 Kudos will receive up to eight weeks of probation under the same format. Any student that does not obtain more than 39 Kudos will be put on probation for the full next semester without the ability to make up the outstanding credits.

“When a person is on probation, they cannot participate in student government as an officer, they cannot represent the university in public events – so sports, spring sing, or other activities that don’t get graded,” Bennett said. “They cannot participate in intramural sports. … If you’re a sophomore and planning to move to the apartments, you have to have one full semester without any disciplinary activity in order to move into the apartments on time.”

Other probationary disciplines for students living in the dorms include denied sign-outs (except to parents’ homes) and not being able to receive late extensions, according to Bennett.

Bennett said the new disciplinary system will replace systems that have been abused in the past, including podcasts and community service.

“I think the problem with the podcasts was abuse,” Bennett said. “This is something that we can kind of control and for people involved in club and sports, this gets their attention. Hopefully, we’ll have less people not getting what they need.”

Students that have work, class and other excuses still have the ability to lessen their Kudos requirements through an application to the Ethos office. The application can be found on the services page in MyOC.

When school approved events, such as athletic programs, conflict with Kudos approved events, it is the duty of faculty and staff sponsors to excuse student participants for these absences, Bennett said.

“Whatever kudos they missed because they were gone for school business, they get credit for that,” Bennett said. “So, it doesn’t count against an athlete if they’re going to athletic events. Their coach is responsible for making sure they get credit.”

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