Students are expected to attend every class they are registered for, unless there are valid legal reasons for absence. Limited absences due to illness or other justifiable causes are allowed, but students should not have more unexcused absences than the number of course credit hours. Exceeding this limit may lead to a reduction in course grades or expulsion from the course. Additionally, unexcused absences may result in the student being placed on academic probation.
IGSB students come from diverse backgrounds in terms of age, previous employment, church affiliations, and nationalities, which enriches the community and fosters a supportive environment. This diversity allows for valuable exchanges of perspectives, helping students strengthen one another through prayer and mutual support.
IGSB is committed to maintaining high standards of integrity across all aspects of life, including academics, ministry, and community relationships. In line with these goals, faculty and governing committees expect students to uphold strong standards of faith and to exercise wise judgment in their personal conduct. Students should demonstrate maturity in Christ, love for each other, consistent patterns of devotion and service, and responsible use of Christian liberty.
All members of the IGSB community are expected to comply with local laws. Faculty, staff, and students must refrain from using illegal drugs or consuming alcohol as a condition of their employment or enrollment. Immoral, illegal, or disruptive behavior will lead to dismissal. This expectation of integrity extends to academic conduct as well, prohibiting all forms of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism.
These values outline what we expect every member of the online community to protect and promote and apply to any student taking online courses. Quality learning requires an environment of engagement, inquiry, and support. IGSB is committed to the flourishing of all students who participate in our programs. IGSB Online Community Values (IOCV) are designed to promote this goal among students, staff, and faculty. All who enroll in, support, or lead courses are required to promote and protect these values throughout all aspects of our programs.
Respect
We are a community that values learning among the culturally and theologically diverse expressions of the church. As an online network, we are able to select an intentionally diverse community that will shape the way we train for ministry. We realize that along with the opportunity to engage different cultures and beliefs, greater diversity can also challenge us to show trust and mutual respect in new and unfamiliar scenarios. As members of IGSB community, we agree to promote empathy and excel in honor and respect for everyone we come into contact with during the program. We expect students to affirm and respect the differences displayed across students, staff, and faculty in all communication and collaboration. Bias, prejudice, and disrespect have no place in our learning community.
Humility
The process of quality learning happens in a community that values free expression, inquiry, and a safe environment to explore ideas. Online communication can make it easier to overemphasize our own perspective. As members of the IGSB community we will assume the best about each other’s communication, seek clarification where valuable, and support one another in processing and developing their ideas rather than enforcing our own conclusions. We expect students to pause, listen, learn to ask great questions, promote others’ perspectives, practice challenging our own conclusions, and promote dialogue rather than monologue in all mediums.
Stewardship
We are committed to handling sensitive personal information with care and confidentiality. Information about our ministries and peers must be treated as confidential both in and outside the classroom. Students should share personal details discreetly to foster a supportive learning environment. Maintaining integrity with sensitive information is crucial, and all program tools are designed for security. Sharing details about others outside small groups is prohibited without explicit permission. Students must also refrain from sharing written or visual materials from our platforms without approval from Online Learning staff. This ensures a safe atmosphere for all, especially those in sensitive environments.
Our Commitment to One Another
We are each personally responsible to act with honesty and integrity and are accountable to integrate these community values into every aspect of our IGSB experience. Failure to promote and protect any of these values may be grounds for immediate removal from the program, upon the evaluation of the IGSB Online Learning Team and the Student Development Office. If staff, faculty, or students feel these values are being compromised in any place in the program,
they are equally responsible to report their concerns to the IGSB Online Learning Team. Our students, staff, and faculty create an environment of productive and healthy learning when we hold one another accountable to these values as we grow personally and prepare for ministry to the church and world.