shellybean,

Chad's on-line courses were completed in June - a few weeks prior to his court. He has on-line documentation to prove it. I've seen it and was aware that he was taking the classes and had completed them prior to his even being called to attend a court.

If the Dean you are close to is telling you otherwise, he is miss-informed. Furthermore, I find it highly inappropriate that someone in his of position would break confidentiality and discuss such a matter with you or anyone not in a need to know position. If he has, shame on him. While it is the prerogative of Chad to discuss this matter with whomever he chooses, it is definitely not something the Dean should be discussing with anyone not directly involved, certainly not someone he is "close" to no matter how close.

Also, just because you have not had the experience of an excommunication being announced does not mean that it doesn't happen. I was personally present when the ex-communication of Mary Massung in Sandy was announced and we, as members were advised and warned to "avoid association" with her. We were told she had apostatized and was a "dangerous person".

My father was excommunicated in 1983 and his excommunication while not being announced in Sacrament meeting, was indeed announced in Priesthood meeting.

I suppose the matter of when the classes were completed will be made public soon enough.

Shellybean,

How utterly ignorant of you to make such assumptions and then publish them as if they were fact. As a close personal friend of Chad's and staying at his home the day the letter from BYU came, I can assure you that Chad had indeed completed the requirements for graduation prior to his church court and did not know that his diploma would be withheld, neither did his Advisor. In fact, when he called her (prior to receiving the letter), she did not know that the diploma was being held and had to "check into it" only to be told it had a "non-academic" hold. It was only after repeated calls to the BYU offices that the letter was finally sent - in mid-October. He walked for Graduation in August.
He was indeed excommunicated for producing the calendar as "conduct unbecoming a member of the church". The only other reasons stated were that he did not wear the temple garments and had not paid tithing, neither of which are ex-communicable offenses.
A little less judgment and a little more true Christianity would go a long way.