Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service

STUDENT SERVICES

JOB INFORMATION

The Commonwealth Institute maintains a list of prospective employers concerning job positions for students and graduates, for both full and part-time employment. Additionally, prospective employers are invited to attend the Open House held at Commonwealth Institute approximately one month before each enrollment and conduct interviews at that time. Many requests for employment are filled each year. If you would like assistance in obtaining employment please send a one-page résumé to Commonwealth Institute. Your résumé will be maintained for thirty days and sent to prospective employers. Commonwealth Institute does not guarantee employment to any student or graduate, as this is a decision which must always be made between employer and prospective employee.

HOUSING

Commonwealth Institute does not provide on or off campus housing. Several apartment and townhouse complexes are located within the same office park as the campus of Commonwealth Institute. Current information on nearby housing is available by contacting the Registrar. In addition, the Houston area newspapers carry a comprehensive listing of available housing. Commonwealth Institute does not provide any type of housing. Students must make their own arrangements for housing, and Commonwealth assumes no responsibility for any problems between landlord and student.

HEALTH

Students are encouraged to carry proof of insurance to facilitate hospitalization in the event of an emergency. Commonwealth Institute does not provide insurance or medical care for students. Commonwealth Institute recognizes the importance of meeting the guidelines set forth by OSHA and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) with regard to Universal Precautions, and endeavors to comply with all regulations. These regulations are intended to keep individuals as safe as possible from infections resulting from the handling of remains. Therefore, all human remains shall be handled as if they are infectious cases, and Universal Precautions are to be practiced on all cases.

Students are advised to consult their personal physician concerning preventative vaccination and susceptibility testing. A vaccine to protect the individual against infection by the Hepatitis B virus is available for individuals at risk of directly contacting blood or body fluids. This vaccine, administered prior to exposure to the virus, consists of a series of three injections given over a six month period.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

The National Funeral Service Honor Society is represented on campus. The purpose of the honor society is to offer service and leadership to Commonwealth Institute as well as promote academics and fellowship among all students enrolled at Commonwealth Institute.

Honor Society members sponsor study groups, assist as hosts at graduation and other college functions, and assist Commonwealth Institute’s recruiting efforts. Membership, by invitation, is open to both men and women with a GPA of 3.5 or higher for any grading period. Dues and other criteria are set by the honor society.

A faculty member is assigned as an advisor to the honor society. Activities vary from year to year. Events are planned with the student body’s interests and schedules in mind. All activities planned by the honor society are to be coordinated through the faculty sponsor with approval from the administration.
A Student Council is an active organization that represents the student body of Commonwealth in promoting an excellent student environment. The Student Council is composed of two students from the spring class and two from the fall class. Additional ad hoc members include two members of the Board of Regents and the President of Commonwealth Institute.

The McEnany & Moen Academic Achievement Award is presented to the member of the honor society who has shown the greatest improvement in grade point average during the academic year. The award is named in honor of the charter President and Dean of Commonwealth Institute.

The Mourtuary Science Club plans social activities throughout the school year promoting friendships among our students.

LICENSURE

There are no uniform licensing laws governing funeral service in the United States, each state sets its own requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that licensure requirements have been met. Questions concerning individual state requirements should be directed to the licensing authority in the state(s) in which you intend to practice. Addresses of the licensing authorities may be obtained from the Institute.

Some state licensing agencies require a prospective student to notify the agency prior to enrollment in mortuary college, as well as completion of premortuary college educational requirements.
Some states bar applicants with misdemeanor or felony convictions from licensure. In most instances these matters are handled on a case by case basis. Prospective enrollees who may be affected by this should clear this matter prior to seeking enrollment by communicating directly with the state funeral service licensing agency.

Special note to those students seeking licensure in Texas:

The state regulatory agency is the Texas Funeral Service Commission, 333 Guadalupe Street, Tower 2, Suite 110, Wm. P. Hobby Building, Austin, Texas 78701, 1-888-667-4881

Texas requires applicants for licensure to be 18 years of age, hold a high school diploma or GED certificate, graduate from an accredited mortuary college, minimum score of 75% on the National Board Examination, minimum 75% on the Texas Funeral Law Examination, and a period of provisional licensure following mortuary school for a minimum of 12 consecutive months in which the provisional licensee must perform 60 cases under the direct supervision of an approved funeral director and/or embalmer, followed by an exit interview.

Special note to those students seeking licensure in Louisiana.
The state regulatory agency is the Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, 3500 N. Causeway Boulevard, Suite 1232, Metairie, LA 70002
(Mailing address is: P.O. Box 8757, Metairie, LA 70011), phone (504) 838-5109.

Pursuant to Louisiana statute R.S. 37:842 B, an applicant is qualified for licensure in Louisiana as an embalmer and funeral director if he/she:

1) Is a resident of Louisiana, and eighteen years of age, or at least eighteen years of age and legally emancipated.
2) Is found by the board to be of good moral character and temperate habits.
3) Has served as an apprentice for a period of not less than one year in the state of Louisiana.
4) Has paid the application fee required by Louisiana law. (See Louisiana Statute R.S. 37:845.)
5) Is a graduate of a high school as evidenced by a diploma.
6) Has successfully completed a full course of not less than fifteen full months in the science of embalming at an accredited school of mortuary science or funeral service recognized by the board.*
7) Passes successfully an examination conducted by the board to practice the science of embalming as defined in Louisiana law. (See Louisiana Statute R.S. 37:831.)

* Students who desire to be licensed in Louisiana, in addition to the twelve months currently offered at Commonwealth, must complete an additional “full quarter” of study. Commonwealth will recognize and accept hours only from state accredited universities, colleges, and community colleges under guidelines of SACS accreditation or the equivalent thereto. Graduates of Commonwealth Institute’s Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service program meet the 15 month requirement.