What is a religious accommodation?

A religious accommodation in the classroom is a change in school schedule or in the way assignments are customarily completed to enable a student to participate in his/her religious practice or belief without causing undue hardship or materially altering the course.

A religious accommodation could also relate to campus policies, procedures or practices pertaining to students, where, because of his/her religious practice or belief, the student was unable to meet a deadline.

What are examples of religious accommodations?

Accommodations might include excusing class absences, rescheduling an exam or giving the student a make-up exam, allowing an individual or group presentation to be delivered on a different date, allowing a student attend a different discussion section for the same class that week, adjusting a due date, or assigning the student appropriate make-up work that is intrinsically no more difficult than the original assignment.

Which religious holidays are accommodated?

Any traditional organized religious holidays (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism) or sincerely held religious, ethical or moral beliefs on other days of religious observance will be accommodated where reasonable, including holy days. An interfaith calendar of primary sacred times for world religions is available for guidance and planning purposes at www.interfaith-calendar.org. Faculty members may wish to consult such a calendar in advance for planning coursework, syllabus dates, and deadlines. This calendar may not include all holidays; and it is not intended to exclude any other days or occasions of religious observance.