Students
Reasonable accommodation of religious observances for students may involve decisions relating to admissions, extra-curricular activities, class attendance, and the scheduling of examinations and other academic assignments or requirements.
Whenever possible, students shall seek opportunities to attend or take part in religious events or obligations on dates or at times that do not interfere with scheduled classes. When this is not possible, a student who is unable [because of the observance of a religious holiday] to attend classes on a particular day or days or at a particular time of day due to the observance of a religious practice, obligation, or holiday (holy day) shall be given an accommodation. This includes being excused from taking any examination or engaging in any study or other academic [work] assignments on such days or times unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.
It is the responsibility of students to communicate to faculty advance notice of absences to observe religious practices, obligations, or holidays. Notice in the first weeks of the course is strongly encouraged.
It is the responsibility of the faculty to make available to such students an equivalent opportunity to make up the examinations, study, or other academic work requirements which students missed due to such absences.
Faculty, staff and university officials will normally accept the sincerity of students’ professed religious beliefs.
If a student and instructor or staff member are unable to reach agreement on accommodation the student should contact someone with supervisory authority over the instructor or staff person who will assist the parties in reaching agreement.
Any student who feels that he or she has been unreasonably denied an educational or student employment benefit due to religious beliefs or practices should contact the Office of Equity and Affirmative Action.
University Employees
University employees, including student employees, needing to observe religious practices, obligations, or holidays on days normally scheduled as work days shall be entitled to such days off from employment for such observances. Employees needing to be absent from work due to religious beliefs (or practices) will provide at least three weeks advance notice of such need to the employee’s supervisor. If, under the circumstances, the employee cannot provide three weeks of advance notice, the employee will provide as much advance notice as reasonably practicable under the circumstances.
Whenever possible, an employee who is responsible for teaching a class on a day the employee has requested to be absent will work with the supervisor to arrange for a substitute teacher.
Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible in the application of this policy and to make reasonable accommodations unless such an accommodation would result in ‘undue hardship’ in the conduct of university business.
The approval of the request for a religious accommodation shall not be dependent upon finding a substitute.
Religious observance days shall be taken without pay except where the employee has accumulated leave, and in that case such days shall be charged against the accumulated leave of the employee unless the employee is able to use compensatory time or a rearranged schedule in cooperation with the supervisor only as provided in the relevant bargaining agreement or policy.
The supervisor is responsible for encouraging an atmosphere of cooperation and accommodation among the faculty and staff members within the affected unit].
Any employee who feels that he or she has been unreasonably denied an educational or employment benefit due to religious beliefs or practices should contact the Office of Equity and Affirmative Action.
Notice
University Communications will provide, for information, a regular list of dates of the major religious holidays in the emailed version of the St. Cloud State TODAY newsletter. A non-exhaustive list is also available on the SCSU Interfaith Calendar Website (see Supporting URLs).