A student must complete the Religious Accommodation Form and turn it to their instructor(s) two weeks prior to the requested accommodation. A student who submits the Form less than two weeks prior to the requested accommodation must show good cause for the late submission and the late submission itself may be taken into account in determining whether granting the request would create undue hardship.
The instructor and the student should discuss what a reasonable accommodation should include. At a minimum, reasonable accommodations must provide that the student who is absent on days of examinations or class assignments due to a religious observance will have an opportunity to make up the work, without penalty, unless granting the make-up opportunity would create undue hardship.
If the instructor and student agree upon a reasonable accommodation, the accommodation is then documented and shall be implemented.
If the instructor denies the student request for a reasonable accommodation, or only agrees to provide an accommodation that is unsatisfactory to the student, the student and the instructor will meet with the Dean. If the parties cannot reach a consensus, the student may file a written appeal directly to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs (VP) within three (3) business days after the meeting with the Dean. The VP shall meet with the student, instructor and Dean and hear from all parties regarding the student’s requested accommodations and make a written determination regarding the student’s request. The student may appeal the VP’s decision to the President within three (3) business days of receipt of the VP’s written determination. The President will conduct a review and, at the President’s discretion, hear from the parties. The President will render a final decision. Where a timely request is made by the student but denied by the instructor, the appeal process shall be expedited as much as reasonably possible to ensure that a student pursuing a religious accommodation is not unduly disadvantaged by the passage of time.
Approved absences from classes or examinations for religious observances will not be counted against any course attendance requirements, but they do not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence. The instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete any alternative assignment or examination.
