1.5.2 - Observance of Religious Holiday

Xavier University is committed to respecting cultural and religious diversity. Therefore, faculty members and students should make reasonable efforts to provide alternative means to meet academic requirements when conflict arises between religious observances and those requirements. Whenever feasible, students should be given an opportunity to make up, within a reasonable time, any academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances. Similarly, faculty members also retain the right to religious observances and, therefore, faculty members may reasonably alter the traditional schedule of class meetings, assignments, and other academic events.

If religious observance will cause a student to be absent from class or otherwise affect their ability to complete academic assignments, they must notify the instructor in advance and make necessary arrangements to complete the entire course.

It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor of any intended absences for religious observances in advance, preferably at the beginning of each semester (i.e., prior to the end of the 3rd class session). This notification should occur in a mutually convenient and confidential manner. Prior notification is especially important in connection with examinations (in-class and take-home) and other major course requirements. Students are advised that proper accommodation requires the student to complete the entire course; therefore, accommodation does not include the elimination of a portion of the course material. Faculty members need not consider extended travel in order to accommodate religious observance.

If a faculty member must alter classroom expectations and assignments due to their religious observance, they should give students advance notice of at least one week and make accommodation for the additional conflicts these changes may cause. Such accommodations may include altered assignments, deadlines, and activities and should be included in the syllabus where possible.