Religious Observances

• Instructors should outline course obligations, dates and foreseen calendar of examination(s) as early as possible on course syllabus. Instructors should instruct students to inform them of any conflicts in accordance to the Accommodation of Religious Observances policy.
• Course instructors are strongly encouraged to make reasonable accommodations in response to student requests to complete work missed by absence resulting from observation of religious holidays. Such accommodations should be made in ways that do not dilute or preclude the requirements or learning outcomes for the course.
• Course instructors should bear in mind that religion is a deeply personal and private matter and should make every attempt to respect the privacy of the student when making accommodations (for example, it is not appropriate to announce to the class that a student is doing a presentation or making up an exam at a later date because of their religious observance). Course instructors should not ask a student for proof that their religious practices or beliefs are sincerely held or for determining a religious accommodation.
• Examples of religious accommodations include: rescheduling of an exam or giving a make-up exam for the student in question; altering the time of a student’s presentation; allowing extra-credit assignments to substitute for missed class work or arranging for an increased flexibility in assignment due dates.
• The student should be given the opportunity to complete appropriate make-up work that is equivalent and intrinsically no more difficult than the original exam or assignment. Students who receive an exemption on religious grounds cannot be penalized for failing to attend class on the days exempted. The instructor may, however, appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete any alternative assignment or examination.
• If there are concerns about the requested accommodation, the instructor should consult their department head or dean for assistance and determination of whether a reasonable accommodation can be provided. If an agreement cannot be reached after consulting with the department head (or dean) the matter will be referred to the Dean of Student Affairs or designee, who will make the final determination following consultation with the Office of the General Counsel.

College of DuPage is deeply committed to supporting its religiously diverse community. This interfaith calendar provides information on various world religious holidays that fall within College of DuPage’s academic calendar and may, therefore, be applicable for College of DuPage students. Please note that some of the observation dates may be more fluid due to fluctuations of the various calendars (Lunar, Julian, Gregorian, etc.). This calendar is a tool, not to be considered inclusive of every religion or religious observance. It is a resource for religious days more commonly observed in our region. Should there be any questions, faculty can consult their Dean for further guidance.

The following points provide ideas for faculty to best accommodate the needs of those celebrating religious holidays. During the holidays listed below, faculty might:

• Refrain from scheduling important/mandatory events, activities or deadlines
• Honor student requests to observe religious holidays and be flexible with attendance and assessments
• Be aware that students may be fasting or otherwise have dietary restrictions
• Respect that Jewish and Muslim holidays begin at sundown the night before the holiday. As a result, students may need additional flexibility