Attendance and Religious Absences

Religious Absences

Section 224-a, Paragraph 6a of the New York State Education Law regarding absences from class due to religious observance states that “…each student who is absent from school because of his [or her] religious beliefs must be given an equivalent opportunity to make up any examinations, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such an absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.”

Rockland Community College is committed to ensuring that every student has the right to pursue their education while practicing their faith. To accomplish this, the Chief Diversity Officer has undertaken the following strategic steps:

• As stated in the Rockland Community College Diversity Statement “embracing and fostering diversity encompasses a level of tolerance and respect, without judgment, for a multiplicity of traditions and cultures, which include not only race and gender, but age, citizenship, class, economic status, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender identity, mental ability, military status, physical appearance, physical ability, political affiliation, political beliefs, religion, religious beliefs, sex identity, sexual orientation, social status, spiritual practice, and other ideologies/identifications.” [Emphasis added]
• The College recognizes the diverse faith traditions represented among its campus community and supports the rights of faculty, staff, and students to observe according to these traditions. All College offices are asked to be sensitive to the needs of faculty, staff, and students who are observing a religious holiday when scheduling meetings and events.
• Each spring the Office of the Provost will issue a listing of major religious holidays that will take place during the following academic year. This will ensure that faculty is aware of the major celebrations of the faiths practiced by many of our students. (This list is not intended to be exhaustive and there may be holidays and celebrations that may not be listed. Students are encouraged to provide their professors with additional information as appropriate to their specific needs.)
• Faculty are encouraged to avoid scheduling examinations, papers, presentations or other assignments to be due on any of the major listed holidays.
• All courses are registered on Brightspace, an online course management system. We will request that faculty post their lecture notes for classes taking place on any of the major holidays on their individual course site so that all students can access the material.
• Regular attendance is considered essential for successful study. Specific attendance regulations are established by individual instructors and are presented to students at the beginning of the semester. A poor attendance record can result in failing a course, receiving a lower grade, or jeopardizing financial aid eligibility. Failure to attend class cannot be used as a basis of a request for a refund for payment of tuition and fees.
• Students have the right to request accommodations for any scheduled academic activities that may conflict with their religious observances. Faculty may not unilaterally deny a request for an accommodation for religious observance. Faculty should refrain from requesting documentation from students relating to the sincerity of their religious beliefs.
• An accommodation for religious observance may include but is not limited to rescheduling or providing a make-up exam, rescheduling a student’s in-class presentation, lab or practicum (if possible), allowing a make-up assignment to substitute for missed class work, changing a course assignment’s due date, or excusing an absence from the course. All student absences in order to practice their faith will be viewed as an ‘excused absence’ and may not be counted as a missed class in any course in which attendance is a measure of academic performance.
• Students should notify their professor as early as possible in advance of any religious observance for which they are requesting an accommodation (preferably within the first two weeks of classes). They can discuss with their faculty member at that time how they will be able to complete any missed assignments or course work covered. Reasonable extensions of time must be given, without academic penalty, for missed assignments. Students should refer to the class syllabus for an explanation of what is considered a reasonable extension of time.
• Students may appeal a denial of their accommodation request by filing an appeal request with the Dean of their Academic School or their designee. The Dean or their designee will attempt to mediate a resolution between the student and the faculty member to find an acceptable accommodation. If a mutually acceptable accommodation cannot be determined, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will make the final determination concerning the grievance.
• Faculty who intend to observe a religious holiday should arrange at the beginning of the semester to reschedule missed classes or to make other provisions for their course-related activities.
• These guidelines will be posted on the website of the Office of the Registrar, added as a link to the Academic Calendar, shared in each class syllabus, and shared during New Student Orientation before each semester.

Major Religious Holidays

The provided calendar is not exhaustive but includes major holidays most likely to impact student work and studies. Please note that our calendar includes only religious holidays that coincide with official academic terms, sessions, or modules. Please note that different cultures and traditions use different calendars and start the day at different times. Observance of Jewish and Muslim holidays begins at sundown. Also, the dates and lengths of certain holidays and festivals can vary in different regions and communities. Many Muslim holidays begin with an actual sighting of the new moon, and the provided dates are therefore approximations.