Religious Accommodations

(updated 8.7.23) 

“Formation in faith is a central element in the Marianist tradition of education.  The Marianist tradition emphasizes not only the important intellectual dimensions of faith – faith seeking understanding – but faith as a disposition of the heart, an openness to the transcendent and the ability to experience faith as both a gift from God and as a relationship with God.  Faith grows not only through rigorous exploration and reflection but also in the religious practices of the faith community – in both common worship and in the solitude of prayer and reflection.”  (University of Dayton Common Themes)

As a Catholic university, the University of Dayton strives to be a place where people of all religious traditions live, learn, and deepen their faith.  Many of the world’s religious traditions are represented in the University of Dayton campus community. This diversity of faith expression enriches the community and offers a great witness of solidarity among people from different religious perspectives to the campus and the world. 

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to observe their faith traditions during their time at the University of Dayton.   Authentic observance of religious traditions may require reasonable accommodation to classroom or workplace schedules, environment, or in the way tasks or assignments are customarily completed.  The following serve as recommendations for the campus community to support observance of diverse faith traditions.

Recommendations for the Campus Community

All are expected to make every effort to be supportive of those who make reasonable requests for accommodation based on sincerely held religious beliefs and practices in order to respect the rights of faculty, staff, and students to observe religious traditions and to support the diversity of faith expression in the campus community. The individual and/or office receiving such request shall accept without question the sincerity of a requestor’s religious or spiritual belief.

Those who request accommodations are expected to give advance notice of their request (within the first two weeks of class, as soon as meeting conflicts are identified, within the housing assignment timeline, etc.) to the appropriate person (professor, chair, direct supervisor, office, etc.).

Everyone at the university is expected to be sensitive to and consider the religious needs of faculty, staff, and students when scheduling meetings and events, so as not to exclude the participation of individuals who may otherwise expect to or need to be present.

Given the complexity of robust campus schedules, classroom requirements, finite amounts of residence hall space, and workplace needs, there may be limits to the extent that religious accommodations can be extended.   Two-way communication is important, in any case, to consider circumstances and determine possibilities or limits, when necessary.  

Requesting Religious Accommodations

STUDENTS

Communicate information about your religious traditions directly with professors and supervisors so that they can more easily work with you to arrange an accommodation when you need it.  

Submit your request for religious accommodation and make arrangements with professors, supervisors, or other university departments as early as possible – as soon as you are aware of the need (generally within the first two weeks of the course/semester) by examining course syllabi/work schedule for potential conflicts.  This allows faculty and staff to work with you in the best way possible.  

Complete assignments or alternative work as agreed upon by the faculty member.

Recognize that it may be difficult to arrange appropriate accommodations in some courses (e.g. some laboratories or courses with experiential learning components) or in some work environments (e.g. when handling certain foods is required) and/or when physical space is subject to availability.  

If questions or challenges emerge through the process of arranging a religious accommodation, contact the department chair or director of the program.  If you suspect that you are being treated unfairly or with bias and/or wish to appeal the decision, you may consult the University’s Equity Compliance Office by submitting a report online.  

If anyone who receives a request for religious accommodation is uncertain regarding the reasonableness of the request, they are encouraged to consult with the Religious Accommodation Advisory Group, religiousaccommodation@udayton.edu.

STAFF AND FACULTY

Communicate information about your religious traditions with your supervisor/chair and colleagues so that they may consider these needs when scheduling major events so as not to adversely impact your participation.

Inform your supervisor/chair of your needs as early as possible and as soon as you are aware of the need.  This allows them to work with you to accommodate your needs in the best way possible.  

If questions or challenges emerge through the process of arranging a religious accommodation, contact your department chair, director/supervisor, or Human Resources.  If you suspect that you are being treated unfairly or with bias,and/or want to appeal an accommodation request decision, you may consult the University’s Equity Compliance Office by submitting a report online.  

 If you receive a request for religious accommodation and are uncertain regarding the reasonableness of the request, you are encouraged to consult with the Religious Accommodation Advisory group, religiousaccommodation@udayton.edu.

Inclusive Practices for the Campus Community

Include a statement in every class syllabus inviting students to communicate when academic responsibilities conflict with religious observance.  The faculty handbook allows or and encourages faculty to excuse such absences.  Take steps to provide students with the opportunity to make up work when feasible.   Recognize that classroom accommodations for religious reasons should be considered on a case-by-case basis.  

A sample syllabus statement:

The University of Dayton strives for an inclusive climate and welcomes students from all backgrounds, faiths and experiences. If religious observance impedes your ability to participate fully in classroom activities or a principal holiday from your religious tradition occurs during the semester and conflicts with class meetings or activities, please make the professor aware of this immediately to determine if a reasonable accommodation is possible. Find out more about how to request a religious accommodation. 

Examples of accommodations that might be appropriate include: 

• Re-scheduling exams or giving make-up exams
• Adjusting due dates for assignments
• Planning and allowing for alternative or make-up assignments
• Scheduling group presentations so all members can be present
• Allowing a student to attend a different section of class or laboratory
• Providing pre-recorded lectures for make-up or otherwise allowing the lecture to be recorded

If questions arise regarding the reasonableness of accommodation for a given student situation, you may consider consulting with your chair, the Religious Accommodation Advisory group (religiousaccommodation@udayton.edu), Provost Office (faculty), Human Resources (staff), or Campus Ministry, as appropriate.

Familiarize yourself with important celebrations, holidays, and holy days for the students in your classroom or those with whom you work, with members of your department, division, or student organization.  Ask at the beginning of the term or activity to know of important celebrations, including religious, that are important to participants. Invite students/faculty/staff to share this information privately if they prefer.  

Learn about other important aspects of faith practices such as diet, fasting, food preparation, etc. and strive for inclusion by being aware of how these practices impact planning or the need for accommodation.  For example, some faith traditions follow vegetarian diets, while others do not eat certain types of meat or other foods.  Having only pepperoni pizza available for a celebration may unintentionally exclude participants.  Serving an afternoon meal for those observing the festival of Ramadan (Muslims, who fast from sunrise to sunset daily during the month of Ramadan) would not be advisable.  Catholics, who observe Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as fasting and days of abstinence, may not eat meat and eat only two very small meals on these days.

Determine if any planned classroom, laboratory, or department activities may necessitate a reasonable religious accommodation for anyone participating.

Be supportive as a supervisor when faculty/staff members request a religious accommodation and/or vacation or unpaid personal time off for religious observance.  Workplace accommodations for religious reasons should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Examples of workplace accommodations that may be appropriate include:

• Allowing for flexible scheduling, voluntary shift substitutions or swaps (mindful of relevant FLSA requirements regarding pay periods and overtime pay for non-exempt staff).
• Modifying workplace policies or practices, 
• Scheduling break-time for prayer or around fluctuating energy levels during days of fasting, 
• Granting leave/vacation requests for religious observances
• Making workplace requirements clear on position descriptions (e.g. handling meat) to avoid potential conflicts 
• Scheduling alternative activities for class when faculty need to miss class for religious reasons (e.g. pre-taping lectures, arranging for a substitute or guest speaker, scheduling a “Don’t Cancel Your Class” program, etc.)

If questions arise regarding the reasonableness of an accommodation for a given faculty or staff situation, you may consider consulting with the Religious Accommodation Advisory group (religiousaccommodation@udayton.edu), Provost’s Office (faculty), Human Resources (staff) or Campus Ministry, as appropriate. 

Avoid scheduling meetings or events at times that exclude the participation of those who have conflicts because of religious observances who would otherwise be expected to or desire to be present.

Celebrate:  Some classes or activities may be conducive to content related to celebrations.  When incorporating education around religious holidays, care should be taken so that no individual is made responsible to educate others as the sole spokesperson.  Still, some may be interested in sharing perspectives and celebrating together.  Communication privately with individuals about their interests and comfort level is recommended.

Foster open dialogue:  Whether you are working with students or colleagues from diverse faith backgrounds, creating an environment of openness, by seeking to understand the religious needs and observances of others is an important sign of Marianist hospitality and inclusivity.  Recognizing that reasonable limits may exist in some circumstances is also important.  Two-way communication is advisable.

Campus Contacts

You may contact the following offices directly for requests for accommodations based on sincerely held religious beliefs and practices outside the classroom and/or your work environment:

Housing and Residence Life: for residential student living space requests, housing@udayton.edu 

Dining Services: for any dietary restrictions, dining@udayton.edu

CampusRec: for any fitness needs, campusrec@udayton.edu

Campus Ministry - for prayer space, or general religious identity needs/questions,  campusministry@udayton.edu

Classroom - individual faculty

Co-curricular program -  specific office managing the program

Student employment - employer/supervisor

Typical holy days for some traditions represented at UD.

Muslim: Id al-Adha, Id al-fitr, Ramadan 

Jewish:  Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, first 2 days and last 2 days of Passover

Catholic/Christian: Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Sunday

Hindu: Diwali, Holi, Navaratri

Buddhist: Vesak

Orthodox Christian: Orthodox Easter, Orthodox Christmas

Asian traditions:  Lunar New Year/Spring Festival

Baha'i:  Multiple days including Ayyam-i-Ha or Intercalary Days and NawRuz

This list is not inclusive of all days that members of our diverse community may wish to observe.  In addition, some observances vary by the lunar calendar or by cultural tradition. We have compiled a list of some common observances and holy days. If there is an important holiday that you wish to add to this list, please contact Crystal Sullivan.