Duke University - Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

Religious Observance & Holidays (form included)

Policy - Students are permitted by University policy to be absent from class to observe a religious holiday. This policy reflects the University’s commitment to being responsive to our increasing diversity and to enabling students’ spiritual development.  Accordingly, Trinity College and the Pratt School of Engineering have established procedures to be followed by students for notifying their instructors of an absence necessitated by the observance of a religious holiday. 

Students who miss class to observe a specified religious holiday are expected to make prior arrangements with their instructor to make up any work missed (see below). If an instructor is unable or unwilling to grant the request, the student should consult his or her academic dean.

Note: it is strongly recommended that, as a courtesy, you notify each of your instructors at the beginning of the semester of any religious holiday(s) that will necessitate your absence from classes that semester.

Procedure

• The religious observance notification procedure is based on the operating principle that you will act in accordance with the Duke Community Standard.
• This procedure can only be used to notify an instructor of an absence from class necessitated by observance of a religious holiday. 
• You are expected to notify your instructor that you will miss class in order to observe a religious holiday by completing and submitting to your instructor no later than one week prior to the date of the holiday  the online form:

  ONLINE FORM: RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE NOTIFICATION

• When you submit this form, your instructor will be notified by e-mail, and copies will be sent to you and to your academic dean.  In completing the form, you may find it useful to consult the ACES Web site, where you can view your class schedule to obtain the name and number of the course and the name of the course instructor.
• Because religious holidays are scheduled in advance, instructors have the right to insist that course work to be missed should be completed prior to an anticipated absence in accordance with the course attendance policy.
• Your electronic signature on the form affirms your compliance with the Duke Community Standard.

Given the time limitations inherent in completing end-of-semester assignments or making up a missed final exam, this procedure cannot be used during the final exam period. You are expected to take final examinations at the scheduled times and to complete end-of-semester work by the deadlines set by the instructor.  In the event that a religious holiday should fall during exam week, contact your academic dean well before the scheduled assignment or exam.

Religious Holidays

The University recognizes that the various religious traditions observed by our diverse student body include more holidays than can easily be included on a list.  Moreover, we recognize that in some faiths observances vary by tradition and country and in accordance with the lunar calendar.  However, as a guide to faculty and students in the planning of their courses and assignments, members of the campus ministry have identified the dates of major religious holidays that occur when classes are being held during the academic year. This list is not a designation of religious holidays recognized by the University; nor is it meant to be all inclusive.   The list is merely an aid for planning purposes.

 **All Islamic and certain Hindu and Buddhist holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar and are approximate. 

Traditional Jews also observe a work-free Sabbath, beginning every Friday night shortly before sundown, and lasting for 25 hours.

 If you will miss class in observance of a religious holiday, you are expected to notify your instructor prior to the date in question by submitted a Religious Observance Notification Form.   

Absence from class due to observance of a religious holiday is excused according to University policy, so no dean's excuse is required.  If an instructor is unwilling or unable to excuse your absence from class, you should consult your academic dean. It is the responsibility of each instructor to communicate the University policy to his or her students and to accommodate reasonable requests.

See also:

• Registrar's Office
• Aces website
• Duke Community Standard
• Class Attendance & Missed Work