Religious Holidays Policies

Student Absences
2007-08 Student Handbook, p. 82

"Religious Holidays Absence: Southwestern University recognizes that it has students from a variety of religious and cultural traditions that have special days of observance or celebration that may take students out of their regular activities on certain days during the school year. Since the academic calendar does not always coincide with these days, the following policy is to be followed in order to facilitate student absences due to cultural and religious observances.

" At least one week prior to the intended absence or on the first day of class, the student is expected to notify the professor(s) or instructor(s) of the class(es) to be missed.

" The student is expected to learn what assignments or exams are due or will be assigned on those dates and negotiate with the professor(s) or instructor(s) alternate times for fulfilling those requirements. Students should be prepared to fulfill the requirements prior to the class(es) to be missed."

Scheduling Policies
Chapel and University Worship Services

Southwestern University, as a United Methodist affiliated university, offers opportunities for worship in the Christian tradition as an educational opportunity and as spiritual support that neither obligates nor prohibits persons from participating.  In an attempt to make these opportunities available without persons having to defend or enforce attendance or non-attendance at these events, University worship services are designated as Priority Events.  Priority Events are described on page 106 of the 2005-2006 Faculty Handbook as

 “those events to which no student, faculty or staff member may be denied the opportunity to attend because of a conflicting meeting or event.” 

To this end, it is the policy of the University not to schedule events, including but not limited to classes, departmental meetings, lectures, exams, faculty-led study sessions, rehearsals and student activity events, from 11:00am-12:00pm on Thursdays, and during seasonal University worship services (i.e., Orientation, Homecoming, Candlelight, Family Days, Commencement).

Religious Observance Days

In respect of diverse faiths and the desire to allow as many persons as possible to attend major University functions, a listing of commonly observed religious holidays, holy days and observances have been identified, agreed upon and listed on page two along with a list of major University functions.  The agreed upon University functions listed are not to take place during the religious observance days listed.  If an event is scheduled on one of the days listed below, the event is to be re-scheduled or canceled.

Please note that the major University events listed are:

The list of religious observance dates and major University functions are listed below and may be revised as the needs of our community change. 

* The Islamic dates are tentative based on estimates of the visibility of the lunar crescent. As such these observances may start slightly earlier or later than predicted. For assistance with dates go to http://webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-islamic.html

University Functions not to be scheduled on religious observance dates stated above:

• Board of Trustees Meetings
• Board of Visitors Meetings
• Brown Symposium
• Career Fairs
• Commencement and other special convocations
• Fall and Spring Mall Balls
• Family Days
• Final Examinations
• Housing sign-ups
• Homecoming
• Matriculation Convocation
• Prospective Student Visit Programs
• Registration/Pre-registration
• Scholarship Interview Days
• Shilling Lecture
• Student Orientation/Parent Orientation
• Town Meetings
• Writer's Voice