The Daily Bulletin Archive

From the Interim Senior Adviser to the President for Equity and Campus Diversity
Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable because of his or her religious beliefs to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.

Buffalo State endorses the policy that the administering of evaluative examinations on Rosh Hashanah (sundown Wednesday, September 28, 2011, to sunset Friday, September 30, 2011), Yom Kippur (sundown Friday, October 7, 2011, to sunset Saturday, October  8, 2011), or Good Friday (April 6, 2012) will not be permitted.

In addition, Ramadan (July 20–August 18, 2012) is a period of special obligations for fasting, prayers, and religious observances for Islamic students, faculty, and staff. Special consideration may be necessary to accommodate their needs during this period.

Full policy:

1. Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable because of his or her religious beliefs to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.
    
2. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study, or work requirements that he or she may have missed because of such 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.
    
3. If registration, classes, examinations, study, or work requirements are held on Friday after 4:00 p.m. or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study, or work requirements shall be made available on other days where it is possible and practical to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study, or work requirements held on other days.
    
4. In effectuating the provisions of the education law, it is expected that faculty and administrative officials will exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student for availing himself or herself of the provisions of this section.
    
5. Any student who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative official to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institutions of higher education is located for the enforcement of his or her rights under this section.
    
6. The term “religious belief” shall mean beliefs associated with any corporation organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes that is not disqualified for tax exemption under Section 501 of the United States Code.
    
7. At Buffalo State College, we sharpen the mandate of the state and endorse the policy that the administering of evaluative examinations on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or Good Friday will not be permitted.