A02.11.01 Religious Holidays

Policy Statement

Procedures/Rules Statement

Policy Statement

Douglas College is committed to providing a learning environment where all students are treated with dignity and respect. Douglas College therefore affirms its commitment by recognizing that students may observe holy days of their religion. The College recognizes that some of these events require that followers abstain from certain activities or participate in specific events that coincide with work, study, class, examinations or other important college activities.

Procedures/Rules Statement

In most cases a student can make arrangements so that there is little or no conflict with required activities, and if there is, the instructor can make individual accommodation on an informal basis. The following guidelines are intended to allow students to be absent on holy days of their religion and to complete any and all work that is required for each class.

Students who are scheduled for class, laboratories, work placements, practicum, examinations, etc. on holy days of their religion that requires absence from the day or from specific events will notify their instructor at the beginning of the semester of the holy days they wish to observe (absence). It is the student's responsibility to work together with his or her instructor to find an effective means to complete any and all work missed due to this absence.

Instructors will normally accommodate a student's request without penalty:

In all cases it is the student's responsibility to provide notice to each instructor of each class that is affected. The student will discuss any conflicts with the instructor at the beginning of the semester thus providing sufficient time to plan for accommodations and to complete any and all work that will be missed.

The Employee Relations office will have a multi-faith calendar available for consultation.