Religious Observances

UW-River Falls, in concert with University of Wisconsin System Policy, promotes a commitment to the individual needs of students by reducing attendance conflicts between education requirements and the exercise of religious beliefs.  UW-River Falls specific guidelines are as follows:

1. Students with a legitimate conflict between an academic requirement and a religious observance must be given an alternative means of meeting the academic requirement.  Individuals must notify the instructor within the first three weeks of the class, or earlier if the religious observance comes sooner, of the specific days or dates on which they will request relief.
2. Mandatory academic requirements should not be scheduled on days when an acknowledged religious observance causes students to be absent from scheduled functions.  The claim of a religious function should be accepted.  However, the instructor may set reasonable limits on the total number of days claimed by any one student.
3. Student grades should not be affected because the individuals are absent from class due to a legitimate conflict with a religious observance.  This includes attendance requirements.

Source: Faculty and Staff Handbook, Chapter Nine, Section 9.2.12