Student
Absences for Religious Holy Days UPPS
No. 02.06.01
Issue No. 4
Effective Date: 02/20/2009
Review: January 1 E4Y
01. POLICY
STATEMENT
01.01 The purpose of this UPPS is to establish
the policy and procedures governing student absences on religious holy days.
02. DEFINITION
02.01 "Religious holy day" means a
holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from
property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code.
03. PROCEDURES
CONCERNING STUDENT ABSENCES ON RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS
03.01 In accordance with Texas Education Code
Section §51.911(2b), an
Institution
of higher education shall excuse a student from attending classes or other
required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious
holy day, including travel for that purpose. A student whose absence is excused
under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be
allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student
is excused within a reasonable time after the absence.
03.02 Students must notify the instructor of
each class prior to their absence for a religious holy day. Students may obtain
notification forms from the Dean of Students’ Office. The student should
personally deliver completed forms to the instructor for each class. The
instructor will sign and date the form, thus acknowledging notification. If the
student cannot personally deliver the form to an instructor, the student should
mail the form to the instructor by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Ideally students should make every attempt to contact the faculty member at
least two weeks in advance of the anticipated absence.
03.03 An instructor will not penalize a student
excused under this section for the absence. However, the instructor may respond
appropriately if the student fails to complete any missed assignments or
examinations within a reasonable time.
03.04 Each instructor may establish additional
procedures to accommodate the needs of students who are absent from classes to
observe a religious holy day. These procedures must not conflict with the state
law.
03.05 Coordinating Board Rules §4.4
(c) state if a student and an
instructor disagree about the nature of the absence being for the observance of
a religious holy day as defined therein, or if there is similar disagreement
about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any
missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may
request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution or his or
her designee. The student and instructor shall abide by the decision of the
chief executive officer or his or her designee. The academic dean
of each college serves at the President’s designee to hear requests for
decisions on these matters from either the faculty member or the student.
04. PROCEDURES
FOR PUBLICATION
04.01 The list below outlines the notification
policies and procedures for this UPPS:
a. By publication annually in the
student handbook;
b. By electronic notification from the
Dean of Students to all staff, students, and faculty members at the beginning
of each academic year;
c. By the Provost and Vice President
for Academic Affairs through publication in the Faculty Handbook; and
d. By the Registrar through other
appropriate student publications.
05. REVIEWERS
OF THIS UPPS
05.01 Reviewers of this UPPS include the
following:
Position Date
Associate
Vice President for January
1 E4Y
Enrollment
Management and Marketing
University
Attorney January
1 E4Y
Dean
of Students January
1 E4Y
06. CERTIFICATION
STATEMENT
This UPPS has been
approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and
represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document
until superseded.
Associate Vice President
for Enrollment Management and Marketing; senior reviewer of this UPPS
Provost and Vice
President for Academic Affairs
President