Dear CUNY Students, Faculty and Staff,
Welcome (or welcome back) to the CUNYVerse! We hope you had a restful summer break and that you are excited to embark on the journey of the Fall 2023 semester. As we dive into another semester of learning, growth and shared experiences, we have some important information to share with you about the policies that govern religious accommodations at CUNY.
We would like to draw your attention to the upcoming Jewish Holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, along with the Hindu observance of Ganesh Chaturthi and later in the semester Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas. We recognize that these and other religious holidays, such as Passover, Holy Week, and Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, in the Spring, represent a diversity of faiths and hold special significance for many members of our community. We want to ensure that all individuals who are observing are respected and supported.
Student Requests
Under New York State Education Law 224-A, and according to CUNY’s religious accommodation policy, students have the right to request religious accommodations for any scheduled academic activities that may conflict with their religious observances. To discuss an accommodation due to religious observance for the upcoming holidays or any other religious observance throughout the academic year, please talk to your professor, or to someone at your Office of Student Life.
Please know that faculty and administrative officials are mandated by these same laws and policies. This means any student who is absent from school because of their religious beliefs is entitled to receive an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirements they may have missed because of their absence on a given day or days. For a list of religious holidays, visit CUNY’s holiday calendar. (Please note only religious observances are covered under this policy.)
We encourage our students to engage with professors, advisers and fellow students, and to take advantage of the many resources available on campus to support your academic and personal success. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Sophia McGee, CUNY’s director of intercultural student engagement and dialogue, at sophia.mcgee@cuny.edu.
Faculty and Staff Requests
Religious accommodations for faculty and staff are also covered in CUNY’s policies. If you are a faculty or staff member, please contact the Office of Human Resources at your college or unit to discuss accommodations that you require in order to observe religious holidays.
To raise awareness about our religious accommodations policy today we are launching a promotional campaign across the University. You can see some of the videos and other content that we will be sharing throughout the year on this page.
CUNY is committed to providing reasonable accommodations that allow every member of our community to observe their religious practices without compromising their academic or work progress. We are here to support you in every way possible.
Have a wonderful start to the semester!
All the best,
Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Ph.D.
Chancellor
