Information on accommodating religious observances
August 18, 2025 1:31 PM

Dear Colleagues,

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is committed to maintaining an inclusive educational environment for students of all religious backgrounds. This commitment encompasses the upholding of state and federal law requiring the university to reasonably accommodate its students’ religious beliefs, observances and practices in the areas of admissions, class attendance and the scheduling of examinations and work requirements.

Whenever possible, it is best practice to plan exams, required labs and other due dates around religious holidays. The Religious Observances that Affect the Academic Calendar webpage is a resource to bookmark for reference to find listings of the primary sacred times for many world religions that may affect your course and event planning. Members of the University of Illinois community practice a range of faith traditions, and it is the expectation of the university that reasonable religious accommodations be considered by instructors regardless of whether the date is included on the Religious Observances that Affect the Academic Calendar webpage.

When planning around such dates is impossible, instructors need to provide reasonable accommodations for students who have a religious observance as outlined in the Student Code in Article 1, Section 1-107, Policy for the Provision of Religious Accommodations for Students. A reasonable accommodation is defined as change that allows the student to participate in their religious belief, observance and practice and which does not fundamentally alter the educational requirement or place an undue hardship on an instructor, department or office. 

Students are asked to work directly with their instructor(s) to request an accommodation for a religious belief, observance or practice. The Office of the Dean of Students provides an optional resource that students can use to facilitate a request with their instructor(s) for an accommodation. Absence letters for religious observances are no longer being provided by the Connie Frank CARE Center in the Office of the Dean of Students.

If an instructor denies a student’s request for a reasonable accommodation for a religious belief, observance, and practice, the student may appeal the decision in writing to the dean or dean’s designee of the academic unit offering the course. Accordingly, units should have a process for the dean to hear such appeals or designate a committee, such as the executive committee or other body, that will hear the appeals and make a recommendation to the dean.

In considering an appeal, the dean is strongly encouraged to consult with the Office of University Counsel for legal guidance before making a final decision. Appeals should be rare, as instructors are expected to offer reasonable accommodations as required under Illinois law. 

The Information for Faculty on Accommodating Religious Observances webpage contains helpful tips for application and best practices. Instructors who have questions may contact Stephen Bryan, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Advocacy and Dean of Students, at 217-333-0050 or at deanofstudents@illinois.edu.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

Gioconda Guerra Pérez
Interim Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Designate

John Coleman
Provost

Danita M. Brown Young
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs