Religious Holidays
Snow College values and acknowledges a wide range of faiths and religions as part of our student body and, as such, provides religious accommodations for students when requested.
In Accordance with Utah Code 53B-27-405 and Utah System of Higher Education policy R264 institutions shall provide Religious Accommodations for students. “Religious Accommodation” means a schedule modification of an examination or academic requirement because of the student’s faith, conscience, or participation in an organized activity under the student’s religious tradition or religious organization. A religious accommodation may include, but is not limited to, rescheduling, or providing a make-up exam, rescheduling a student’s in-class presentation, allowing a make-up assignment to substitute for missed class work, changing a course assignment’s due date, or excusing an absence from the course.
Students must provide written notice requesting a religious accommodation to the instructor of their class at least 14 days prior to the requested religious holiday in accordance with the procedures below:
Examples of Religious Holidays
| Holiday | Religion | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Dormition of the Holy Virgin | Greek Orthodox | Thursday, August 25 |
| Mawlid al-Nabi | Islam | Sunday, September 15 to Monday, September 16 |
| Autumnal Equinox | Pagan | Sunday, September 22 |
| Rosh Hashanah | Judaism | Wednesday, October 2 to Friday, October 4 |
| Navratri | Hinduism | Thursday, October 3 to Saturday, October 12 |
| Fast of Gedaliah | Judaism | Saturday, October 5 |
| Yom Kippur | Judaism | Saturday, October 12 |
| Dussehra | Hinduism | Saturday, October 12 |
| Indigenous Peoples' Day | Indigenous Heritage | Monday, October 14 |
| Sukkot | Judaism | Wednesday, October 16 to Wednesday, October 23 |
| Shemini Atzeret | Judaism | Wednesday, October 23 to Friday, October 25 |
| Simchat Torah | Judaism | Thursday, October 24 to Friday, October 25 |
| The Ochi Day | Greek Orthodox | Monday, October 28 |
| Samhain | Pagan | Thursday, October 31 to Friday, November 1 |
| Diwali | Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikh, Jain | Thursday, October 31 to Monday, November 4 |
| All Saints Day | Roman Catholic, Unitarian Universalist | Friday, November 1 |
| All Souls Day | Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Saturday, November 2 |
| Birth of the Bab | Baha’i | Saturday, November 2 |
| Birth of Bahá'u'lláh | Baha’i | Sunday, November 3 |
| First Sunday, of Advent | Christian | Sunday, December 1 |
| Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Roman Catholic | Sunday, December 8 |
| Yule | Pagan | Saturday, December 21 to Wednesday, January 1 |
| Joseph Smith's Birthday | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | Tuesday, December 23 |
| Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe | Roman Catholic | Thursday, December 24 |
| Christmas | Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Thursday, December 25 |
| Hanukkah/Chanukah | Judaism | Wednesday, December 25 to Thursday, January 2 |
| Synaxis of the Mother of God | Greek Orthodox | Friday, December 26 |
| Kwanzaa | African American Heritage | Thursday, December 26 to Wednesday, January 1 |
| Gantan-sai | Shinto | Wednesday, January 1 |
| The Solemnity of Mary | Roman Catholic | Wednesday, January 1 |
| Epiphany | Christian | Monday, January 6 |
| Christmas | Orthodox Christian | Tuesday, January 7 |
| Fast of the 10th of Tevet | Judaism | Friday, January 10 |
| Pongal | Hinduism | Tuesday, January 14 to Friday, January 17 |
| Bodhi Day | Buddhism | Thursday, January 18 |
| Chinese New Year | Multifaith Confucian Taoist Buddhist | Wednesday, January 29 |
| Imbolc | Pagan | Saturday, February 1 |
| Setsubun-sai | Shinto | Monday, February 3 |
| Tu BiShvat | Judaism | Wednesday, February 12 to Thursday, February 13 |
| Maha Shivaratri | Hinduism | Wednesday, February 26 |
| Ramadan | Islam | Friday, February 28 to Saturday, March 29 |
| Women's Day of Prayer | Multifaith | Sunday, March 2 |
| Clean Monday, (Monday, of Lent) | Orthodox Christian | Monday, March 3 |
| Start of Lent and Ash Wednesday | Christian | Wednesday, March 5 |
| Fast of Esther | Judaism | Thursday, March 13 |
| Holi | Hinduism | Thursday, March 13 to Friday, March 14 |
| Purim | Judaism | Thursday, March 13 to Friday, March 20 |
| Spring Equinox | Pagan | Thursday, March 20 |
| Annunciation of the Virgin Mary | Greek Orthodox | Monday, March 25 |
| Laylat al-Qadr | Islam | Thursday, March 27 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Islam | Monday, March 31 |
| Fast of the First Born | Judaism | Saturday, April 12 |
| Passover (Pesach) | Judaism | Saturday, April 12 |
| Palm Sunday | Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Sunday, April 13 |
| Holy (Maundy) Thursday | Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Thursday, April 17 |
| Great Friday | Orthodox Christian | Friday, April 18 |
| Good Friday | Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Friday, April 18 |
| Easter | Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Sunday, April 20 |
| Orthodox Easter | Orthodox Christian | Sunday, April 20 |
| Vesak | Buddhism | Monday, May 12 |
| Ascension Day | Christian | Thursday, May 29 |
| Orthodox Ascension Day | Orthodox Christian | Thursday, May 29 |
| Eid al-Adha | Islam | Friday, June 6 |
| Pentecost | Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Sunday, June 8 |
| Holy Spirit Monday | Greek Orthodox | Monday, June 9 |
| Muharram | Islam | Friday, June 27 to Friday, July 27 |
| Ashura | Islam | Saturday, July 5 to Sunday, July 6 |
| Asalha Puja Day | Buddhism | Thursday, July 10 |
| Pioneer Day | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | Thursday, July 24 |
Process for Requesting an Accommodation
- Students
- Snow College may make religious accommodations if:
-
The time at which an examination or academic requirement is scheduled to occur creates an undue hardship for a student due to the student's Religious Belief, Practice, or Observance; AND
The student provides written notice to the Faculty Member of the course for which the student seeks the accommodation regarding the date and/or other relevant information, of the examination or academic requirement for which the student seeks the accommodation;
OR
- As otherwise required by law to accommodate a student's free exercise of religion.
- Process
- A student's first step should be to make a request to a Faculty Member of the relevant course or activity. If the student is seeking a waiver or substitution of an entire course as required by their program of study, the student should contact their program's Department Chair and not the Faculty Member assigned to that course. If step one is unsuccessful, a student shall make a request for a review of a religious accommodation request by using Snow College’s Religious Holiday Accommodation Request form. The student should request any such accommodation at least 14 days prior to the event, if applicable.
- A Faculty Member who receives a written request from a student may provide a student the requested accommodation if it does not create an Undue Hardship. For example, the Faculty Member may schedule an alternative examination time before or after the regularly scheduled examination, or as applicable, the Faculty Member may make accommodations for other academic or other program requirements related to the requested accommodation.
- The Faculty Member shall, to the extent necessary to accomplish the requested accommodation, keep confidential the student's request for accommodation and any related information.
- If the student's accommodation request is not granted by the Faculty Member or if the Faculty Member is uncertain as to how to respond to the request, the student or Faculty Member may refer the request to the designated Provost's designee for an evaluation using the College's Religious Holiday Accommodation Request.
- The Provost's designee will evaluate the request and determine whether to approve the requested accommodation, in accordance with applicable laws.
- In evaluating the request, the Provost's designee will consider the requirements of this Policy and whether attendance or other academic requirements would create an Undue Hardship. This analysis includes taking into consideration fundamental academic and other requirements of the University.
- The Provost's designee may engage in interactive dialogue with the student, and as necessary, the Faculty Member to gather information regarding the requested accommodation and academic requirements.
- Faculty Members shall adhere to accommodations approved by the Provost's designee.
- Accommodations provided by a Faculty Member or Provost's designee shall not adversely impact a student's academic opportunities.
- Point of Contact
- The Provost's Office serves as the point of contact for information about student religious accommodation requests.
- For reference, the Utah System of Higher Education produces a non-exhaustive list of dates of generally recognized religious holidays for some religions. This list is not exhaustive and does not prohibit a student from requesting an accommodation related to a religious holiday not included on the published list.
- Appeals
- If the student's accommodation request is not granted through the Provost's designee, the student may appeal in writing via email to the Provost within three (3) business days of receiving notice that the accommodation request is denied.
- The Provost will evaluate the appeal and all related documentation for compliance with this Policy and applicable law.
- The Provost has discretion to determine whether to grant or deny accommodation requests, in accordance with applicable law.
- Upon making a determination, the Provost will issue a written decision including the reason(s) and factual bases for the decision.
- The Provost's decision is the final decision of the College regarding the accommodation and not subject to further appeal. However, a final decision on the accommodation may be the subject of grievance under Section R765-264-5 if the challenge is within the scope of that policy. A grievance can be submitted to the Provost’s Office using the Religious Holiday Accommodation Grievance form.
Provost Office: 435.283.7300
Dean of Students: 435.283.7710