Religious Accommodations

William & Mary urges its administrators, faculty members, and staff to be aware and responsive to the religious holidays of organized religions. Faculty members and administrators in charge of scheduling campus-wide events should avoid conflicts with religious holidays as much as possible. All persons should be able to participate in the essential practices of their faith without conflict with academic requirements, as long as such practices are in accordance with state and federal regulations and consistent with safety regulations of the university. The university offers the following guidelines:

1. As soon as possible and no later than the end of the third week of classes, each student has the responsibility to inform their instructor of religious observances that are likely to conflict directly with classes and other required academic activities. Each student has the responsibility to arrange their course schedule to minimize conflicts. It is understood that when scheduling options exist for religious observances, the student has the responsibility to minimize conflicts and follow established procedures in the course syllabus.
2. Following timely notification and based upon prior agreement between the instructor and student, a student who misses a class meeting because of a scheduling conflict with religious observances should be allowed, whenever possible, to complete without penalty the work missed because of such absences. A student who is absent from a test or presentation because of the observance of a religious holiday should be able to reschedule it without penalty. Absence from a final examination requires that the examination be rescheduled through the established process for rescheduling of final examinations by the Dean of Students. Graduate students should contact the Dean of the School or their designee.
3. If a scheduling conflict with a student’s planned absence cannot be resolved between the instructor and the student, then the student should contact the academic unit's chair or director. If they are unable to find a resolution, then the student should contact the appropriate academic dean.
   • Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education in Arts & Sciences
   • Associate Dean for Undergraduate Students in the School of Business
   • Senior Associate Dean in the School of Education
   • Graduate students should contact the Dean of the School or their designee