Religious Observance (Policy # SA-05)
Approved by: School of Medicine Executive Committee
Lead Writer: M. Reesor, UGME Program Manager
Last Revised: November 16, 2010
Preamble
Queen's University School of Medicine welcomes and includes students, staff and faculty from a broadly diverse range of communities and backgrounds. In accordance with the accommodation principles of the Ontario Human Rights Code, this policy is concerned with accommodations for students with respect to observances of religious holy days.
Policy
It is the policy of the Queen's School of Medicine to arrange reasonable accommodation of the needs of undergraduate Medical students who observe religious holy days other than those already accommodated by ordinary scheduling and statutory holidays.
Students have a responsibility to alert members of the teaching staff and the UGME Office in a timely fashion to upcoming religious observances and anticipated absences. To that end, under normal circumstances students are required to serve written notice to the UGME Office at least 4 weeks in advance of any planned absence for religious observance.
Instructors will make every reasonable effort to avoid scheduling tests, examinations or other compulsory activities at these times. If compulsory activities are unavoidable, every reasonable opportunity should be given to these students to make up work that they miss. When the scheduling of tests or examinations cannot be avoided, students should be informed of the procedure to be followed to arrange to write at an alternate time. Students are expected to meet deadlines for submission of assignments and other graded material. Religious observance may not preclude a student from having to meet deadlines for submission of assignments or other graded material when such deadlines fall on a day of observance and the deadline was determined at the start of the course.
As a principle it is important that no student be disadvantaged due to scheduling conflicts with religious observances. However, in the scheduling of academic and other activities, it is also important to ensure that the accommodation of one group does not seriously disadvantage other groups within the University community.
Should a student wish to discuss the application of this policy to their particular circumstance, they are encouraged to do so at least 4 weeks in advance of an anticipated absence.
This policy shall be applied in a manner which is consistent with normally applicable academic requirements and standards at Queen’s University.
