Religious Holidays and UF Attendance

The Florida Board of Education and state law govern university policy regarding observance of religious holidays. The following guidelines apply:

• Students, upon prior notification to their instructors, shall be excused from class or other scheduled academic activity to observe a religious holy day of their faith.
• Students shall be permitted a reasonable amount of time to make up the material or activities covered in their absence.
• Students shall not be penalized due to absence from class or other scheduled academic activity because of religious observances.
• Religious holidays 2009-10

If a faculty member is informed of or is aware that a significant number of students are likely to be absent from class because of a religious observance, the faculty member should not schedule a major exam or other academic event at that time.

A student who is to be excused from class for a religious observance is not required to provide a second party certification of the reason for the absence. Furthermore, a student who believes that he or she has been unreasonably denied an education benefit due to religious beliefs or practices may seek redress through the student grievance procedure.