2019-2020 Catalog

Student Religious Observances

Moraine Valley Community College does not discriminate against students based on religious observance and will reasonably accommodate the religious observance of individual students in regard to admissions, class attendance, and the scheduling of examinations and work requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to notify his or her instructors of any absences necessitated by religious observance, in accordance with the following procedure:

1.    A student who anticipates that he or she will be unable, because of his or her religious observance, to attend class or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day, must notify his or her instructors and/or supervisors in writing as soon as possible, but no later than by the end of the second week of class.

2.    Upon receipt of such written notification, it is the responsibility of each faculty member and/or supervisor to provide the student with an opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement the student may miss due to the absence.

3.    An absence due to religious observance does not relieve a student from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence. As religious holiday calendars are available in advance of each semester, faculty may insist, where feasible, that a student complete any course work or examination(s) prior to the anticipated absence.  In addition, faculty policies regarding course attendance vary widely; students are responsible for knowing these policies and for communicating any anticipated absences for religious observance to each of their instructors.

4.    A student who believes that he or she has been denied reasonable accommodations in accordance with Board Policy 4610 or this procedure should first express his or her concerns to the instructor or supervisor and try to resolve the situation informally. If the situation is not resolved informally, the student may appeal in writing to the faculty member’s dean, using the Academic Complaint form that is available in any academic subdivision office or on the MVConnect portal.

This procedure complies with the University Religious Observance Act, which reads, in part:

Any student in an institution of higher learning, other than a religious or denominational institution of higher learning, who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend class or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination, study, or work requirement and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up the examination, study, or work requirement that he or she may have missed because of such absence on a particular day; provided that the student notifies the faculty member or instructor well in advance of any anticipated absence or a pending conflict between a scheduled class and the religious observance and provided that the make-up examination, study, or work does not create an unreasonable burden upon the institution. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the student such an opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his or her availing himself or herself of the provisions of this Section. 110 ILCS 110/1.5(b).