Religious Accommodations

Student Requests

Under New York State Education Law 224-A, and according to CUNY’s religious accommodation policy, students have the right to request religious accommodations for any scheduled academic activities that may conflict with their religious observances. To discuss an accommodation due to religious observance for the upcoming holidays or any other religious observance throughout the academic year, please talk to your professor, or to someone at your Office of Student Life.

Please know that faculty and administrative officials are mandated by these same laws and policies. This means any student who is absent from school because of their religious beliefs is entitled to receive an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirements they may have missed because of their absence on a given day or days. For a list of religious holidays, visit CUNY’s holiday calendar. (Please note only religious observances are covered under this policy.)

We encourage our students to engage with professors, advisers and fellow students, and to take advantage of the many resources available on campus to support your academic and personal success. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Sophia McGee, CUNY’s director of intercultural student engagement and dialogue, at sophia.mcgee@cuny.edu.

Faculty and Staff Requests

Religious accommodations for faculty and staff are also covered in CUNY’s policies. If you are a faculty or staff member, please contact the Office of Human Resources at your college or unit to discuss accommodations that you require in order to observe religious holidays.

Appeals

Students, employees, and applicants may appeal a denial of their accommodation request by filing a complaint with the Chief Diversity Officer at their College or unit. The Chief Diversity Officer, or a designee, will mediate to try to resolve the issues between the individual and the College to find an acceptable accommodation. If a mutually acceptable accommodation cannot be determined, then the Chief Diversity Officer, or a designee, will investigate the complaint and make a recommendation to the College President, or if the employee works at the Central Office, then to the Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Management. The College President or Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Management will make the final determination concerning the complaint. If the employee is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the employee may discuss the matter with a union representative and exercise any rights available under such agreement.