Guidelines for the Respect of Religious and Spiritual Diversity at KSC

Keene State College seeks to support and foster an atmosphere in which all community members may know that they are safe, welcome, and respected. To this end, the College is committed to providing diversity in our curriculum and in our community. The programs of KSC are thereby governed by principles of equal opportunity, access to resources, just treatment of all, and respect for one another. We also support opportunities for all members of the community to engage in practices that lead to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness.

In order to demonstrate our commitment to providing an environment that respects and acknowledges the whole individual (beyond the academic and social wellbeing), students, faculty and staff are permitted by Keene State College policy to be absent from class and work to observe religious and spiritual holidays without penalty.

Students are required to notify professors of their absence in observance of a religious holiday at the beginning of the semester. Since religious and spiritual holidays are scheduled in advance, students will be responsible for any work missed or assignments due on the holiday. If the holiday falls on a date an assignment is due, or examination is scheduled, students will be required to complete the course expectation according to an agreed upon process by the professor. Students may reschedule, without penalty, examinations that conflict with the observance of their religious tradition.

Faculty and Staff are required to contact their supervisors and make reasonable arrangements to cover their responsibilities to students and other tasks at the college. As with students, faculty and staff will be required to make this notification at the beginning of the semester or at a time designated by the supervisor. Employees could trade the holiday off for a campus “floating” holiday or take personal vacation time.

Religious Holidays

Even though classes will not be cancelled, individuals responsible for planning major Keene State College events are expected to make every effort not to hold events on dates associated with significant religious holidays. Where conflicts are unavoidable, it is college policy to excuse the absence of students and employees that result from their attendance at religious observances or to these religious obligations without penalty.