Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar is one of the holiest months of the year for Muslim communities. It begins Saturday, April 2, and continues through Monday, May 2.  Eid al-Fatr, the last day of Ramadan, is an official holiday within Islam.

Passover begins the night of Friday, April 15, and ends at sundown on Saturday, April 23, this year. In the Jewish community, this is a very sacred time, and many Jewish people observe the first day of Passover with a Seder meal. Some students may observe the Jewish tradition of not being able to work the first two and last two days of the holiday.

Faculty are required to provide students reasonable accommodations to honor their religious identities. It is especially important we honor this obligation as we communicate celebration, affirmation, and inclusion of all the diversity within the Drake community.

Students need to communicate the accommodations they require at the following link, so we can institutionally support clear communication between individual faculty and their students: https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d5qfVUKtuTQdg7b.

Any instructor with concerns regarding a given holiday, or the academic implications of a particular student’s religious observance, may seek guidance from the chair of their department, dean of their school, or the Provost.

— Jennifer Harvey, Associate Provost, Campus Equity and Inclusion