Religious Accommodations
To support a truly inclusive learning and working environment, PSU acknowledges and respects the diverse religious beliefs and practices of our students and employees. We understand that each person has the right to make personal choices about their religious observances, if any. In line with this commitment, we offer reasonable religious accommodations for all members of our community, including students, faculty, staff, and student employees. Please note that PSU does not endorse any particular religious belief. However, we acknowledge and respect the diverse religious practices observed by members of our community.
We recognize that observing religious holidays may require individuals to miss school or work or request flexibility with assignments, exams, or schedules. Religious observances vary across traditions and typically occur at different times of year. Examples include Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the fall; Muslim observances such as Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, which occur in late winter or spring and shift annually; Hindu holidays such as Navratri and Diwali in the fall; and Christian observances such as Lent and Easter in the spring. PSU encourages reasonable accommodations to support religious observance.
Students
If you would like to obtain religious accommodations, such as flexibility in attending alternative class times or getting extensions on assignments, please contact your instructors. If you need additional assistance, please contact the Office of the Dean of Student Life (DOSL) by emailing askdos@pdx.edu.
If you would like to obtain religious accommodation for an on-campus job, please discuss your request with your supervisor. If you need assistance in identifying a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Leaves/Accommodations Team in HR at leaves@pdx.edu.
Faculty/Staff
We ask you to please work with students to plan appropriate religious accommodations when they are requested. Additionally, if you will be out for religious reasons, please inform your Chair and email students to inform them about possible impacts on their classes.
Faculty who teach a course that meets on a religious holiday should take the following steps:
- Upload your syllabus on Canvas before the start of the class.
- Email your students to let them know they will be excused from the first days of class if they are absent for religious observance.
- Do not drop students for not attending the first days of class due to religious reasons.
- If your course is remote or recorded, provide students with access to the recordings.
- Work with students to ensure they receive any necessary information missed due to religious observance.
- Keep your contact information updated in the PSU Directory via the Odin Account Manager (OAM) system under "Update Directory Info."
If a student requires assistance identifying a reasonable religious accommodation, please contact the Office of the Dean of Student Life at askdos@pdx.edu. If you or an employee you supervise requests a religious accommodation, please work together to arrange appropriate accommodations. If assistance is needed in identifying a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Leaves/Accommodations Team in HR at leaves@pdx.edu.
Faculty can learn more by reviewing the Instructor’s Policy and Mandated Obligations Pertaining to Students.
We are committed to supporting an inclusive environment that respects the diverse religious practices of our community. If you have any questions or require further assistance regarding religious accommodations, please feel free to contact Albert Roberson, Assistant Vice President for Equity & Compliance, who is available to help address any concerns.