In the Spirit: UW aims to treat religions fairly

[rug]

2 hours ago • DOUG ERICKSON | Wisconsin State Journal | [e-mail] | 608-252-6149

At UW-Madison, the official document notifying professors and students of when classes start and end is called the academic calendar. It also lists special dates such as when commencement exercises are held, when breaks occur and when exam weeks begin.

For years, this calendar has included some of the more well-known religious holidays — Rosh Hashanah, Good Friday, Ramadan — so that professors and administrators can avoid scheduling exams or staff meetings on those days.

That tradition has now ended; all references to specific religious holidays will be deleted from the calendar.

But before anyone yells, “War on religion!” the university would like to explain. Faculty secretary David Musolf, whose office issues the calendar, said the change reflects an effort to be more sensitive toward people of faith, not less so.

http://host.madison.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/religion/uw-aims-to-treat-religions-fairly/article_4d3b47c0-a140-11e1-9235-001a4bcf887a.html

On the academic calendar they've posted a link to the University's Religious Observances Policy, which in turn has a link to a very interesting Interfaith Calendar.

http://secfac.wisc.edu/acadcal/ChooseSemester.asp

http://secfac.wisc.edu/governance/ReligiousObservancesMemo.htm

http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/

This strikes me as a thorough and fair approach. It accommodates religious belief while placing the onus of obtaining the accommodation on the observant.

[cbayer]

1. Agree. The faculty has been advised to take a students request for a

holiday observance at face value. While there is potential for abuse, I think it's a good policy overall.

[Goblinmonger]

2. My daughter goes to UW

It is one of the more liberal public universities in the country. I'm sure the profs will do just fine.

But no matter the outcome, it will cause the more red areas of our state to freak out.

[LiberalFighter]

4. I would ask anyone from the red areas if they or any of their children

even attend the UW. They can always attend one of the less liberal colleges. I don't know if the rest of the system has adopted the same policy. Don't know if any in the system would even be conservative enough for the jerks.

[laconicsax]

5. I always thought it would be fun to go there for a semester or two.

One of my musical heroes is on the faculty.

[daaron]

3. Excellent.

This is exactly the spirit of accommodation I was referring to in another thread, in regards to how to approach sensitive religious issues while working to build a diverse coalition on the left.