Absence for Religious Observance Policy

Effective April 2023. Note that the Absence for Religious Observance Policy published in the Cincinnati State Catalog does not include the link to the eForm for requesting an absence (see second paragraph below).

Absence for Religious Observance

Students are permitted to request up to three days each semester for an excused absence from class for observance of a religious holiday (or to take part in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious or spiritual belief system) that is part of the student’s sincerely held religious beliefs and practices.

It is the student’s responsibility to provide written notice to each faculty member of the specific dates requested for religious observance, using the Absence for Religious Observance Request eForm. (Only students can view this eform and the student must log in to MyCState to access the form.)

The written notice must be provided within fourteen (14) days of the first day of instruction for each course where accommodation is requested.

It is also the student’s responsibility to talk to their instructor about making up required work through a process and on a schedule to be determined by the course instructor.

Students with questions about this policy should contact the Provost’s Office by email at provostoffice@cincinnatistate.edu.

A student who believes they were unfairly denied permission for an excused absence for a religious holiday should use the Absence for Religious Observance Complaint Form at https://web3.cincinnatistate.edu/eforms/eform.aspx?form_id=2120.

Religious Holidays/Holy Days

The following list of religious holidays is non-exhaustive, and may not be used to deny accommodation to a student for a holiday or festival of the student’s faith or religious or spiritual belief system that does not appear on the list.

September-December 2024

Judaism

Rosh Hashanah (October 2-4)
Yom Kippur (October 11-12)
Sukkot (October 16-23)
Shemini Atzerat (October 23-25)
Simchat Torah (October 24-25)
Hanukkah (December 25-January2)

Christianity

All Saints Day (November 1)
All Souls Day (November 2)
Feast of Christ the King (November 24)
Advent Season (December 1)
Feast of St. Francis Xavier (December 3)
Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12)
Christmas (December 25)

Islam

Mawlid-al-Nabi (September 15-16)

Hindu

Krishna Janmashtami (August 26-27)
Diwali (November 1)

Sikh

Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib (November 24)
Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib (November 15)

Baháʼí

Birth of the Bab (November 2)
Birth of Baháúllah (November 3)
Ascension of ’Abdu’l-Bahá (November 26-27)

January-December 2025