Policy/Procedure: Student Accommodation for Reasons of Faith or Conscience. Section 375.0

Department: Student Services

Initial Date of Policy: 4/7/2015

This Page was Last Revised on: 2/10/2022

Related Subject(s): Student Attendance Policy

Department Contact: Vice President of Academic Affairs & Student Learning

WAC/RCW: RCW 28B.137.010

Applies to: All students

BTC complies with RCW 28B.137.010  and accommodates student absences or rescheduling of learning activities for reasons of faith or conscience or for organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization. Students’ grades may not be adversely impacted by absences authorized under this policy.

Bellingham Technical College requires regular attendance for students. If you have special circumstances and know you will be absent from class, you must notify your instructor prior to the absence.

1. Students seeking accommodation for reasons of faith or conscience must provide written notice to the faculty within the first two weeks of the beginning of the course of the specific dates requested. All requests for accommodation under this policy must be in writing and contain a concise explanation of how the requested holiday is related to a reason of faith or conscience or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization.

2. After an instructor is notified by the student of an upcoming absence, the instructor will determine what adjustments, if any, will need to be made to the student’s scheduled classwork or assignments. The instructor shall inform the student of these adjustments within two days of receiving the student’s notification.

3. If the student’s desired absence date is on a day when a test was scheduled or an assignment was due, the instructor may require that the student take the test or submit the assignment before or after the regularly assigned date.

4. Regardless of an instructor’s class expectations or grading policies, absences authorized under this policy shall not adversely impact a student’s grades.

5. If a student fails to notify any of their instructors of an absence that would have been accommodated under this policy, the instructor is not obligated to make any accommodations for the student’s absence or treat the absence as authorized under this policy or the law.

Student Accommodation for Reasons of Faith or Conscience Request form (PDF)