Accommodation of Religious Observances, Holidays and Holy Days
McGill University recognizes and respects the diversity of its community, including diversity of religious faiths and observances. The University is committed to providing an environment in which its students can fulfill both their university and their religious commitments. Please note that students must make a request for an accommodation for religious reasons in advance:
- for in-term evaluations (essays, presentations, labs, etc.), students must give the instructor two weeks' notice of the conflict. We recommend that you speak with your instructor as far in advance as possible.
- for final exams, students must give 4 weeks' notice prior to the start of scheduled exams. Please visit the religious conflicts section of the Exams Office website.
Policy:
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Students are not to be penalized if they cannot write examinations or be otherwise assessed where such activities conflict with their religious observances.
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While sessional dates, classroom and Faculty activities, and examination dates take into account academic constraints and statutory holidays, where there is flexibility, efforts are to be made to select dates which do not conflict with religious observances or to find other appropriate accommodations.
See McGill's Policy for the Academic Accommodation of Religious Observances, as well as the official McGill Senate policy.
See the Exam Conflict page for deadlines to request an accommodation for religious reasons.
For faculty, event planners and members of the McGill community interested in learning more about important dates in various faith communities, see the calendar of holy days referenced at McGill.
Support for religious-based discrimination experiences at McGill
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, contact 911.
If on campus, call McGill Security Services:
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Downtown at 514-398-3000
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Macdonald Campus at 514-398-7777
If you feel that you are facing discrimination at McGill based on your religion or on any other prohibited ground (gender, race, disability, etc.), please be aware that McGill’s core values include respect and inclusion, and the institution has a policy on dealing with harassment and discrimination, including that on religious grounds. A detailed website explains this policy and outlines the steps for filing a complaint, whether the discrimination is happening between students, staff, faculty or any combination thereof. Regardless of whether or not you decide to file a complaint, there are several groups/organizations on and off campus (see Support Resources) that can offer emotional and/or procedural support, including MORSL staff.
Support for Jewish and Muslim Students
The roles of the Student Affairs Liaisons for Muslim Students and for Jewish Students were created out of the Final Report of the Initiative against Islamophobia and Antisemitism with the aim of contributing to the creation of a campus community where all students feel heard, respected, and can flourish. The Student Affairs Liaisons' mandate is to ensure that students are supported and that their concerns are communicated with McGill’s senior leadership in a timely manner. These two portfolios are housed within the Office of the Dean of Students. Visit the landing webpage for contact info and resources.
