Attendance Policy and Absence Due to Religious Beliefs

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance at course meetings and related course events is expected of all students. Furthermore, students are expected to maintain in-person attendance throughout the term, including examination periods, reading periods, and finals, except for scheduled vacations and holidays. In cases of substantial delinquency in attendance, HDS, after written warning, treats students as having withdrawn from the course, seminar, or reading group in question.

Students may not be absent from the area for extended periods of time during the term without the permission of the associate dean for admissions and enrollment management. Any student expecting to be absent for more than two weeks of classes must contact the HDS Registrar’s Office for appropriate guidance.

Absence Due to Religious Beliefs

In accordance with Massachusetts law, any HDS student who is unable, because of their religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination or study or work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, study or work requirement which they may have missed because of such absence on any particular day; provided, however, that such makeup examination or work shall not create an unreasonable burden upon HDS. No fees of any kind shall be charged by HDS for making such opportunity available to the student, and no adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because they avail themselves of this opportunity. (See Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 151C, Section 2B.)

The HDS Multifaith Calendar, developed and updated annually by the HDS Office of the Chaplain and Religious and Spiritual Life, can help instructors and students to identify and plan for religious holidays throughout the year.