1. RELIGIOUS
ACCOMMODATIONS
at KUMC
August 2017

2. Background & Purpose
Accommodations have been provided informally for students and employees, but with no real institutional policy or guidance.
Initiative began on Lawrence campus Fall 2016.
Given the unique needs of the KUMC campus, free-standing KUMC policy more appropriate.
Robert Klein, Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, formed a workgroup comprised of faculty, staff and administrators from the three schools to draft a Religious Accommodation Policy and procedures.
Provides formal parameters and a procedure for individuals to request accommodations when their sincerely held religious beliefs, practices or observances interfere or conflict with employment or academic policies, practices or requirements.

3. Policy Highlights LEARNERS
The University will make reasonable efforts to accommodate timely requests for absences associated with religious needs.
A learner may request to be excused from participating in specific health care and/or research procedures or other educational experiences where such care or experiences presents a conflict with the learner’s religious beliefs.
Learners are still responsible for the knowledge of such procedures or educational experiences.

4. Policy Highlights UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
The University will make reasonable efforts to accommodate an employee’s requests for absences which may include allowing flexible arrival or departure times, providing floating or optional holidays, allowing flexible work breaks, considering schedule substitutions with colleagues of substantially similar qualifications, or providing other reasonable adjustments to their regular work hours.
An employee may request to be relieved from participating in an aspect of a patient’s care or treatment in situations where the prescribed care or treatment presents a conflict with the employee’s religious beliefs.

5. Policy Highlights
RELIGIOUS ATTIRE, GROOMING, PRAYER AND OTHER PRACTICES
The University will make reasonable efforts to accommodate requests for specific religious attire, dress or grooming, quiet spaces or time for prayer, or to engage in other religious practices that are a requirement of religious observance.

6. Procedure
Accommodation requests will be submitted online through a link that can be provided on syllabi, employee resource websites and other relevant websites.

7. Procedure Requester fills out form online
Approver & EO Officer receive notice of request via
Approver consults with chair, supervisor, etc. as needed
Approver “edits” the request to complete disposition
Approver Print/Saves request as PDF for record-keeping
Approver & EO Officer receive confirmation
Requester notified of decision within 10 business days of request

8. Approvers Mark Meyer, MD Associate Dean for Student Affairs
School of Medicine
Chari Young, JD
Associate Vice Chancellor
Human Resources KC
Pamela Barnes, PhD, MBA, CSSGB
School of Nursing
Crystal Nevins
Director
Human Resources Wichita
Jeff Radel, PhD
Interim Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
School of Health Professions
Lucy Kollhoff, MS
Assistant Dean
Human Resources Salina
Mike Werle, PhD
Dean for Graduate Studies
Graduate Studies

9. Syllabi SAMPLE LANGUAGE FOR SYLLABI
KU Medical Center respects the religious diversity of its students and will make good faith efforts to provide reasonable religious accommodations for the sincerely held religious beliefs, practices or observances of its students when they conflict with University policy or procedure. Such accommodations must not fundamentally affect the University’s mission or commitment to patient care or otherwise create an undue hardship.  If you wish to submit a request for religious accommodations, please complete this online form.  

10. Questions?
Natalie Holick, JD Director, Equal Opportunity Office Robert Klein, PhD Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs