[Moderate revision–posted 9/22/25 (replaces 1/5/23 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 32.12: Faculty Absence for Observance of Religious Holy Day

DATE: September 22, 2025

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to ensure understanding and a standardized approach to handling faculty absence for observance of a religious holy day.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed every two years after publication by the Vice Provost for Faculty Success with substantive revisions presented to the Provost and Senior Vice President.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Definition

Faculty Member – An employee with academic rank paid to teach in full or in part from the line item “Faculty Salaries” for at least 50 percent of time or for at least four and one-half months per year, excluding students employed in positions that require student status as a condition for employment.

2.  Policy

A faculty member is entitled, without deduction in salary, to absence for observance of religious holy days subject to the following conditions:

a.    “Religious holy day” means a holy day observed by a faculty member’s religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Texas Tax Code § 11.20.

b.    A faculty member who is absent from work for the observance of a religious holy day and gives proper notice of that absence will not be penalized.

c.    In order to benefit from this policy, “Proper Notice” must be provided by the faculty member to the department chairperson before the observance of the holy day. Proper Notice consists of a listing of religious holy days to be observed by the faculty member during the semester.

d.    Proper Notice must be in writing and must either be delivered personally to the chairperson of the department, with receipt of the notice acknowledged and dated by the chairperson, or by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the chairperson.

e.    For any classes missed due to a faculty member’s absence as a result of this policy, the chairperson must attempt to provide class coverage from among faculty of the department or area.

f.    Advance written notice, if needed, must be provided to all students whose class would be canceled because of the faculty member’s absence.

OP Categories

• 01 Chancellor
• 02 Development
• 04 Audit Services
• 10 President
• 30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
• 32 Academic Policies – Faculty
• 34 Academic Policies – Students
• 36 Academic Programs
• 40 Institutional Compliance
• 48 Communication Services
• 52 Information Technology
• 60 Environmental Health and Safety
• 61 Facilities Management
• 62 Financial and Accounting
• 63 General Services
• 64 Graduate Programs (Faculty and Students)
• 65 Research Accounting
• 66 Libraries
• 67 Mail Services
• 68 Communications and Marketing
• 69 Payroll and Tax Services
• 70 Human Resources
• 72 Purchasing, Contracting, and Payables
• 73 Data Management
• 74 Research
• 75 Research Security
• 76 Security
• 77 Student Services and Registrar
• 78 Traffic and Parking
• 79 Travel
• 80 Vehicles