Creating inclusive environments and learning more about fall religious holidays

As we begin the school year, please keep in mind that many students, staff, and faculty participate in events important to their religions. UGA issues a memo about this at the beginning of the school year, emphasizing that the institutional practice is to make every reasonable effort to allow members of the University community to observe their religious holidays without academic penalty.

As faculty and staff, we may want to learn more about these events to foster a greater understanding of how to support our students and colleagues during this time. For instance, Rosh Hashanah (Jewish) and Dasara (Hindu) are upcoming holidays.

Ideas for creating inclusive environments to support our colleagues and students related to these events include:

• Consulting resources, such as the interfaith calendar or the Pluralism Project, not only for class planning, but also when scheduling meetings and events
• Asking which events are important to your students and colleagues, so you can offer support and understanding when they are observing these events (e.g., during times of fasting)
• Increasing your knowledge about events that you are less familiar with
• Creating environments where colleagues and students who identify as atheist or agnostic feel recognized and supported

If you have more questions about how to create inclusive environments in the classroom and workplace, please contact Marian Higgins, interim associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion.