Ohio Administrative Code
Title 3357:15 - Stark State College
Chapter 3357:15-13 - Academics
Section 3357:15-13-49 - Testing your faith

Stark state college supports the religious beliefs and practices of individual students. In compliance with section 3345.026 of the Revised Code, the college permits a student to be absent for up to three days each academic semester to take holidays for reasons of faith, religious or spiritual belief system, or to participate in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or other religious or spiritual organization. The college will not impose an academic penalty as a result of a student being absent.

Students are required to notify their instructors no later than fourteen days after the first day of instruction in the course. Students must provide the instructor with written notice of the specific dates for which the student requests alternative accommodations.

Instructors will provide students with alternative accommodations with regard to examinations and other academic requirements missed due to an absence when a student's sincerely held religious belief or practice affects the student's ability to take an examination or meet an academic requirement.

The instructor must accept, without question, the sincerity of the student's religious or spiritual belief system. The instructor must keep requests for alternative accommodations confidential. The instructor must schedule a time and date for an alternative examination or other academic requirement, which may occur before or after the time and date the examination or other academic requirement was originally scheduled, and must do so without prejudicial effect.

A non-exhaustive list of major religious holidays or festivals for the next two academic years, as provided by the chancellor of higher education, is posted on the college's website. The list is non-exhaustive, and the list may not be used to deny accommodations to a student for a holiday or festival of the student's faith or religious or spiritual belief system that does not appear on the list.