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| Peter Larkins | The Appalachian |
| Students listen to discussions
on ethics and diversity in today's culture during Monday's
forum. Panelists included members of multicultural clubs on
campus. |
by Justin Boulmay
Staff Writer
The Student Government Association passed a resolution Feb. 10 calling
for faculty members to be sensitive to the needs of students whose
religious practices require them to be absent from classes.
Off-campus Senators Howard S. Schreiber, Jarrett W. Sparks and Appalachian
Heights Senator Amanda G. Zeddy co-authored the bill. They said
the bill was made to include on-campus religious groups such as
the Jewish Student Association (Hillel) and the Pagan Student Association.
According to the bill, many of the Appalachian State University
scheduled vacation breaks follow traditional Christian holidays
and various non-Christian holidays do not fall on these scheduled
breaks.
Schreiber said he had friends within Hillel who were not allowed
to go home for certain Jewish holidays because their teachers would
not excuse them.
The goal is to have the Faculty Senate add the policy into their
handbook, but still retain the right to deny students an excused
absence for religious holidays.
The bill would also open a door for more diverse groups to enroll
at Appalachian State, Zeddy said.
“Appalachian State University has voiced its desire to increase
the diversity of the student body,” Zeddy said. “[This
legislation] is our attempt to make ASU more diverse.”
Senators had different questions regarding the bill.
Newland Senator Jennifer N. Johnson said she was against the resolution
because it was too broad.
“We’re giving [Faculty Senate] nothing but a title,”
Johnson said.
Coffey Hall Senator Christopher R. Pereira said the wording needed
to be strengthened.
“This isn’t really going to be a bill that helps out
religious diversity,” Presnell said. “It doesn’t
specify in the specific bill. We shouldn’t pussyfoot around.
We should say what we want to say.”
Off-campus Senator Christine L. Mendonca said the bill should be
broad enough to give the Faculty Senate a guideline from which to
start.
Winkler Hall Senator Corwyn D. Sergent said more research should
be conducted, and said he wondered what the bill would change. According
to the bill, faculty members can still choose to not excuse a student
from class.
Zeddy said if students still had problems, they were always free
to appeal to the chair of the department. If that didn’t work,
they could appeal to the dean or the provost, she said.
Schreiber and Senator Evan Moody said senators who were not supporting
the bill were not supporting a chance to increase diversity on campus.
Much debate focused on the wording of the bill, to not give the
impression that SGA was trying to tell Faculty Senate what to do.
This is the second piece of legislation co-authored by Schreiber
since he began as senator. Last year, he co-wrote a bill supporting
the allowance of candles in residence halls for religious practices.
That bill, which the administration approved, also was written to
consider the practices of Hillel and the PSA.
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