Dear Colleagues,
We are dealing with a sensitive and potentially difficult request regarding special exam
arrangements for Orthodox Jewish students who will be observing the Pentecost Festival
soon.
The query has come in from our Academic Registrar.
I would be very grateful if colleagues could offer any advice on this, particulary if they have
had similar requests at their instititions. We want to be as flexible and accomodating as
possible but do not want to create a dangerous precedent or cause potential friction
amongst other groups.
Best wishes
Fehmeeda
I am writing to seek your advice about the Race Relations Act in respect of formal
examinations, in relation to my reply to Jacqui Zinkin on the subject of special exam
arrangements for Orthodox Jewish students (see copy of earlier message). Our usual
practice is to offer any student a deferral if for religious reasons they are unable to
take the scheduled exam. This means they can take the same paper as other
students with extenuating circumstances later in the summer without penalty ie get
the marks they earn rather than a capped mark. The Jewish students would prefer to
have a re-scheduled exam just for them a couple of weeks after the scheduled exam,
rather than retunr in late August. The Rabbi supports this on the grounds that their
religious observance prevents them from using the phone, email or conversing with
others - and therefore a separate paper would not be needed. This would represent
a major departure for Westminster as we have always ensured that students all take
an exam paper simultaneously to ensure that there is no unfair advantage to students
who may take the same paper once already published.
Any advice you can give on this would be welcome. I am particularly interested in the
implications of possible precedent, and parity of provision for Muslkim students in
particular.
Evelyne
Fehmeeda Riaz
Employee Relations Adviser (Diversity)
University of Westminster
HR Department
9-18 Euston Centre
Tel: 0207-911-5776
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