Calendar of University Holidays and Religious Observances, Autumn 2013 through Summer 2015 Posted

In planning ahead for the academic year, it is helpful to remember that many religious groups make up our campus community. The UIC Senate Policy on religious holidays (approved May 25, 1988) is below:

"The faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago shall make every effort to avoid scheduling examinations or requiring that student projects be turned in or completed on religious holidays. Students who wish to observe their religious holidays shall notify the faculty member by the tenth day of the semester of the date when they will be absent unless the religious holiday is observed on or before the tenth day of the semester. In such cases, the students shall notify the faculty member at least five days in advance of the date when he/she will be absent. The faculty member shall make every reasonable effort to honor the request, not penalize the student for missing the class, and if an examination or project is due during the absence, give the student an exam or assignment equivalent to the one completed by those students in attendance. If the student feels aggrieved, he/she may request remedy through the campus grievance procedure."

 A few reminders are noted below to help guide faculty in respecting religious observance while maintaining academic standards and requirements:

·         Outline course obligations, dates, and foreseen calendar of examination(s) as early as possible.

·         Instruct students to inform you of any conflicts in accordance with the policy detailed below.

·         There may be accommodation requests neither dictated by calendar dates nor foreseen at the beginning of the semester as contemplated by the stated Senate Policy. In such cases, students should be informed that they should request an         accommodation as soon as they become aware of the need.

·         Students should not be required to supply verification of their attendance at religious services in order to qualify for an accommodation.

The University Holidays and Religious Observances calendar can be found online at   http://www.uic.edu/depts/oae/docs/ReligiousHolidaysFY20132015.pdf.  The list comprises national holidays recognized by the University as well as religious days of special observance that may prohibit a person from performing work. Please keep in mind this list is not exhaustive.

If you have questions, please contact Donn Kamm, Assistant Director in the Office for Access and Equity, at 312-996-8670 or visit our website at http://www.uic.edu/depts/oae/.

Ramadan 2013 Celebrated During July and August

Arwa Naji

Human Resource Assistant Manager

Pablo Rajczyk

Business Administrative Associate

Every year, 1.5 billion Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan (رمضان‎ in Arabic), which is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, called the Hijri calendar. For Muslims, the month is spent as a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement and increased devotion and worship.

Like all Islamic months, Ramadan begins after sighting the crescent moon. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is based on the Earth’s movement around the sun, the Islamic calendar is lunar based. In a lunar cycle months drift each year by 11 to 12 days, explaining why Ramadan is celebrated at different times every year. In 2013 Ramadan began at sunset on July 8^th and will end on the evening of August 7^th. In 2014 observances begin on June 28^th and end July 27^th.

The Value of Diversity: Leadership and Organizational Commitment

Ladan Nikravan, Diversity Executive 
July 15, 2013

An organization’s diversity strategy will fall flat if its leaders aren’t committed to the broader norms of the practice.

The Diversity Value Index (DVI), the Human Capital Media Group’s benchmarking program, has five dimensions. This article addresses the third one, leadership and organizational commitment. To fully realize diversity and inclusion’s (D&I) value, an organization’s leadership and workforce must be committed to driving and executing a D&I strategy that results in measurable organizational value.

Diversity: More than Race and Gender

Kim Morris Lee, Director, Organizational Effectiveness

Many universities in the United States reference diversity in their strategic plan. And, often when diversity is woven into the strategy, messages about inclusion are reflected on the website.

The definition of what exactly is meant by "diversity," however, is often vague. An unfortunate reality is that a rather fuzzy definition of "diversity" seems the norm more often than not. According to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), only 30 percent of human resources professionals report their organization has an official “diversity” definition.

Don't Let Culture Affect Employees' Career Path

Diversity takes on many different forms. While we may be more familiar with race and ethnicity or religious beliefs and culture, what about work styles or communication preferences? This article from Diversity Executive looks at these aspects of diversity in the workplace and provides some tips for managers and employees to support differences and not make judgments on individual's career paths based on these differences.

Diversity Executive - Don't Let Culture Affect Employees' Career Path 

Judy Shen-Filerman - 2/18/13

Many talented individuals don’t speak up at meetings or engage in open disagreement based on their cultural upbringing. That can be changed with these tips.

Read the complete article.

http://diversity-executive.com/articles/view/don-t-let-culture-affect-employees-career-path/1

Think You Know an Employee's "Age"? Don't Be So Sure

The article below addresses key points related to UIC HR policy102 that provides a nondiscrimination statement that applies to admissions, employment, access to, and treatment in the University programs and activities. Age is one of the protected classes under Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Amendments.

From Diversity Executive

By Frank Kalman 11/5/12

A recent study unearths myriad ways to look at a person’s age. Consider this to drive engagement and performance.

Age in the workplace is far more complicated than adding up the number of birthdays an employee has celebrated. Not only is age a measure of how old an employee is, but it’s also a measure of energy, career trajectory, company tenure and more.

Read more http://www.diversity-executive.com/articles/view/think-you-know-an-employee-s-age-don-t-be-so-sure/?interstitial=dwb110512

Want Innovation? Diversify Thinking

From Diversity Executive

Corinne Post 11/19/12

Differences in the way people process information can yield favorable team dynamics and high performance.

An organization’s ability to innovate is paramount when vying to stay competitive. While managers are encouraged to put together innovative teams with a diversity of task-relevant experts, new research in team psychology shows that how employees think is as important to innovation as the knowledge they bring to the table. Their cognitive styles can be measured with psychometric tests similar to those used to assess individual personality.

Read more http://www.diversity-executive.com/articles/view/want-innovation-diversify-thinking/?interstitial=dwb111912

Five Competencies for Culturally Competent Teaching and Learning

From Faculty Focus  http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/

By Cheryl Irish, EdD and Monica Scrubb, EdD in Teaching and Learning

Today's classrooms require that instructors possess competencies for teaching all students. Robust instructional strategies and culturally sensitive curricula are critical, but more important is an instructor who is sensitive and responsive to the unique differences of each student. Recognizing the need to strengthen specific competencies to reach and teach all students requires an understanding of new ideas and a willingness to view instruction through varied cultural lenses.

Think About Diversity of Thought

Ladan Nikravan  -  4/26/11

Diversity Executive Magazine

Diversity of thought is fundamental to understanding the power of inclusion.

The way each individual interprets and negotiates decisions is informed by his or her identity, culture and experience. Diversity of thought — the ways in which employees process circumstances in the workplace — has to do with more than national origin, race or creed; it has to do with new ideas and approaches based on cultural practices.

To read the complete article: http://diversity-executive.com/articles/view/1140