YW had reported on Feb 14 that Assemblyman Dov Hikind and other NY state and city legislators were demanding that the City University of New York change its final exam schedule, which, for the first time in recent history, coincides with the Jewish holiday of Shavous. A YW reader just submitted an email which was sent from the Brooklyn College Office of Communications to their student body:
This year the spring semester final exam period overlaps with a religious holiday. As such, there may be students who are unable to take exams from late afternoon on Tuesday, May 22 through the evening of Thursday, May 24. New York State law requires that we provide an equivalent makeup opportunity for students who miss exams for religious observance.
Accordingly, we are designating Tuesday, May 29 and Wednesday, May 30 as makeup exam days. Specifically, makeups for final exams originally scheduled in a particular time slot on Wednesday, May 23 will be administered in that same time slot on Tuesday, May 29. Makeups for finals scheduled on Thursday, May 24 in a particular time slot will be administered in that same time slot on Wednesday, May 30.
Given that May 28 is Memorial Day and May 31 Commencement, there are no time slots available to designate a general period for administering makeups for exams originally scheduled late afternoon or evening on Tuesday, May 22. Makeups for these exams will have to be arranged on a case-by-case basis between faculty and students.
Thank you for your cooperation.
(If there is a New York State Law in effect, then what was the point of Dov Hikind demanding that CUNY change their exam dates?)
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3 Responses
The reason Hikind had to get involved was to get FREE publicity. Had it been Shumer he would have called a press conf on a Sunday which is the only day he could get airtime.
I had a similar issue when I was in CUNY and the professor allowed me to take the test EARLY provided I didnt give anyone any answers which I wouldnt have anyway
YW, in response to the question you put on your post, the answer is simple: ATTENTION–like every politico. (You are correct, that law always existed, and SUNY always allowed Jews to take makeups after Yom Tov.)
It has been confirmed that students attending Touro College will not have this probelm