The University of Massachusetts has given special permission to Jewish students to be absent on the two days of Rosh Hashana following protests over the scheduling of first classes on the first day of the Jewish New Year.
University officials also indicated that they would take “all appropriate steps” to avoid a similar conflict in the future. The information was contained in a letter to the New England region of the American Jewish Congress which had protested to university officials over the scheduling.
The letter also said that late registration would be allowed on September 19 without penalty and that Jewish students would be assigned to the classes they had chosen previously so that they would not be forced to register for other classes because of Rosh Hashana absences. Faculty members were asked to make arrangements for all students for any assignments missed because of such absences.
The letter said that the existing scheduling methods “should have brought this to light and that it did not do so is difficult to explain.” However, the letter said, “to guarantee that it will not happen again is impossible.”
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