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Policies and Resources

Policies and Guidelines for Religious and Philosophical Groups on Tufts Campuses

Religious Holidays

Academic Calendar:

The Tufts Academic Calendar includes a Religious Holy Days calendar (scroll down to the bottom of the academic calendar webpage for more information). Students observing any of these holidays may request academic accommodations as described below. The University Chaplaincy is available to consult with faculty and students in these situations and refers community requests for accommodations to Office of Equal Opportunity. 

From the Faculty Handbook:

Religious Holy Days

As the academic calendar is constructed, religious holy days are not the sole factor in determining days on which classes are held or suspended. However, it is the policy of the faculty that students be encouraged to observe their appropriate religious holy days; that instructors strive to facilitate this by allowing absence from classes for such purposes and by trying to ensure that no examinations, written reports, oral reports, or other mandatory class assignments are scheduled for or due on such holy days; and that instructors provide ample opportunities for such students to make up work missed on such occasions without penalty.

Special Interest Housing

The Muslim House

The Muslim House offers any resident the opportunity to live in a uniquely Muslim environment.Residents are able to enhance a cultural experience and expand their knowledge of Islam within a closely-knit community. You can find more information about the Muslim house here. 

The Jewish Cultural House (or “the Bayit”)

The Jewish Cultural House (or “the Bayit”) is a non-denominational Jewish communal space on Tufts campus led with the values of its residents and community. The Jewish Culture House provides a setting where students can live and develop in a Jewish communal atmosphere. Residents sponsor programs aimed at informing the community about Jewish issues and culture.  The residents also maintain a kosher kitchen. You can find more information about the Bayit here. 

Kosher and Halal Dining at Tufts

Kosher

Tufts Dining offers several options for those who keep kosher, including a Glatt Kosher Deli, Shabbat meals at the Granoff Family Hillel Center, kosher for Passover foods, and – new this year – a completely vegan kosher option at Dewick MacPhie Dining Center. Tufts Dining and Tufts Hillel have partnered with Lighthouse Kosher to launch this fully certified, completely vegan kosher dining option.

For students observing Passover at Tufts, Tufts Hillel Seder meals are available. Dewick-MacPhie will have dedicated Passover food areas where Tufts students on meal plans observing Passover can select kosher for Passover items and meals. All kosher for Passover foods will be handled separately in designated areas. A list of Passover items will be posted on-site where kosher for Passover food is being served.

Halal

Tufts Dining offers daily halal options at lunch and dinner in several locations:

  • Carmichael Dining Center has halal grilled chicken available for lunch and dinner every day.
  • The Mediterranean Bar at Carmichael serves halal meat daily for lunch.
  • Carmichael serves a halal meat entrée at dinner daily
  • The All-9-Free station within Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center serves halal meat exclusively and entrees are available at lunch and dinner.
  • Dewick has halal chicken and hamburgers available by request daily for lunch and dinner.
  • Pita at Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run serves halal chicken and lamb shawarma.

For students observing Ramadan:

  • Pre-ordered Suhoor boxes will be available for pick up at Carmichael or Dewick-MacPhie at Dinner each night.
  • Students who attend Iftar in Carmichael or Dewick will be provided a single-use take-out container that they may use to take food with them to continue their nourishment after the dining centers closes.