2006 New York Code - Students Unable Because Of Religious Beliefs To Register Or Attend Classes On Certain Days.

 
    § 224-a. Students  unable  because of religious beliefs to register or
  attend classes on certain days.  1. No person shall be expelled from  or
  be  refused admission as a student to an institution of higher education
  for the reason that he or she is unable, because of his or her religious
  beliefs, to  register  or  attend  classes  or  to  participate  in  any
  examination, study or work requirements on a particular day or days.
    2.  Any  student  in an institution of higher education who is unable,
  because of his  or  her  religious  beliefs,  to  attend  classes  on  a
  particular  day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular
  day or days, be excused from  any  examination  or  any  study  or  work
  requirements.
    3.  It  shall  be  the  responsibility  of  the  faculty  and  of  the
  administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make
  available to each student who is absent from school, because of  his  or
  her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to register for classes
  or  make  up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she
  may have missed because of such absence on any particular day  or  days.
  No  fees  of  any  kind  shall  be charged by the institution for making
  available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
    4. If registration, classes, examinations, study or work  requirements
  are  held  on  Friday  after  four o'clock post meridian or on Saturday,
  similar or makeup classes, examinations, study or work  requirements  or
  opportunity  to register shall be made available on other days, where it
  is possible and practicable to do so.  No special fees shall be  charged
  to   the   student  for  these  classes,  examinations,  study  or  work
  requirements or registration held on other days.
    5. In effectuating the provisions of this section,  it  shall  be  the
  duty  of  the  faculty  and  of  the  administrative  officials  of each
  institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of  good
  faith.  No  adverse  or  prejudicial effects shall result to any student
  because of his or her availing himself or herself of the  provisions  of
  this section.
    6. Any student, who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty
  or  administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions
  of this section, shall be entitled to maintain an action  or  proceeding
  in  the  supreme court of the county in which such institution of higher
  education is located for the enforcement of his or her rights under this
  section.
    6-a.  It shall be the responsibility of the  administrative  officials
  of  each  institution  of  higher  education  to  give written notice to
  students of their rights under this section, informing  them  that  each
  student  who  is  absent  from  school,  because of his or her religious
  beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes
  or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he  or  she
  may  have  missed because of such absence on any particular day or days.
  No fees of any kind shall be  charged  by  the  institution  for  making
  available to such student such equivalent opportunity.
    7. As used in this section, the term "institution of higher education"
  shall  mean any institution of higher education, recognized and approved
  by the regents of the  university  of  the  state  of  New  York,  which
  provides  a  course of study leading to the granting of a post-secondary
  degree or diploma. Such term shall not include any institution which  is
  operated,  supervised  or  controlled  by  a church or by a religious or
  denominational organization whose educational programs  are  principally
  designed  for  the  purpose  of  training  ministers  or other religious
  functionaries or for the purpose of propagating religious doctrines.  As
  used  in  this  section,  the term "religious belief" shall mean beliefs
  associated with any corporation organized and operated  exclusively  for
  religious  purposes,  which  is not disqualified for tax exemption under
  section 501 of the United States Code.