Religious practices and beliefs shape and guide many members of the Barnard community. Like other core elements of our identities, religion can affect the way we move in the world, the way we access and use resources, and how we experience work and learning spaces like Barnard College. Religious identity intersects with other aspects of our social selves, such as race, sex, gender, and socioeconomic background. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is committed to supporting religious identity and practice. This page serves as a point of reference for religious and non-religious community members navigating our campus community.

For questions pertaining to religious identity, practice, and experience at Barnard College, email: dei@barnard.edu

To stay updated with the most current information, subscribe to the Earl Hall Center for Religious Life email list.

Barnard's campus offers food options for many religious diets. If your traditional or personal dietary needs are not covered here, you can receive one-on-one consultation for navigating your dining and meal plan options from Barnard Dining’s dedicated dietitian, Erika DeMinno. To set up an appointment with Erika, email erika.deminno@compass-usa.com

Buddhism and Hinduism - Vegetarian

• Find Vegetarian Dining through Dine On Campus

Islam - Halal

• Hewitt Hall is a Certified Halal facility.
• Diana Center Cafe has Certified Halal chicken, beef, and vegetarian options.
• Liz's Place has halal vegetarian options.

Judaism - Kosher

• Columbia/Barnard Hillel's Guide to Kosher Campus Dining
• Barnard Kosher @ Hewitt Hall is reserved for students who have chosen a Kosher Meal Plan

Click on a holiday to see notes on common practices such as fasting or abstention from work, but keep in mind that these are common and not universal practices; faith traditions are practiced in a wide diversity of ways by different people.

You can add this calendar to your own Google Calendar by using the blue + at the bottom right corner.

Just want to share the calendar, not the resource page? Use this link.

Barnard community members are encouraged to consult this calendar when planning their semester to foster a more inclusive learning, living and work environment for people of faith and ensure full participation. For example, scheduling a final or a mandatory event for a residence hall wing during a religious holiday may result in many people requesting accommodations, that may include make-up work, and alternative submission timelines. Please be aware that for some religious observances, practitioners may fast while still attending work and class. Fasting can be a physically and emotionally demanding experience that may affect one’s ability to participate even if they are present.

This calendar is an incomplete list of religious holidays members of our community celebrate based on past requests for religious accommodations. Help us add to it with your own traditions! Please email dei@barnard.edu with your request and any details. 

If you are interested in adding religious holidays to your personal (non-Barnard) Google Calendar, please follow these instructions:

1. Sign in to Google Calendar
2. Under “My calendars” click the three dots beside your calendar (you’ll need to hover over it to see it)
3. Next, click “Settings and sharing”
4. Under “Add calendar” click “Browse calendars of interest”
5. Click the box for the religion you’d like to add to your calendar

Barnard College community members of faith can receive reasonable accommodations for religious observances that preclude doing work or coming to campus at certain times as well as necessary provisions for daily practices.

Student Accommodations

Students requesting reasonable accommodations for religious practice, including absences or permanent changes to assignment schedules, should consult directly with their professors. Professors are encouraged to take religious holidays into account when planning courses, but may not be familiar with a particular holiday or tradition. Students and professors should arrive at a reasonable alternative schedule for coursework/make-up completion.

If the student and professor cannot reach a satisfactory agreement, students can appeal to their assigned Dean for assistance.

Employee Accommodations

Staff and faculty are encouraged to contact the Office of Human Resources at hr@barnard.edu or (646) 745-8350 to discuss or request reasonable accommodations. 

Union employees should also consult their contracts and stewards for other and/or additional provisions for religious accommodations.

Semester Planning & Religious Holidays

Instructors and event organizers are encouraged to consult the Religious Holiday Calendar when planning their semester to foster a more inclusive learning and work environment for people of faith and ensure maximum participation. For example, scheduling an exam or a mandatory event for a dorm wing during the High Holidays or Ramadan may result in many people being absent or requesting make-up work and alternative submission timelines. 

This calendar is an incomplete list of religious holidays based on past requests. The absence of a holiday from this calendar does not make it ineligible for accommodations. 

Please be aware that for some observances, practitioners may fast while still attending work and class. Fasting can be a physically and emotionally demanding experience that may affect one’s ability to participate even if they are present.

Common Practices

For many people of faith, religious practices like fasting, prayer, and worship are important parts of their daily lives and weekly schedules. Students and employees of faith are responsible for creating schedules that are compatible with their practices when at all possible. We encourage all community members to know about and respect other limitations that these observances may put on people of faith throughout the year.

Fasting

In addition to fasting schedules, keep common dietary restrictions in mind when planning group meals.

Buddhism - The 1st, 8th, 15th, and 23rd of each month from noon to midnight.

Hinduism - New moon days

Latter-day Saints - First Sunday of each month

Also see "Dining on Campus" for common dietary restrictions.

Days of Rest

Bahá'í - Friday, or one other day per week as common in resident country

Christianity - Sundays

Judaism - Saturdays (Shabbat)

If you would like to add your tradition's practices to this list, please email dei@barnard.edu with your request and any details. 

Religion is a protected characteristic under Barnard College policy as well as New York City, New York State, and Federal law. This is reflected in Barnard’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment and the College's Notice of Nondiscrimination, which states:

Barnard College is committed to providing an environment free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. As such, Barnard College adheres to all federal and state civil rights laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination in institutions of higher education. Barnard does not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, student, or applicant for admission on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, sex, gender identity or expression, or any other protected category under applicable local, state, or federal law, including protections for those opposing discrimination or participating in any grievance process on campus, with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or other human rights agencies. In addition, Barnard College does not discriminate on the basis of alienage or citizenship status, marital partnership status, military status, arrest or conviction record, predisposing genetic characteristics, caregiver status, or victim status for the following offenses: domestic violence, stalking, and/or sex offense, in its employment practices.

The full text of Barnard's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment can be found here.

Barnard students and employees are encouraged to report incidents of discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of religious identity. The Nondiscrimination and Title IX Office can provide supportive measures for affected students and employees, including assistance with safety planning, schedule adjustments, and connection with various forms of counseling. When appropriate, the Office also conducts investigations into alleged incidents.