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Text of section as added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., p. 4187, ch. 503, ¤ 1
(a) In this section:
(1)"Institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Subdivision (7) of Section 61.003 of this code, but includes Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf and Texas State Technical Institute.(b) An institution of higher education shall allow a student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence if, not later thant the 15th day after the first day of the semester, the student notified the instructor of each class the student had scheduled on that date that the student would be absent for a religious holy day.
(2)"Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code.
(c) The notification provided by Subsection (b) of this section shall be in writing and shall be delivered by the student personally to the instructor of each class, with receipt of the notification acknowledged and dated by the instructor or by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the instructor of each class.
(d) A student who is excused under this section may not be penalized for the absence, but the instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignment or examination.
(e) The Coordinating Board, Texas College and University System, shall
adopt rules for the implementation of this section and shall disseminate
the rules to the appropriate institutions under its jurisdiction.
Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg. p. 4187, ch. 503, ¤1, eff Aug. 26, 1985
For texts of ¤51.911 as added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg. p. 4261 ch. 520 ¤ 1, and Acts 1985, 69th Leg., p. 6134, ch. 818, ¤ 2, see ¤¤ 51.911, post
¤ 51.911. Religious Holy Days
Text of section as added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., p. 4261, ch. 520, ¤ 1
(a) An institution of higher education may not discriminate against or penalize in any way a member of the faculty of the institution who is absent from work for the observance of a religious holy day and gives proper notice of that absence if the customary and generally applicable educational practices of the institution permit general personal absence by members of the faculty. If personal absence is customarily penalized, the penalty for absence due to observance of a religious holy day under this section shall be forfeiture of one day's pay equivalent for each day of absence.
(b) In this section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Subdivision (7) of Section 61.003 of this code, except that the term includes, the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf and Texas State Technical Institute.
(c) In this section, "proper notice" means that the faculty member shall provide a list of religious holy days to be observed during the semester to the chairman of the department and shall provide notice of such days in advance to all students whose class would be canceled due to the faculty member's absence. Notice herein shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered to the chairman of the department, receipt therefore being acknowledged and dated by the chairman, or by certified mail, return receipt requested, addresed to the chairman.
(d) In this section "religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code.
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