Teachers may be experiencing a lull in class attendance Friday because of e-mails sent to students from the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of the Provost regarding the University's attendance policy for those wishing to observe religious holidays.
According to the Tiger Cub and e-mails sent this week, a student's absence from class will be excused for religious reasons if they notify their teacher in advance in writing and they do not have to provide any other form of written evidence.
Dean of Students Johnny Green said Auburn is one of the only universities he knows of that does not require written proof of attending a religious service for the absence to be excused.
Green said the University does not ask for written proof because students can not be compelled to tell the University how they worship.
"It's a personal, constitutional right that is protected by those rights we all hold dear," Green said.
Ali Kidwell, a sophomore in interior design, said while she is not going to miss class on Friday, she knows a lot of people who are.
"I think it's pretty much inviting students to skip classes on Friday," Kidwell said.
Green said he had received e-mails from many students with questions about religious holidays prior to the ones he sent to the students.
"This time of the year there are some Jewish celebrations on the weekend running from Friday through Sunday or Monday, some Christian ones and some other ones that are going to come up," Green said. "This is not the first time this issue has come up. It has come up in the past too and that's why the University has the policy written the way it is because we don't know how people celebrate what they celebrate. It's not our business to know necessarily."
Green said students who choose to take advantage of the holiday, but do not partake in its religious festivities, it is the price that has to be paid to protect the rights of those who do miss class because of their religious beliefs.
"That's not anything that any of us can contemplate or even begin to try to second guess anybody, anybody's motives or reasons," Green said. "Honestly, if somebody decides to just take advantage of that day that again is part of what comes with that protection."
Crystal Wachtel, a freshman in physical therapy, said she thinks the e-mails were a good thing to do.
"My chemistry teacher talked to our class about it and said it was fine as long as we wrote a note to them," Wachtel said. They're fine about us missing but if you aren't doing anything then you should still come to class."
Kidwell said while she thinks a lot of student who aren't going to celebrate Good Friday are going to take advantage of it and skip class.
"I think it was a good idea because a lot of students who want to celebrate Good Friday may not know that they could miss class for it and it be excused," Kidwell said. "I think it's a good reminder for them."
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