FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I'm a student or part of a student organization interested in religion, spirituality and/or interfaith dialogue. How can Interfaith Programs and Spiritual Diversity help me?

Interfaith Programs and Spiritual Diversity can support you in a number of ways. We can advise individuals or organizations, connect you with resources on and off campus, and, on a limited basis, co-sponsor events. We also offer a number of programs throughout the year such as dialogues, field trips, and service projects.

Where can I find the university policy on excused absences for religious observances?

Click here to read the university's policy on excused absences in the the faculty handbook.

Where can I find a multi-faith calendar of major religious observances?

An excellent resource for dates of religious observances is interfaithcalendar.org . Major observances for each faith are highlighted in bold. Interfaith Programs is also working to compile a comprehensive calendar for the academic year.

What is interfaith? Do I need to identify with a particular faith to be involved with your programs? Will I be asked to water down my beliefs?

Although there are many ways to define interfaith, it generally involves people of all different faiths and backgrounds-religious and secular-coming together to build understanding and work towards common goals. It encourages understanding of commonalities and differences and does not mean asking those involved to apologize for or water down their beliefs.

Do you endorse a particular religious viewpoint?

No. Although we often work with individuals and student organizations associated with particular religious, spiritual and secular viewpoints, we do not endorse a particular viewpoint and seek to be a resource for all members of the UMD community.