Religious Holy Days and Occasions
A listing of religious holy days and occasions for 2002-2003 is present on the Office of Religious Life website at www.usc.edu/dept/Religious-Life.
Provost Lloyd Armstrong and Dean of Religious Life Rabbi Susan Laemmle want to remind USC faculty and staff about the university’s policy that grants students excused absences from class for observance of religious holy days.
Armstrong and Laemmle ask faculty to be responsive to requests by enabling students to make up work missed because of holy day observances. Students are expected to make the necessary arrangements in advance of the absence.
The listing of Holy Days and Occasions is extensive, but not comprehensive of all religions or of any particular religious tradition. In the interest of multi-faith understanding, it does include occasions that are unlikely to impact students’ class participation or that occur when no classes take place. It is the fall Jewish holy days and Passover in the spring that are most likely to present a clear conflict with academic demands, and Muslim students may need accommodation during late afternoon classes and final exams for the Ramadan month of fasting during November-December.
In general, food or work restrictions, as well as special worship obligations, can affect the ability of students, faculty and staff to participate in University events that take place on their religion’s holy day. Some holy days and occasions may require additional time for preparation or travel before and/or after the actual observance.
Questions may be addressed to Rabbi Laemmle at ext. 06110 or laemmle.usc.edu. People may turn to her for help in resolving doubtful cases, or to suggest additional listings for subsequent listings.
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Los Angeles ran an op-ed by Bill Deverell of the USC College about looking to the past in order to move on to the future. “You can do better, Los Angeles. You’ve heard it before: admonishment from the lecture hall pulpit or the pages of a book or magazine. History matters. You should pay closer attention,” Deverell wrote. “The history of Los Angeles reflects and illuminates American and world history all at once. With a little effort, something powerful happens: historical sensibility provides perspective on the here and now. Who wouldn’t want that?” The column is the first in a series for the magazine’s new CityThink section, L.A. Observed reported.
SoCal Minds featured the USC Good Neighbors Campaign, in which USC faculty and staff donate money for programs benefiting the neighborhoods surrounding the USC campus. The program was launched under the direction of USC President Steven B. Sample in reaction to the Los Angeles riots, the story noted. The campaign raised a record-breaking $1.2 million in donations this past year, despite tough economic times, the article stated. The story reported that several university units had 100 percent participation, including the USC Rossier School, KUSC-FM, the USC Fisher Museum of Art, the Office of the Treasurer, the Office of the Senior Vice President, Administration, the Health Sciences Libraries and USCard Services.
CNN cited research conducted by Adam Rose of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development for USC’s Homeland Security Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events. Rose’s study found that the standard economic costs of the 9/11 attacks, estimated at $25 billion, were exceeded by the costs of behavioral reactions far from the site of the attack (for example, an additional $85 billion due to a decrease in demand for air travel).
Variety reported that the 22nd annual USC Libraries Scripter Award was given to “Up in the Air” novelist Walter Kirn and to USC alumnus Jason Reitman and Shelton Turner, who adapted Kirn’s book for the screen. In his acceptance speech, Reitman noted that his father, Ivan Reitman, used USC’s Doheny Memorial Library as a stand-in for the New York Public Library in “Ghostbusters.” The Wrap noted that Catherine Quinlan, dean of USC Libraries, emceed the ceremony.
National Public Radio’s “13.7” ran a commentary by K.C. Cole of the USC Annenberg School about the role of science in diplomacy. “We all know that the technology produced from scientific research can make international conflicts more deadly than ever. But can science help stop war?” Cole said. She mentioned that she recently took part in a USC Center on Public Diplomacy conference on science diplomacy and the prevention of conflict.
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