U. of Calif. resolves Jewish holidays conflict

By · June 22, 2007

A new University of California policy directive changes move-in days if they conflict with Jewish holidays.

The directive has resolved the conflict facing Jewish freshmen faced with a choice between missing move-in days at campus dormitories or foregoing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur observances. Under previous scheduling, move-in days were slated for the Jewish high holy days in four out of the next five years. The new policy, announced last week by University President Robert Dynes, directs the 10 U.C. campuses to pick move-in days that do not conflict with religious holidays. If that proves impossible, campuses must offer alternate days and drop financial penalties for students who miss the official date. California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys), who spearheaded the campaign that led to the policy change, hailed the announcement. “We have insisted all along that incoming Jewish freshmen should not be forced to choose between their religion and the important first days of their new college experience,” he said. U.C. spokesman Brad Hayward said that the new policy would apply to students of all religious faiths, although Jewish students, because of their large numbers, will be the chief beneficiaries. According to the Hillel Foundation, about 20,160 Jewish undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled on U.C. campuses. UCLA, with 4,500 Jewish students, has the largest such enrollment of any campus, followed with 3,300 at Berkeley.