Dear Members of the USF Community,
As a Jesuit Catholic university, USF seeks to create a welcoming and hospitable environment for people of all faiths. In that spirit, we want to do as much as we can to honor and support our Muslim community members who will observe Ramadan in the coming days. The purpose of this communication is to share some information with our community about the upcoming month of Ramadan, and indicate USF resources, services, and special events taking place on campus during this holy month.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is an Islamic holy season that celebrates the revelation of the Qu’ran. The dates of the season are determined according to the lunar calendar and therefore change from year to year. This year, the month of Ramadan falls between March 10 and April 9. Ramadan is a time of increased prayer and fasting for Muslims. Muslims observing Ramadan abstain from food and water during the daylight hours and eat their meals only between sundown and sunrise.
For Our Students
To our Muslim students observing Ramadan, we understand that you might feel fatigued at times during the day while fasting, and that you may require additional support or flexibility with school tasks. We ask that you please communicate to your professor any requests for reasonable accommodations necessary to fulfill your religious obligations. We will do our best to serve you and to honor your observance of Ramadan.
For our faculty and staff, consistent with our Jesuit and Catholic commitment to inclusion and respect for all faith traditions, we respectfully request that you extend every courtesy and reasonable accommodation to students who are observing Ramadan. For example, some students may need to eat a small meal during class after sundown, or may request brief absences from class for prayer. Some may request extended hours, a flexible schedule for exams, or an alternative project or assignment. We also encourage any gatherings on campus that involve food to make to-go containers available. In this way, any community member observing Ramadan can take food with them for Iftar and Suhoor.
The following resources are available to all members of the community during Ramadan:
- Bon Appetit will provide increased Halal offerings and accommodations in the main
- cafeteria. These include:
- Halal protein options at varying food stations
- To-go reheatable items
- A designated Halal snack section
- Traditional Halal meals at least once weekly
- The University Ministry (UM) Interfaith Meditation Room (Toler 122) is open 24/7 for anyone with a USF OneCard. Simply swipe your card to the right of the door to enter. Prayer rugs are available in the prayer room. A portable ablution station (WuduMate) is now available in the room and is maintained daily by UM staff.
- Student Disability Services (SDS) is an on-campus resource for students with disabilities who need assistance with academic and co-curricular accommodations.
- University Ministry’s Romero Room may be reserved for Friday prayers.
The Ramadan Experience
The Muslim Student Association, in collaboration with University Ministry, has created an experience of Ramadan for our USF community. You are invited to fast for a full day to experience Ramadan, or to attend one or several events filled with creativity, advocacy, community, learning, and food!
- March 21 - Discussing Islam
11:45 am at UC 411/412 - March 21 - Palestinian Art Decor
8:00 pm at Romero Room (University Ministry, Toler 122) - March 22 - Suhoor (Midnight Meal)
4:00 am at Romero Room (University Ministry, Toler 122) - March 22 - Iftar Potluck (Breaking Fast)
7:00 pm at Fromm 120
Ramadan Iftars (MSA-hosted)
- March 13 - Off Campus (Restaurant)
- March 20 - Intercultural Centers
- March 27 - USF x UCSF Iftar, Fromm Hall 110
- March 28 - UCSF x USF Iftar, UCSF Campus
- April 3 - Cultural Celebration, Fromm Hall 110
- April 10 - Fromm Hall 110
- April 18 - Eid Celebration (a MSA, UM, and Middle Eastern Studies collaboration), McLaren 251, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
For more information, please follow MSA and UM on Instagram or contact Angélica Quiñónez, director of University Ministry, at 415-422-6796 or anquinonez@usfca.edu. Information will also be available in UM’s newsletter.
USF employees may refer to the Employee Handbook or contact HR at humanresources@usfca.edu.
Thank you for all of the ways each of you supports our USF community of many faiths. To all of our Muslim community, we wish you a blessed and generous Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak!
Sincerely,
Angélica Quiñónez, EdD
Director of University Ministry
Rev. Ronné Wingate Sims, DMin
Assistant Director for Religious Diversity, Justice, and Outreach