The office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity has the following recommendations for celebrations:
Celebrations
Section 1
UC Irvine has a strong commitment to equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusiveness. Our university is enriched by the broad representation of cultural and religious beliefs, practices, and observances that our students, staff, faculty, and patients bring to the campus and medical center.University departments and administrators are expected to be inclusive and sensitive to the cultural and religious practices and celebrations of their employees, students, and constituents. When scheduling events throughout the year, consider consulting the following calendars of religious and cultural observances:
The following guidelines are provided to aid units in planning inclusive celebrations.
- Focus on celebrating a special occasion, instead of a specific holiday. Consider having a “Year-End Celebration” or celebrating seasonal themes such as Fall, Winter, or Spring.
- Ensure that office celebrations are not indirectly celebrating religious holidays.
- Clarify that all celebrations are voluntary. Individuals who decide not to participate in the celebrations should not be viewed negatively or penalized.
- Display diverse symbols representing a variety of faith traditions along with secular ones.
- Avoid decorations that are inconsistent with the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.
- Consult with group members before providing food in order to accommodate dietary restrictions to the extent feasible.
- Refrain from promoting religion in the workplace or supporting one religion over another.
- Be inclusive and flexible with the needs of different employees.
If you have questions regarding the above information or any other diversity-related issues, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (OEOD) at 949-824-5594 or oeod@uci.edu.