Making religious accommodations on campus

Another clash of religious and secular life, with Harvard caught in the middle.

After a request from a group of Muslim women, the university set aside six hours as women-only workout time in one gym. A Harvard official said the provision allows Muslim women to dress appropriately for exercise, which their religious code would not allow them to do in the presence of men.

That's raised complaints at Harvard. Even though the restriction is for one gym and the least-used one at that, and for only six of 70 available hours, some men are angry that it cuts into their prime gym time, and other students find it sexist or preferential to one religious faith.

Here's my take: Muslim women are probably not the only females who would appreciate the option of exercising in a single-sex facility -- and there are probably men out there who feel the same. With multiple gyms at its disposal, why doesn't Harvard give both sexes small windows of their own gym time?

That's not to circumvent the issue of making special accommodations based on religious practices, admittedly a sensitive matter. It calls for even-handedness and fairness, but also for acknowledging that, for college students, their campus is their home. Making no accommodation for them to observe their religious practices is simply disrespectful. But giving preferential treatment to one faith is also completely wrong.

The best scenario is for colleges to be familiar with the religious practices of their students, just as they are aware of other preferences and needs and to accommodate them in a way that is respectful to everyone. That could mean offering dietary options, designating spaces that students can use for any kind of private reflection, and building respect for religious and ethical differences into the culture and conduct code of the school.