Student Assembly 26/03/2019

Emergency Motion: Timetabling Changes For Muslim Jummah (Friday) Prayer

The motion notes that Friday prayers happens every Friday for around 40 minutes mid-day and that there should be no classes or major events taking place between 1-2pm every Friday.

Proposer: Baris Varli

Seconder: Mona Mounir

Union Notes:

Religion is one of the protected characteristics in the Equalities Act and is an important part of many students’ lives

There is a significantly high proportion of Muslim students who study at Goldsmiths and who participate in the Friday prayers

Friday prayer happens every Friday for around 40 minutes mid-day

In Islam, Friday prayers are mandatory for men and are also attended by women

A large proportion of Muslim students have lectures and seminars at the same time

Union Believes:

The university should be more inclusive and supportive to students of Faiths and Religions

Some lecturers deny students the right to miss their classes for prayer

If students have the same class at the same time every week (during Friday prayers), this will affect their studies

The university timetabling team should be wary of how it affects different groups of students

Union Resolves:

To only make Fridays (1-2pm) free from classes across the institution

During the academic year

2) The SU does not hold major important events (that are for all students) between

1-2pm on Fridays