Dear student leaders –
Ramadan is quickly approaching, and we want to express our support for students who are a part of the Muslim faith.
Because you are an officer in a Muslim-affiliated student organization, we are seeking your partnership in making the following information about student services and support available to members of your respective organizations and any other peers you think would find the information helpful.
Please forward the following information to your members. Thank you for helping us support students.
Academics
Most students settle their academic accommodations by Feb. 10, but if you still need to complete that process or your circumstances have changed, please immediately consult with your professor or graduate student instructor. If you need assistance, please submit a request to vcei@berkeley.edu. You can also learn more about the accommodation of religious creed policy.
You may also refer to a CalMessage email (“Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr”) sent to all faculty and students on Jan. 26 for full details on academic accommodations.
Additionally, the ASUC Senate has created an email template students may use to inform instructors about their Ramadan accommodation needs during finals week.
Dining
During Ramadan, from March 22-April 21, all dining commons (Café 3, Crossroads, Clark Kerr, and Foothill) will be open and offer carry-out containers/meals, and other services.
- Students may ask the cashier when they enter for a carry-out container they can fill at any dining commons.
- To-go meals will also be available upon request to Muslim-identifying students in all dining commons. Students can take two to-go meals (dinner + breakfast). They will include a box of items, including bananas, dried dates, yogurt, orange juice, bagels, milk, English muffins, boiled eggs, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
- Halal meat is served at all dining locations, and Café 3, in particular, is 85 percent halal.
- Breakfast items will be available during all meal periods, including breakfast cereal, assorted fruit, milk, and juice, and can be placed in the carry-out containers provided by the cashiers.
- This year, we will have speciality meals at the beginning and end of Ramadan, which use halal certified proteins (provided by Mary’s Chicken and Creekstone Farms). Our plans include the following:
- A Ramadan welcome meal on March 23, which will include jeweled basmati rice, butter chicken, roasted vegetables, naan, dolma, kheer coconut rice pudding
- An Eid al-Fitr celebration meal on April 21, which will include braised halal lamb with dates, mm Jadara, fish biryani, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, dolma, and baklava.
- Students do not need a meal plan to eat in the dining commons; guests can pay for individual meals. Undergraduate and graduate students and their families are welcome. See cash/Cal 1 Card debit pricing at caldining.berkeley.edu/visiting/guests.
Prayer and Meditation Spaces
- Southside: Eshleman Hall room 40 (open 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.).
- Northside: Sutardja Dai Hall meditation space, accessed via Yali’s Café (open 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday).
- Moffitt Library: Room 501 (view hours on the Moffitt website)
- On-campus housing: For Ramadan, additional prayer and meditation spaces will be available March 22-April 21.
- Unit 1 Christian Hall room L08 (open 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Friday), for Unit 1 residents only
- Unit 2 Towle Hall room L17 (open 8 a.m.-8 p.m., 7 days/week), for Unit 2 residents only
- Unit 3 Music Room C (open 1-8 p.m., Monday-Friday), for Unit 3 and Blackwell Hall residents only
- Foothill Library in Building 8 room 818L (open 1-8 p.m., Monday-Friday), for Foothill/Stern residents only
- Clark Kerr Campus CK3-116 aka Seminar Room C (open 1-8 p.m., 7 days/week), for Clark Kerr Campus residents only
- Blackwell Hall presentation room (open 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Fridays), for Blackwell Hall residents only
Recreation
Berkeley Rec Sports will be offering increased hours at Memorial Stadium Fitness Center. From Monday, April 3 through Friday, May 12, the weekday hours will be extended until 11:00 PM. View our Rec Sports facility hours.
Transportation to Berkeley Masjid
Looking for transportation to Berkeley Masjid for nightly prayers? The Student EasyPass provides free access to AC Transit, which operates in the evening hours. Nearby bus stops include the 6, 51B, 604, 605, and 851.
We hope that you and your members will find these resources useful and supportive as you celebrate the month of Ramadan.
In community,
Stephen C. Sutton (he/him/his)
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Dania Matos (she/her/ella)
Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion