Religious Observances

Religious Observance Policy

The University is a secular institution that values a diversity of religious expression. The University is also an active community with a wide range of personal commitments and academic and extracurricular activities.

Planning for academic and extracurricular activities should be done with sensitivity to the diverse religious commitments of the community and an awareness of religious holidays. Scheduling large-scale, one-time academic or extra-curricular events on a religious holiday should be avoided whenever possible.

Any student may be excused from class or other assignments because of religious observance. A student who will miss an academic obligation because of religious observance is responsible for contacting his or her professor within the first two weeks of the semester. The student is responsible for completing missed work in a timely manner.

Faculty are expected to be mindful of potential conflicts with religious observances and should make reasonable accommodations when students' religious practices conflict with their academic responsibilities.

The religious observance calendar is meant to serve as a scheduling guide. It lists significant holidays from the five largest global faith traditions. However, it is not comprehensive and students may choose to observe a holiday from any tradition not included on the calendar. For information about additional holidays from these and other faith traditions, see interfaith-calendar.org.

The holidays listed are those which occur when the University is open.

Religious Observance Calendar 2023-26

 

2023-24

2024-25

2025-26

BUDDHIST

Buddha's Enlightenment Day

Friday, December 8, 2023

Sunday, December 8, 2024

Monday, December 8, 2025

Vesak Day

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Monday, May 12, 2025

Sunday, May 31, 2026

 

CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC/PROTESTANT

Ash Wednesday

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Good Friday

Friday, March 29, 2024

Friday, April 18, 2025

Friday, April 3, 2026

Easter

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Sunday, April 5, 2026

CHRISTIAN - EASTERN ORTHODOX

Christmas (Julian Calendar)

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Good Friday

Friday, May 3, 2024

Friday, April 18, 2025

Friday, April 10, 2026

Easter

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Sunday, April 12, 2026

HINDU

Diwali

Sunday, November 12, 2023

Friday, November 1, 2024

Monday, October 20, 2025

Holi

Monday, March 25, 2024

Friday, March 14, 2025

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

 

JEWISH

Jewish holidays begin at sundown the previous day.

Rosh Hashanah, first two days

Saturday, September 16, 2023 - Sunday, September 17, 2023

Thursday, October 3, 2024- Friday, October 4, 2024

Tuesday, September 23-Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Yom Kippur

Monday, September 25, 2023

Saturday, October 12, 2024

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Sukkot

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Passover

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Sunday, April 13, 2025-Monday, April 14, 2025

Thursday, April 2, 2026

 

MUSLIM

Muslim Holidays begin at sundown the previous day. Dates may vary depending on interpretations of the lunar calendar.

Eid al-Fitr

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Monday, March 31, 2025

Friday, March 20, 2026

Eid al-Adha

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Monday, June 17, 2024

Saturday, June 7, 2025

Ashura

Friday, July 28, 2023

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Ramadan

Monday, March 11, 2024

Saturday, March 1, 2025

Wednesday, February18, 2026

Religious Observance Descriptions

Buddhist

Buddha's Enlightenment Day: Also called Rohatsu or Bodhi Day. The day many Buddhist traditions celebrate the enlightenment of the Buddha.

Vesak Day: There are a variety of cultural traditions celebrating Buddha's Birthday. Many Buddhist cultures celebrate the birth, Awakening, and death of the Buddha on Vesak Day.

Christian

Ash Wednesday: This day marks the beginning of Lent, a six week period of prayer and fasting in anticipation of Easter.

Good Friday: The day Jesus was crucified.

Easter Sunday: The celebration of Jesus being raised from the dead.

Hindu

Diwali: Festival of Lights. This holiday is typically celebrated by families sharing various traditional rituals in their homes.

Holi: Festival of Spring or Festival of Colors. This day is typically celebrated by families in India, Nepal, and other parts of Asia by partaking in various regional traditions.

Jewish

Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year. It is the beginning of a ten-day period of introspection and reflection.

Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement. It is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar marked with fasting, worship, and repentance.

Sukkot: Festival of Booths. Commemorates the wandering in the desert of the Israelites as well as the fall harvest. While the festival of Sukkot lasts for 8 days, the first day is considered a day of rest.

Passover: Festival of Passover. It commemorates the Exodus of Jews from slavery in Egypt. While the Passover lasts for 8 days, the first night is the most significant and the first day is considered a day of rest.

Muslim

Eid al-Fitr: Marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and the holiest month in Islamic tradition. It literally means "breaking the fast."

Eid al-Adha: Festival of Sacrifice. Commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael. God provided a sheep to sacrifice in Ishmael's place

Ashura: Shi'a Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, Muhammad's grandson. According to Sunni Muslims, Muhammad fasted and asked others to do so on this day as well.

Ramadan: The ninth month of the Islamic lunar year and is the time in which Muslims observe fast from sunrise to sunset.