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Enhancing Cultural Awareness

вÊÍø is committed to enhancing cultural awareness in a diverse and global community and recognizes the importance of religious and cultural expression in the lives of many of our students, faculty, and staff.

вÊÍø follows an academic calendar wherein classes are officially not in session on certain national holidays and religious observances. Nevertheless, there exist numerous other holidays and religious practices that are not formerly recognized.

Requesting an Accommodation for Religious and Cultural Observances

Even though classes are in session during many other holidays and religious observances, students are encouraged to approach faculty early in the semester to request any accommodation they might need to honor their religious and cultural observances. This proactive approach ensures clear communication of the request and any accommodation that might be arranged.

Accommodations might include a request for an excused absence, additional time to complete lab work or written assignments, or the rescheduling of a quiz or an exam.

Faculty are encouraged but not required to accommodate such requests.

Students should understand that for a variety of reasons, it may not be feasible to accommodate their requests.

More importantly, students should understand that any sort of accommodation does not excuse the student of responsibility for material covered in class or any sort of assignment or exam that is due on a day when an accommodation is requested and granted.

Once again, we would like to stress the importance of opening a dialogue. 

2024 - 2025 Religious and Cultural Observances

University Observed Holidays

Holiday or Observance Religion / U.S. Holiday Dates Ìý³§³Ù²¹³Ù³Ü²õ
Labor Day September 2, 2024 Classes not in session. University closed.
Thanksgiving Day November 28, 2024 Classes not in session. University closed.
Christmas Day Christianity December 25, 2024 Classes not in session. University closed.
New Year's Day January 1, 2025 Classes not in session. University closed.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 20, 2025 Classes not in session. University open.
Good Friday Christianity/Eastern Orthodox April 18, 2025 Classes not in session. University closed.
Memorial Day May 26, 2025 Classes not in session. University closed.
Juneteenth June 19, 2025 Classes not in session. University closed.
Independence Day July 4, 2025 Classes not in session. University closed.

Holidays and Religious Observances Fall 2023 - Summer 2024

  • All Judaism and Islam holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the first date shown.
  • Symbol ✭ indicates holidays have been designated non-work days by the religions that celebrate them.
  • Symbol ⚉ indicates dates are not fixed to a calendar but are based on the actual sighting of the moon and there may be some variance by a day.
Holiday or Observance Religion / U.S. Holiday Dates
Janmashtami Hinduism August 26, 2024
⚉ Mawlid-al-Nabi (birthday of Mohammad Islam September 14-15, 2024
✭ Rosh Hashanah (New Year) Judaism October 2-4, 2024
Navaratri/Dussehra Hinduism October 3-12, 2024
✭ Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Judaism October 11-12, 2024
Columbus Day October 14, 2024
✭ Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) Judaism October 16- 23, 2024
✭ Shemini Atzeret Judaism October 23-25, 2024
✭ Simchat Torah Judaism October 24-25, 2024
✭ Solemnity of All Saints Latin Rite Catholics November 1, 2024
Diwali Hinduism November 1, 2024 
Veteran's Day November 11, 2024
Thanksgiving Day November 28, 2024
✭ Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Latin Rite Catholics December 8, 2024
Hanukkah (Chanukah) Judaism December 25, 2024 - January 2, 2025
Christmas Day Christianity December 25, 2024
Kwanzaa December 26, 2024 - January 1, 2025
New Year's Day January 1, 2025
✭ Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Latin Rite Catholics January 1, 2025
Epiphany Eastern Orthodox January 6, 2025
Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 20, 2025
President's Day February 17, 2025
Maha Shivratri Hinduism February 26, 2025 
⚉ Beginning of Ramadan Islam February 28, 2025 
Ash Wednesday Christianty March 5, 2025
Lent Eastern Orthodox March 5, 2025 - April 17, 2025
Purim Judaism March 13-14, 2025
Holi Hinduism March 14, 2025
⚉ Laylat al-Qadr Islam March 27, 2025
⚉ Eid al-fitr (End of Ramadan) Islam March 30, 2025 
Rama Navami Hinduism April 6, 2025
✭ Passover (Pesach) Judaism April 12 - 20, 2025
Good Friday Christianity/Eastern Orthodox April 18, 2025
Easter Christianity/Eastern Orthodox April 20, 2025
Vesak Buddhism May 12, 2025
Memorial Day May 26, 2025
✭ Shavuot Judaism June 1 - 3, 2025
Juneteenth June 19, 2025
⚉ Muharram (Al Hijri New Year) ±õ²õ±ô²¹³¾Ìý June 27, 2025 
Independence Day July 4, 2025