Absence due to Religious Observance

UAlbany’s Academic Calendar Structure 

UAlbany’s Academic Calendar exists to best serve the academic interests of the University and its students, ensuring our students have as much instructional contact with our faculty as possible.  

It is also essential for financial aid disbursement, among other things, that each course meets the minimum instructional contact requirements outlined in federal, state and SUNY guidelines.  

UAlbany's 15-week semesters pose enormous time constraints, which is why classes are not suspended on religious holidays that are not government holidays (such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and Easter Monday). 

In the past, suspending classes on religious holidays that weren’t government holidays made it increasingly challenging to create a calendar in which courses met instructional contact requirements; that allowed for a full, 20-day winter session; and that allowed sufficient time for grades, degrees, financial aid and other items to be properly processed before the spring semester. 

Instead of suspending classes on these days, UAlbany has instituted a Fall Recess. This recess is predictable and, when combined with the Thanksgiving Recess, does not disproportionally impact a single day of the week. Fall Recess also provides students with a wellness break. 

As structured, the current Academic Calendar ensures that classes have an equal 14 weeks of instruction, plus a week of final exams, and allow for the possibility of an unexpected cancellation while still staying within state, federal, and SUNY guidelines. 

It also allows consistent, multi-year planning — which means students, families, faculty and staff are notified of major dates, such as Commencement, years in advance. 
 

Religious Accommodations for Students

Every student has the right to pursue their education while practicing their faith. 

New York State law requires campuses to excuse, without penalty, individual students’ absences due to religious beliefs and to provide equivalent opportunities for makeup exams, study or work requirements missed due to such absences. 

To request a reasonable religious accommodation, contact your course instructor(s) directly and with sufficient time for them to make the accommodation. Instructors should work directly with students to accommodate religious observances.  

Whenever possible, instructors should not schedule exams, presentations or major due dates on major religious holidays. When scheduling conflicts are unavoidable, instructors must give students the opportunity for an equivalent makeup. Makeup exams must be comparable to the scheduled exam. 

If a class is held on a major religious holiday, instructors should post their lecture notes and other class materials on Brightspace. Contact CATLOE or ITS for assistance. 

Students who encounter issues when requesting a reasonable religious accommodation should contact either the Office of Undergraduate Education or the Graduate School

Religious Accommodations for Instructors

Instructors are responsible for meeting with their classes regularly and at scheduled times, according to the Academic Calendar. In the event of illness or an emergency, you must notify your department, school or college so suitable action can be taken. 

Professional and classified staff are required to charge accruals for absences due to religious observance. 

If you’ll be absent during a regular workday for religious observance or for professional reasons (such as attending a conference) while classes are in session, you must inform your department chair or dean in advance.  

Classes cannot be canceled if you will be absent due to religious observation or professional reasons. 

Instead, you must find a replacement instructor or present an alternative instructional plan (such as providing timed assignments in Brightspace, having a colleague monitor a guest speaker, providing a take-home exam or assignment, etc.) 

Alternative instructional plans must be approved in advance by your department chair or dean.  

Major Religious Holidays

The following are upcoming major religious observances practiced by our students, faculty and staff.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Students, faculty and staff participate in other religious holidays and observances that are not listed here.
 

holidays
Note on Indigenous Holiday Seasons

The Haudenosaunee has 13 ceremonies throughout the year, representing the 13 moons. These ceremonies occur at various times of the year, often following seasonal changes.

Most ceremonies are a way of expressing thanks to the people, the natural world, the spirit world and the creator. It is hoped that this will help maintain the health and prosperity of the nations.

Each ceremony includes an opening and closing prayer followed by dances and songs. Various stories that are special to the Haudenosaunee are often shared to continue traditional teachings.  

The ceremonies are:

  • Midwinter: Second week in January and lasts for approximately eight days
  • Maple Ceremony: Second week in February and lasts one day
  • Thunder Dance: First week in April to welcome back the thunderers
  • Sun and Moon dance: Beginning of May to give thanks to the sun and second week of May to give thanks to the moon in the morning and evening respectively
  • Seed Ceremony: Middle of May and lasts one day
  • Planting Ceremony: End of May
  • Strawberry Ceremony: Middle of May and lasts one day
  • String bean: First week in August and lasts one day
  • Corn: Middle of August
  • Harvest: Middle of October and lasts four days
  • Thunder: November
  • End of seasons: December

Please visit the Haudenosaunee Confederacy website to learn more about the Haudenosaunee ceremonies.

August 2024

String bean: First week in August and lasts one day

Corn: Middle of August

Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary: Thursday, August 15, 2024 

September 2024

Mawlid al-Nabi: Evening of Sunday, September 15, 2024, to Monday, September 16, 2024

October 2024

Rosh Hashanah: Evening of Wednesday, October 2, 2024, to Friday, October 4, 2024

Navratri: Thursday, October 3, 2024, to Saturday, October 12, 2024

Harvest: Middle of October and lasts four days

Yom Kippur: Evening of Friday, October 11, 2024, to Saturday, October 12, 2024

Sukkot: Evening of Wednesday, October 16, 2024, to Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Shemini Atzeret: Wednesday, October 23, to Friday, October 25, 2024

Simchat Torah: Wednesday, October 23, to Friday, October 25, 2024

Diwali: 6:22 a.m. Thursday, October 31, to 8:46 a.m. Friday, November 1, 2024

November 2024

Thunder: November  

Diwali: 6:22 a.m. Thursday, October 31, to 8:46 a.m. Friday, November 1, 2024

All Saints Day: Friday, November 1, 2024

All Souls Day: Saturday, November 2, 2024 

December 2024

End of seasons: December  

Feast of the Immaculate Conception: Sunday, December 8, 2024

Hanukkah: Evening of Wednesday, December 25, 2024, to Thursday, January 2, 2025

Christmas: Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Nativity of Christ: Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Kwanzaa: Thursday, December 26, 2024, to Wednesday, January 1, 2025 

January 2025

Hanukkah: Evening of Wednesday, December 25, 2024, to Thursday, January 2, 2025

Kwanzaa: Thursday, December 26, 2024, to Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Feast of the Epiphany: Monday, January 6, 2025

Midwinter: Second week in January and lasts about eight days

Mahayana: Tuesday, January 14, to Thursday, January 16, 2025

Lailat al Miraj: Evening of Sunday, January 26, to Monday, January 27, 2025

Chinese New Year: Wednesday, January 29, 2025

February 2025

Presentation of the Lord: Sunday, February 2, 2025

Vasant Panchami: Sunday, February 2, 2025

Maple Ceremony: Second week in February and lasts one day

Magha Puja Day: Wednesday, February 12, 2025  

Tu Bishvat: Evening of Wednesday, February 12, to Thursday, February 13, 2025

Lailat al Bara’ah: Evening of Thursday, February 13, to Friday, February, Feb 14, 2025  

Nirvana Day: Saturday, February 15, 2025

Maha Shivratri: 12:38 a.m. to 10:24 p.m. Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Ramadan: Evening of Friday, February 28, to Sunday, March 30, 2025 

March 2025

Ramadan: Evening of Friday, February 28, to Sunday, March 30, 2025

Great Lent: Monday, March 3, to Saturday, April 19, 2025  

Shrove Tuesday: Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Mardi Gras: Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Sunday of Orthodoxy: Sunday, March 9, 2025  

Purim: Evening of Thursday, March 13, to Friday, March 14, 2025

Holi: Friday, Mar 14, 2025  

Feast of Annunciation: Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025  

Eid Al-Fitr: Evening of Saturday, March 29, to Sunday, March 30, 2025

Hindu New Year: Sunday, March 30, 2025 

April 2025

Great Lent: Monday, March 3, to Saturday, April 19, 2025  

Thunder Dance: First week in April

Rama Navami: Sunday, April 6, 2025  

Hanuman Jayani: 5:51 to 8:21 p.m. Saturday, April 12, 2025

Passover: Saturday, April 12, to Sunday, April 20, 2025  

Palm Sunday: Sunday, April 13, 2025

Theravada New Year: Sunday, April 13

Maundy Thursday: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Holy Thursday: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Good Friday: Friday, April 18, 2025

Holy Saturday: Saturday, April 19, 2025

Easter: Sunday, April 20, 2025

Yom Hashoah: Evening of Wednesday, April 23, to Thursday, April 24, 2025 

May 2025

Sun and Moon dance: Mornings in the beginning of May and evenings in the second week of May

Viskha Puja: May 5, 2025

Seed Ceremony: Middle of May and lasts one day

Strawberry Ceremony: Middle of May and lasts one day

Ascension: Thursday, May 29, 2025

Planting Ceremony: End of May 

June 2025

Shavuot: Evening of Sunday, June 1, to Tuesday, June 3, 2025  

Eid Al-Adha: Evening of Friday, June 6, to Saturday, June 7, 2025  

Pentecost: Sunday, June 8, 2025

Corpus Christi: Thursday, June 19, 2025