Religious Holidays affecting Academic Planning
Academic Year 2008-2009
Williams College Policy on Observance of Religious Holidays
Because no Williams student should ever have to choose between important religious observances and academic or athletic commitments, college policy provides for students who wish to participate in religious observances that conflict with other obligations to make arrangements with their instructors and coaches to do so.
The policy, approved in 1984 by the faculty and trustees in compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, states that “Any student who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such requirement, and shall be provided an opportunity to make up such requirement which s/he may have missed because of such absence now – provided, however, that such makeup examination or work shall not create an unreasonable burden upon the College. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student” who makes use of this provision of college policy.
The faculty (including coaches) receive annual reminders of this policy, and are encouraged to work carefully with students in anticipating and resolving conflicts to their mutual satisfaction.
The following is not an exhaustive list of “all major religious holidays.” It is a list of those religious observances which may affect participation in important aspects of college life by students who practice a particular tradition. Dates marked with a double asterisk (**) denote occasions on which the precept of a particular tradition, and the practice of nearly all its adherents, includes significant restrictions on academic activity.
For holidays associated with Christianity, the following notations are used to denote observance by particular strands of the Christian tradition: RC-Roman Catholic P-Protestant O-Orthodox
2008 |
DAYS |
HOLIDAY |
RELIGION |
Sep. 1 |
Monday evening |
Ramadan,(1st Day) |
Islam |
Sep. 29 |
Sundown-Monday |
**RoshHashanah |
Judaism |
Sep. 30 |
Tuesday |
Navaratri |
Hinduism |
Oct. 2 |
Thursday |
**Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) |
Islam |
Oct. 8 |
Sundown-Wednesday |
**Yom Kippur |
Judaism |
Oct. 9 |
Thursday |
Dusserah/VijayaDashami |
Hinduism |
Oct. 13 |
Sundown-Monday |
Sukkot (1st 2 days) |
Judaism |
Oct. 19 |
Sundown-Sunday |
Birth of the Báb |
Bahá'í |
Oct. 20 |
Sundown-Monday |
SheminiAtzeret |
Judaism |
Oct. 28 |
Tuesday |
Deepavali (Diwali) |
Hinduism, Sikh, Jain |
Oct. 31 |
Friday |
All Hallows Eve (Halloween) |
Christian |
Nov. 1 |
Saturday |
All Saints Day |
Christianity(RC, P) |
Nov. 2 |
Sunday |
All Souls Day |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Nov. 11 |
Sundown-Tuesday |
Birth of Bahá'u'lláh |
Bahá'í |
Nov. 25 |
Sundown-Tuesday |
Day of the Covenant |
Bahá'í |
Nov. 26- |
THANKSGIVING RECESS |
|
|
Nov. 30 |
Sunday |
First Sunday of Advent |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Dec. 8 |
Monday |
Feast of the |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Dec. 8 |
Monday |
Bodhi Day |
Buddhism |
Dec. 9 |
Tuesday |
Eid al-Adha |
Islam |
Dec. 12 |
Friday |
Advent Fast begins |
Christianity (O) |
Dec. 16- |
WINTER VACATION |
|
|
Dec. 21 |
Sundown-Sunday |
Chanukah |
Judaism |
Dec. 25 |
Thursday |
Christmas |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Dec. 26 |
Friday-Thursday |
Kwanzaa |
Interfaith |
2009 |
DAYS |
HOLIDAY |
RELIGION |
Jan. 1 |
Thursday |
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Jan. 4 |
Sunday |
Epiphany |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Jan. 6 |
Tuesday |
Epiphany |
Christianity (O) |
Jan. 7 |
Wednesday |
Nativity of Christ (Christmas) |
Christianity (O) |
Jan. 7 |
Wednesday |
Ashura |
Islam |
Jan. 17 |
Saturday |
Blessing of the Animals |
Christianity Hispanic |
Jan. 26 |
Monday |
Chinese New Year |
Confucian, Daiost, Buddhist |
Feb. 23 |
Monday |
Maha Shivaratri |
Hinduism |
Feb. 25 |
Wednesday |
Ash Wednesday, Lent begins |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Mar. 2 |
Monday |
Lent begins, Clean Monday |
Christianity (O) |
Mar. 8 |
Sunday |
Passion (Palm) Sunday |
Christianity (O) |
Mar. 9 |
Sundown-Monday |
Purim |
Judaism |
Mar. 20 |
Sundown-Friday |
Naw-Ruz |
Bahá'í, Zoroastrian |
Mar. 21 |
SPRING RECESS |
|
|
Apr. 3 |
Friday |
Ramanavami |
Hinduism |
Apr. 5 |
Sunday |
Passion (Palm) Sunday |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Apr. 8 |
Sundown-Wednesday |
Pesach (Passover) |
Judaism |
Apr. 9 |
Thursday |
Holy Thursday |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Apr. 10 |
Friday |
Good Friday/Holy Friday |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Apr. 11 |
Saturday |
Holy Saturday |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Apr. 12 |
Sunday |
Easter/Pascha |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Apr. 19 |
Sunday |
Easter/Pascha |
Christianity (O) |
Apr. 20 |
Sundown-Monday |
Yom HaShoah |
Judaism |
Apr. 20 |
Sundown-Monday |
Ridván (1st day) |
Bahá'í |
May 1 |
Sundown- Friday |
Ridván (12th day) |
Bahá'í |
May 21 |
Thursday |
Ascension of Christ |
Christianity (RC, P) |
May 22 |
Sundown- Friday |
Declaration of the Báb |
Bahá'í |
May 28 |
Thursday |
Ascension of Christ |
Christianity (O) |
May 28 |
Sundown-Thursday |
Shavuot |
Judaism |
May 28 |
Sundown-Thursday |
Ascension of Baha'u'lláh |
Bahá'í |
May 31 |
Sunday |
Pentecost |
Christianity (RC, P) |
June 6-7 |
COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND |
|
|
June 7 |
Sunday |
Pentecost |
Christianity (O) |
July 8 |
Sundown-Wednesday |
Martyrdom of Báb |
Bahá'í |
June 14 |
Sunday |
All Saints Day |
Christianity (O) |
Aug. 15 |
Saturday |
Assumption of Mary |
Christianity (RC, P) |
Aug. 22 |
Saturday |
Ramadan,(1st Day) |
Islam |
Sep. 21 |
Monday |
Eid al-Fitr |
Islam |