Religious and Cultural Observances

Enhancing Cultural Awareness

USI 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.

USI 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

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.