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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. 

2023 - 2024 Religious and Cultural Observances

University Observed Holidays

Holiday or Observance Religion / U.S. Holiday Dates  Status
Labor Day September 4, 2023 Classes not in session. University closed.
Thanksgiving Day November 23, 2023 Classes not in session. University closed.
Christmas Day Christianity December 25, 2023 Classes not in session. University closed.
New Year's Day January 1, 2024 Classes not in session. University closed.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 16, 2024 Classes not in session. University open.
Good Friday Christianity/Eastern Orthodox March 29, 2024 Classes not in session. University closed.
Memorial Day May 27, 2024 Classes not in session. University closed.
Juneteenth June 19, 2024 Classes not in session. University closed.
Independence Day July 4, 2024 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 September 7, 2023
✭ Rosh Hashanah (New Year) Judaism September 15-17, 2023
✭ Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Judaism September 24-25, 2023
⚉ Mawlid-al-Nabi (birthday of Mohammad Islam September 27, 2023
✭ Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) Judaism September 29- October 6, 2023
✭ Shemini Atzeret Judaism October 6-7, 2023
✭ Simchat Torah Judaism October 7-8, 2023
Columbus Day October 9, 2023
Navaratri/Dussehra Hinduism October 15-24, 2023
✭ Solemnity of All Saints Latin Rite Catholics November 1, 2023
Veteran's Day November 11, 2023
Diwali Hinduism November 12, 2023
Thanksgiving Day November 23, 2023
Hanukkah (Chanukah) Judaism December 7-15, 2023
✭ Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Latin Rite Catholics December 8, 2023
Christmas Day Christianity December 25, 2023
Kwanzaa December 26, 2023 - January 1, 2024
New Year's Day January 1, 2024
✭ Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Latin Rite Catholics January 1, 2024
Epiphany Eastern Orthodox January 6, 2024
Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 16, 2024
Ash Wednesday Christianty February 14, 2024
Lent Eastern Orthodox February 14 - March 30, 2024
President's Day February 19, 2024
Maha Shivratri Hinduism March 8, 2024
⚉ Beginning of Ramadan Islam March 10, 2024
Purim Judaism March 23-24, 2024
Holi Hinduism March 25, 2024
Good Friday Christianity/Eastern Orthodox March 29, 2024
Easter Christianity/Eastern Orthodox March 31, 2024
⚉ Eid al-fitr (End of Ramadan) Islam April 8, 2024
⚉ Laylat al-Qadr Islam April 18, 2024
Rama Navami Hinduism April 17, 2024
✭ Passover (Pesach) Judaism April 22 - 30, 2024
Vesak Buddhism May 22, 2024
Memorial Day May 27, 2024
✭ Shavuot Judaism June 11 - 13, 2024
Juneteenth June 19, 2024
Independence Day July 4, 2024
⚉ Muharram (Al Hijri New Year) Islam July 6, 2024