Religious Holidays & Religious Creed Policy

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Religious Holidays & Religious Creeds

The following list of religious and cultural holidays may be used by instructors developing class syllabi and for planning or by supervisors of student employees.

Although many of these days are not university holidays, instructors or supervisors can use this information at their discretion when responding to student requests for accommodations for religious purposes. Making accommodations does not excuse a student from any course requirements but rather supports adjustments to honor their religious observances. For more information, refer to the Accommodation of Religious Creed policy.

This is not an exhaustive list and is not intended to include all religious observances; there may be other holidays that pose conflicts for students. Many religions contain multiple sects and multiple practices of religious celebrations. Several holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar, and dates are approximate. Some holidays begin and end at sundown.

Religious Creed Policy

The UC Berkeley campus’ Religious Creed Policy for accommodation of students who miss exams because of their religious commitment is distributed annually at the beginning of each fall semester. The most recent statement is dated August 18, 2010. The policy follows:

Accommodation of Religious Creed

In compliance with Education code, Section 92640(a), it is the official policy of the University of California at Berkeley to permit any student to undergo a test or examination, without penalty, at a time when that activity would not violate the student’s religious creed unless administering the examination at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship which could not reasonably have been avoided. Requests to accommodate a student’s religious creed by scheduling tests or examinations at alternative times should be submitted directly to the faculty member responsible for administering the examination.

Reasonable common sense, judgment, and the pursuit of mutual goodwill should result in the positive resolution of scheduling conflicts. The regular campus appeals process applies if a mutually satisfactory arrangement cannot be achieved.

Religious and Cultural Holidays

Reference: Our gratitude to Cornell University, Stonybrook University, Duke University, and Xavier University for compiling these lists.

Note: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the first night/day of Passover are observed by the majority of Jews and are among the most important dates on the calendar for familial and Jewish communal gatherings.

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Work-restricted Religious Holy Days

A recognized denominational sacred or holy day that is observed by persons or groups who are required—through a set or system of religious beliefs, laws/doctrines, tenets, canons, or theology—to restrict or limit work and/or physical or mental activity directed toward the production or accomplishment of something; toil; labor. This definition may include academic endeavors (e.g., examinations, classroom activities, research, or out-of-classroom learning experiences).

  • Hindu, Jain, and Sikh holy days are calculated according to the lunar calendar and observed at different times in different regions.
  • All Jewish and Bahá’í holy days begin at sunset the previous day.
  • Observances/practices vary from culture to culture within and across denominations.

Sunday is widely observed as a Sabbath and day of worship for many faith traditions. In the Jewish faith, Saturday (beginning at sunset on Friday) is a work-restricted Sabbath. Regulations governing worship observance depend on regional customs.

There are no work-restricted holy days within the Christian faith by tenet. By custom, in the United States, Easter and Christmas (a federal holiday) are considered to be non-work days.

Special worship: Such religious observances listed above are NOT work-restricted by definition but may involve special worship or observance.

Meaningful: Such days are NOT work-restricted by definition but may be particularly significant to persons or groups.