CALENDAR AND POLICY ON RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS AND OBSERVANCES

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE

2005-2006

The calendar that follows was developed to broaden the University community’s recognition of its diverse religious perspectives. The listing is not exhaustive of all major holy days in every religious tradition and some variances of dates will exist due to regional differences. It was developed based on the 2005-06 calendar posted by the National Conference for Community and Justice as well as other calendars or information posted on the web by the various religions.  

Definitions and the University’s policy on religious holy days and observances follow the calendar.

Questions regarding the calendar or the University’s policy may be directed to: Linda Wilson.
    

WORK-RESTRICTED RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS - 2005

DATE		HOLY DAY		FAITH		OBSERVANCE/PRACTICE
AUGUST
27		Krishna Janmashtami		H		Work-restricted
OCTOBER
4		Ramadan (30 days)		I		Work-restricted
4-5		Rosh Hashanah		J		Work-restricted
13		Yom Kippur		J		Work-restricted
18-26		Sukkot		J		Work-restricted (first 2 days and last 2 days)
20		Birth of Bab		Ba		Work-restricted
25		Shemini Àtzeret		J		Work-Restricted
26		Simchat Torah		J		Work-Restricted
NOVEMBER
3 or 4		Íd al-Fitr		I		Work-restricted
12		Baháúllah’s Birthday		Ba		Work-restricted

RELIGIOUS, SECTARIAN, AND ETHNIC OBSERVANCES - 2005 (NON WORK-RESTRICTED)

Sunday is widely observed as a Sabbath and day of worship for many denominations, i.e., Roman Catholic, Christian, Sikh, etc. Regulations governing observance for worship depends on regional customs.  Observances/practices vary from culture to culture within and across denominations. There are no work-restricted holy days within the Christian faith by tenet. By custom, in the United States, Easter and Christmas are considered to be non-work days.
 
The following religious observances are not work-restricted by definition but may involve a special worship or observance in which a faculty, staff or student may feel compelled to participate. As stated earlier, faculty and supervisors should be sensitive to requests for accommodating these special observances. The final decision on excused absence for these days rests with the supervisor and can be appealed to the next higher level.

DATE	HOLY DAY	FAITH	OBSERVANCE/PRACTICE
SEPTEMBER
1	Paryushana begins	Ja	Special Worship
8	Paryushana ends	Ja	Special Worship
OCTOBER
4-12	Navaratri	H	Special Worship
31	Diwali	Ja	Special Worship
NOVEMBER
1	Diwali	H	Special Workshop
DECEMBER
8	Bodhi Day	B	Special Workshop
26 - January 2	Hanukkah	J	Special Workshop

              
NOTE:  Spring 2006 work-restricted and special worship observances will be posted no later than November 1, 2005.

Key to Religious Groups

Ba		Bahá’í
B		Buddhist
C		Christian (general)
H		Hindu
I		Islam
J		Jewish
Ja		Jain

All Jewish and Bahá’í holy days begin at sunset the previous day.  Hindu and Jain holy days are calculated on a lunar calendar and are observed at different times in different regions.  

Descriptions of Religious Holy Days and Observances

Baháúllah’s Birthday:  Commemorates the birth of the founder of the Bahá’í Faith in 1817.

Birth of the Bab:  Anniversary of the birth of one of the twin Prophet Founders of the Bahá’í Faith.

Bodhi Day:  Buddhist celebration of the Enlightenment of Buddha, ca. 596 B.C.E.

Diwali:  Festival of Lights: one of four seasonal celebrations in India. Jains celebrate Diwali as the time when Mahavir left for heaven (Mahavir Nirvana). Sikhs celebrate Diwali in commemoration of the return to Amritsar of the sixth guru after his release from detention.

Hanukkah:  Jewish festival of lights, eight-day commemoration of the rededication of the Second Temple in 165 B.C.E.

Íd al-Fitr:  Islamic festival of the breaking of the fast, Ramadan.

Krishna Janmashtami:  Hindu celebration of the birthday of Krishna.  

Navaratri:  Holy celebration of gifts from goddess Ambadevi.

Paryushana:  Holiest day for Jains.

Ramadan:  The ninth month in the Islamic calendar; 30 days of strict fasting from sun-up to sun-down in honor of the first revelations to the Prophet Mohammed.                           

Rosh Hashanah:  Jewish New Year beginning 10 days penitence concluded on Yom Kippur.

Shemini Àtzeret:  Eighth and last day of Sukkot.

Simchat Torah:  Joyous festival in which the reading cycle of the Torah is completed and its first book begun again.  

Sukkot:   Jewish festival of booths (or tabernacles) and the fall harvest; takes name from the booths used by Israelites during desert wanderings.

Yom Kippur: Jewish Day of Atonement; most solemn Jewish holy day devoted to prayer, fasting, and repentance.


DEFINITION OF Religious work-restricted holy day: 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 and research, or out-of-classroom learning experiences).

There is a distinction between religious holy days, sectarian holidays, and ethnic holidays and festivals which are routinely celebrated in the United States of America, i.e. Christmas, New Year, etc., and religious work-restricted holy days which are based upon religious tenets, laws, and/or doctrine, i.e. Yom Kippur.

Individuals who observe and/or follow these religious work-restricted holy days are not permitted to engage in day-to-day occupations, work, or attend school, including taking examinations or performing other routine commitments.

POLICY

Federal law and university policy prohibit discrimination on the basis of religious belief.  It is the policy of the University of Louisville to accommodate students, faculty, and staff who observe religious work-restricted holy days.  

STUDENTS:  Students who observe work-restricted religious holy days must be allowed to do so without jeopardizing their academic standing in any course.  Faculty are obliged to accommodate students’ request(s) for adjustments in course work on the grounds of religious observance, provided that the student(s) make such request(s) in writing during the first two (2) weeks of term.

Deans and department chairs must investigate and resolve student complaints arising from alleged faculty failure to make reasonable accommodations under these guidelines.

FACULTY & STAFF: Faculty and staff supervisors are directed to accommodate requests for absence for work-restricted religious holy days, unless it would cause an undue hardship.  Further, whether the holy days are work-restricted or not, supervisors of faculty and staff should be sensitive to requests for accommodations.


Questions or requests for additional information may be directed to Linda Wilson.