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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. 

2025 - 2026 Religious and Cultural Observances

University Observed Holidays

Holiday or Observance Religion / U.S. Holiday Dates  Status
Labor Day September 1, 2025 Classes not in session. University closed.
Thanksgiving Day November 27, 2025 Classes not in session. University closed.
Christmas Day Christianity December 25, 2025 Classes not in session. University closed.
New Year's Day January 1, 2026 Classes not in session. University closed.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 19, 2026 Classes not in session. University open.
Good Friday Christianity/Eastern Orthodox April 3, 2026 Classes not in session. University closed.
Memorial Day May 25, 2026 Classes not in session. University closed.
Juneteenth June 19, 2026 Classes not in session. University closed.
Independence Day July 4, 2026 Classes not in session. University closed.

Holidays and Religious Observances Fall 2025 - Summer 2026

  • 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 August 16, 2025
⚉ Mawlid-al-Nabi (birthday of Mohammad Islam September 15-16, 2025
✭ Rosh Hashanah (New Year) Judaism September 22-24, 2025
Navaratri/Dussehra Hinduism September 22 - October 2, 2025
✭ Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Judaism October 1-2, 2025
Columbus Day October 13, 2025
✭ Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) Judaism October 6- 13, 2025
✭ Shemini Atzeret Judaism October 13-15, 2025
✭ Simchat Torah Judaism October 14-15, 2025
Diwali Hinduism October 20, 2025
✭ Solemnity of All Saints Latin Rite Catholics November 1, 2025
Veteran's Day November 11, 2025
Thanksgiving Day November 27, 2025
✭ Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Latin Rite Catholics December 8, 2025
Hanukkah (Chanukah) Judaism December 14-22, 2025 
Christmas Day Christianity December 25, 2025
Kwanzaa December 26, 2025 - January 1, 2026
New Year's Day January 1, 2026
✭ Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Latin Rite Catholics January 1, 2026
Epiphany Eastern Orthodox January 6, 2026
Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 19, 2026
President's Day February 16, 2026
Maha Shivratri Hinduism February 15-16, 2026 
⚉ Beginning of Ramadan Islam February 17, 2026 
Ash Wednesday Christianty February 18, 2026
Lent Eastern Orthodox February 18, 2026 - April 2, 2026
Purim Judaism March 2-3, 2026
Holi Hinduism March 4, 2026
⚉ Laylat al-Qadr Islam March 16, 2026
⚉ Eid al-fitr (End of Ramadan) Islam March 19, 2026 
Rama Navami Hinduism March 26, 2026
✭ Passover (Pesach) Judaism April 1-9, 2026
Good Friday Christianity/Eastern Orthodox April 3, 2026
Easter Christianity/Eastern Orthodox April 5, 2026
Vesak Buddhism May 1, 2026
Memorial Day May 25, 2026
✭ Shavuot Judaism May 21-23, 2026
Juneteenth June 19, 2026
⚉ Muharram (Al Hijri New Year) Islam  June 16, 2026 
Independence Day July 4, 2026