UAlbany’s Academic Calendar Structure
UAlbany’s Academic Calendar exists to best serve the academic interests of the University and its students, ensuring our students have as much instructional contact with our faculty as possible.
It is also essential for financial aid disbursement, among other things, that each course meets the minimum instructional contact requirements outlined in federal, state and SUNY guidelines.
UAlbany's 15-week semesters pose enormous time constraints, which is why classes are not suspended on religious holidays that are not government holidays (such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and Easter Monday).
In the past, suspending classes on religious holidays that weren’t government holidays made it increasingly challenging to create a calendar in which courses met instructional contact requirements; that allowed for a full, 20-day winter session; and that allowed sufficient time for grades, degrees, financial aid and other items to be properly processed before the spring semester.
Instead of suspending classes on these days, UAlbany has instituted a Fall Recess. This recess is predictable and, when combined with the Thanksgiving Recess, does not disproportionally impact a single day of the week. Fall Recess also provides students with a wellness break.
As structured, the current Academic Calendar ensures that classes have an equal 14 weeks of instruction, plus a week of final exams, and allow for the possibility of an unexpected cancellation while still staying within state, federal, and SUNY guidelines.
It also allows consistent, multi-year planning — which means students, families, faculty and staff are notified of major dates, such as Commencement, years in advance.
Every student has the right to pursue their education while practicing their faith.
New York State law requires campuses to excuse, without penalty, individual students’ absences due to religious beliefs and to provide equivalent opportunities for makeup exams, study or work requirements missed due to such absences.
To request a reasonable religious accommodation, contact your course instructor(s) directly and with sufficient time for them to make the accommodation. Instructors should work directly with students to accommodate religious observances.
Whenever possible, instructors should not schedule exams, presentations or major due dates on major religious holidays. When scheduling conflicts are unavoidable, instructors must give students the opportunity for an equivalent makeup. Makeup exams must be comparable to the scheduled exam.
If a class is held on a major religious holiday, instructors should post their lecture notes and other class materials on Blackboard. Contact ITLAL or ITS for assistance.
Students who encounter issues when requesting a reasonable religious accommodation should contact either the Office of Undergraduate Education or the Graduate School.
Instructors are responsible for meeting with their classes regularly and at scheduled times, according to the Academic Calendar. In the event of illness or an emergency, you must notify your department, school or college so suitable action can be taken.
Professional and classified staff are required to charge accruals for absences due to religious observance.
If you’ll be absent during a regular workday for religious observance or for professional reasons (such as attending a conference) while classes are in session, you must inform your department chair or dean in advance.
Classes cannot be canceled if you will be absent due to religious observation or professional reasons.
Instead, you must find a replacement instructor or present an alternative instructional plan (such as providing timed assignments in Blackboard, having a colleague monitor a guest speaker, providing a take-home exam or assignment, etc.)
Alternative instructional plans must be approved in advance by your department chair or dean.
Major Religious Holidays
The following are upcoming major religious observances practiced by our students, faculty and staff.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Students, faculty and staff participate in other religious holidays and observances that are not listed here.
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Tisha B'Av | Jewish | August 6 to 7, 2022 |
Assumption of Mary | Catholic, Orthodox Christian | August 15, 2022 |
Janmashtami | Hindu | August 29, 2022 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Rosh Hashanah | Jewish | September 25 to 27, 2022 |
Navaratri | Hindu | September 26, 2022 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Yom Kippur | Jewish | October 4 to 5, 2022 |
Mawlid al-Nabi | Islam | October 7, 2022 |
Sukkot | Jewish | October 9 to 16, 2022 |
Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah | Jewish | October 16 to 18, 2022 |
Diwali | Hindu / Sikh | October 24, 2022 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
All Saints Day | Christian | November 1, 2022 |
All Souls Day | Christian, Roman Catholic | November 2, 2022 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Christian | December 8, 2022 |
Hanukkah | Jewish | December 18 to 26, 2022 |
Christmas | Christian | December 25, 2022 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
The Solemnity of Mary | Catholic | January 1, 2023 |
Feast of the Epiphany | Christian | January 6, 2023 |
Lunar New Year | Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist | January 22, 2023 |
Vasant Panchami | Hindu | January 25, 2023 |
Mahayana New Year | Buddhist | January 30, 2023 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Maghi | Sikh | February 5, 2023 |
Tu BiShvat | Jewish | February 6, 2023 |
Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple | Orthodox Christian | February 15, 2023 |
Nirvana Day | Buddhist, Hindu | February 15, 2023 |
Laylat al-Mi'raj | Islam | February 17, 2023 |
Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | February 18, 2023 |
Ash Wednesday | Catholic, Protestant | February 22, 2023 |
Great Lent | Orthodox Christian | February 28 to May 25, 2023 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Great Lent | Orthodox Christian | February 28 to May 25, 2023 |
Sunday of Orthodoxy | Orthodox Christian | March 5, 2023 |
Magha Puja | Buddhist | March 6, 2023 |
Purim | Jewish | March 6 to 7, 2023 |
Lailat al-Mi'raj | Islam | March 7, 2023 |
Holi | Hindu | March 7, 2023 |
Hola Mohalla | Sikh | March 8, 2023 |
Lailat al-Bara'ah | Islam | March 8, 2023 |
Ramadan | Islam | March 22 to April 21, 2023 |
Feast of the Annunciation | Orthodox Christian, Roman Catholic | March 25, 2023 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Great Lent | Orthodox Christian | February 28 to May 25, 2023 |
Ramadan | Islam | March 22 to April 21, 2023 |
Palm Sunday | Orthodox Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic | April 2, 2023 |
Ramayana | Hindu | April 2 to 10, 2023 |
Passover / Pesach | Jewish | April 5 to 13, 2023 |
Maundy Thursday (Protestant), Holy Thursday (Catholic) | Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic | April 6, 2023 |
Hanuman Jayanti | Hindu | April 6, 2023 |
Great & Holy Friday (Orthodox Christian), Good Friday (Protestant, Catholic) | Orthodox Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic | April 7, 2023 |
Holy Saturday / Easter Vigil | Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic | April 8, 2023 |
Vaisakha Puja Day / Buddha Day | Buddhist | April 8, 2023 |
Pascha (Orthodox Christian), Easter Sunday (Protestant, Catholic) | Orthodox Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic | April 9, 2023 |
Rama Navami | Hindu | April 10, 2023 |
Lazarus Saturday | Orthodox Christian | April 15, 2023 |
Palm Sunday | Orthodox Christian | April 16, 2023 |
Yom HaShoah | Jewish | April 18, 2023 |
Eid al-Fitr | Islam | April 21, 2023 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Great Lent | Orthodox Christian | February 28 to May 25, 2023 |
Ascension Thursday | Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic | May 18, 2023 |
Ascension Thursday | Orthodox Christian | May 25, 2023 |
Shavuot | Jewish | May 25 to 27, 2023 |
Pentecost | Orthodox Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic | May 28, 2023 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Corpus Christi | Christian | June 8, 2023 |
Corpus Christi | Orthodox Christian | June 12, 2023 |
Eid al-Adha | Islam | June 28, 2023 |
Holiday/Observance | Faith(s) | Date(s) |
---|---|---|
Asalha Puja Day | Buddhist | July 3, 2023 |
Tisha B'Av | Jewish | July 27, 2023 |