Religious ACCOMMODATIONS for Students
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 (see below).
Religious Holidays
The following are upcoming 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
The Haudenosaunee has 13 ceremonies throughout the year, representing the 13 moons. These ceremonies occur at various times of the year, often following seasonal changes.
Most ceremonies are a way of expressing thanks to the people, the natural world, the spirit world and the creator. It is hoped that this will help maintain the health and prosperity of the nations.
Each ceremony includes an opening and closing prayer followed by dances and songs. Various stories that are special to the Haudenosaunee are often shared to continue traditional teachings.
The ceremonies are:
- Midwinter: Second week in January and lasts for approximately eight days
- Maple Ceremony: Second week in February and lasts one day
- Thunder Dance: First week in April to welcome back the thunderers
- Sun and Moon dance: Beginning of May to give thanks to the sun and second week of May to give thanks to the moon in the morning and evening respectively
- Seed Ceremony: Middle of May and lasts one day
- Planting Ceremony: End of May
- Strawberry Ceremony: Middle of May and lasts one day
- String bean: First week in August and lasts one day
- Corn: Middle of August
- Harvest: Middle of October and lasts four days
- Thunder: November
- End of seasons: December
Please visit the Haudenosaunee Confederacy website to learn more about the Haudenosaunee ceremonies.
Holiday or Observance/Date(s)/Faith(s)
- Visakha Puja Day / Buddha Day- May 1, 2026- Buddhist
- Ascension -Thursday May 14, 2026-Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
- Shavuot Sundown-May 21 to Nightfall May 23, 2026 -Jewish
- Orthodox Ascension -Thursday May 21, 2026 -Orthodox Christian
- Pentecost-May 24, 2026-Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
- Eid al-Adha- May 27 to 30, 2026 -Islamic
- Orthodox Pentecost-May 31, 2026 -Orthodox Christian
Holiday or Observance/ Date(s)/ Faith(s)
- Corpus Christi- June 4, 2026 -Christian
Holiday or Observance/Date(s)/ Faith(s)
- Tisha B'Av Sundown -July 22 to Nightfall July 23, 2026 -Jewish
- Asalha Puja Day -July 29, 2026 -Buddhist
Holiday or Observance/ Date(s) /Faith(s)
- Feast of Assumption - August 15th, 2026 - Roman Catholic
Holiday or Observance/ Date(s)/ Faith(s)
Krishna Janmashtami:-September 4, 2026 (Celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna).-Hindu
Coptic New Year (Nayrouz):-September 11, 2026 -Orthodox Christianity
Rosh Hashanah - Begins at sundown September 11 – Nightfall September 13 (The Jewish New Year).-Jewish
Fast of Gedaliah- September 14, 2026 (A dawn-to-dusk fast mourning the assassination of Gedaliah)- Jewish
Pitru Paksha: September 15 – September 29 (A 16-day lunar period for Hindus to pay homage to their ancestors) - Hindu
Yom Kippur: Begins at sundown September 20 – Nightfall September 21 (The holiest day of the year, involving fasting and prayer)- Jewish
Sukkot: Begins at sundown September 25 – Ends October 2 (The Feast of Tabernacles)- Jewish
Holiday or Observance/Date(s)/ Faith(s)
- Durga Puja -October 17th 2026- October 21st 2026 -Hindu
Holiday or Observance/Date(s)/ Faith(s)
All Saints' Day - November 1, 2026 -Christian
All Souls Day -November 2, 2026 -Christian
*Diwali - November 8, 2026 - Hindu
*Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib - November 24, 2026 -Sikh
Advent- November 29, 2026 - Christian
Holiday or Observance/ Date(s) /Faith(s)
- Feast of the Immaculate Conception December 8, 2026-Christian
- Bodhi Day December 8, 2026 - Buddhist
- Chanukah (Hanukkah) Sundown-December 4 to Nightfall December 12, 2026-Jewish
- Christmas- December 25, 2026-Christian
- Kwanzaa -December 26, 2026, to January 1, 2027- African