Religious Observances that Affect the Academic Calendar

To help instructors and staff in course and event planning, some of the religious observances that may affect the academic calendar are listed below. This table attempts to include dates for religions that are most widely observed by students and employees at the University of Illinois and is intended as an aid only.

Members of the University of Illinois community practice a diversity of religious, spiritual, and secular traditions, and individuals may celebrate observances not listed below. When planning around religious observances is not possible, employers and instructors must provide reasonable accommodations as per campus code, and state, and federal law.

Major Religious Observances

Special thanks to the following individuals for their assistance in reviewing the religious observances listed on this page and in the full Religious Observances calendar: Rabbi Alan Cook from Sinai Temple of Champaign-Urbana, Amy Felty from the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Urbana, Father Robert Lampitt from St. John’s Catholic Newman Center, Dr. Adam Newman from the Department of Religion, and Imam Ousmane Sawadogo from the Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center.

A more complete calendar of religious observances is maintained by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as part of the university’s general calendar: Religious Observances. For questions, please contact diversity@illinois.edu.