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Religious Holiday Accommodations for Students

New Policy to Accommodate Students’ Religious Beliefs and Practices

Sinclair has adopted a policy providing accommodations for students to be absent in order to observe religious holidays. Ohio law requires each state institution of higher education to “adopt a policy that reasonably accommodates the sincerely held beliefs and practices of individual students with regard to all examinations or other academic requirements and absences for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system.”

What does the policy mean for students?

A student shall be permitted to be absent for up to three (3) days each academic semester to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system. Students may also use these days to participate in organized activities hosted or observed by a religious denomination, church, or other religious or spiritual organization.

The student will receive no academic penalty for being absent as permitted by this policy.

Who does the policy apply to?

The policy applies to all Sinclair students enrolled in courses for academic credit and to the instructors teaching those courses.

How do I request religious accommodations?

The student must provide the instructor with written notice of the specific dates for which the student requests alternative accommodations within fourteen (14) days of the first day of instruction in a particular course.

How do I file a complaint or grievance related to this policy?

The Testing Your Faith Act House Bill 353 is always available for students to read.

For more information, you should contact the Associate Provost at 937-512-2522.The Associate Provost is also responsible for processing grievances and complaints related to this policy.

Major Religious Holidays and Festivals 2023-2025*

Judaism

  • Tu BiShvat in February
  • Purim (March 6-7)
  • Yom HaShoah in April
  • Passover (April 5-13)
  • Yom HaSho’ah (April 17-18)
  • Shavuot (May 25-27)
  • Tisha B’Av (July 26-27)
  • Rosh Hashanah (September 15-17)
  • Yom Kippur (September 24-25)
  • Sukkot (September 29 – October 6)
  • Shemini Atzerat (October 6-8)
  • Simchat Torah (October 7-8)
  • Hanukkah (December 7-15)


Christianity

  • Feast of Mary Mother of God (January 1)
  • Christmas – Eastern Orthodox (January 7)
  • Epiphany (January 8)
  • Ash Wednesday (February 22)
  • Lent (Feb 22 - April 8)
  • Feast of the Annunciation (March 25)
  • Palm Sunday (April 2)
  • Holy Thursday (April 6)
  • Good Friday (April 7)
  • Easter (April 9)
  • Pascha/Easter (Eastern Orthodox) (April 16)
  • Feast of the Ascension (May 18)
  • Pentecost (May 28)
  • Trinity Sunday (June 4)
  • Corpus Christi Sunday (June 8)
  • Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 16)
  • Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24)
  • Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29)
  • Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola (July 31)
  • Feast of the Assumption of Mary (August 15)
  • All Saints Day (November 1)
  • All Souls Day (November 2)
  • Feast of Christ the King (November 26)
  • Advent Season (December 3)
  • Feast of St. Francis Xavier (December 3)
  • Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)
  • Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12)
  • Christmas (December 25)


Islam

  • Sabe-Miraj or Lailatul Me’raj (February 18)
  • Sabe Barat (March 7)
  • Ramadan (March 22-April 21)
  • Lailatul Qadr (April 18)
  • Eid al-Fitr (April 21-22)
  • Day of Arafa/Haj/Waqf of Arafa (June 28)
  • Eid-ul Adha (June 28-29)
  • Islanmic New Year (July 19-20)
  • Ashura (July 27-28)
  • Mawlid-al-Nabi (September 26-27)

Hindu

  • Maha Shivaratri (February 18)
  • Shri Ramakrishna Jayanti (February 21)
  • Holi (March 18)
  • Rama Navami (March 30)
  • Mahavir-Jayanti (April 4)
  • Raksha Bandhan (August 30)
  • Krishna Janmashtami (September 6-7)
  • Navaratri (October 15-23)
  • Diwali (November 12)

Buddhist

  • Bodhi Day (January 10)
  • Vesak (April 8)
  • Lunar New Year (January 22)
  • Magha Puja Day (March 30)
  • Vesak (April 8)
  • Buddha Day/Visakha Puja (May 5)
  • Diwali (November 12)

Sikh

  • Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (January 5)
  • Vaisakhi (April 14)
  • Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (June 16)
  • Diwiali (November 12)
  • Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib (November 24)
  • Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib (November 27)

Bahá'í

  • ‘Alá’ (Lofiness) (March 2-20)
  • Naw-Rúz (March 21-22)
  • Ridván (April 21-May 2)
  • Declaration of the Bab (May 23-24)
  • Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (May 29-30)
  • Martyrdom of the Bab (July 9)
  • Birth of the Bab (October 26-27)
  • Birth of Baháúllah (October 27-28)
  • Ascension of ’Abdu’l-Bahá (November 28)

Shinto

  • Gantan-sai (January 1)
  • Setsubum-sai (February 3)

Other

  • Kwanzaa (December 26 – Jan 1, 2024)
  • Lunar New Year (January 22)
+ January - December 2024

Judaism

  • Purim (March 23-24)
  • Passover (April 22-30)
  • Shavuot (June 11-13)
  • Tisha B’Av (August 12-13)
  • Rosh Hashanah (October 2-4)
  • Yom Kippur (October 11-12)
  • Sukkot (October 16-23)
  • Shemini Atzerat (October 23-25)
  • Simchat Torah (October 24-25)
  • Hanukkah (December 25- January 2)

Christianity

  • Feast of Mary Mother of God (January 1)
  • Christmas – Eastern Orthodox (January 7)
  • Epiphany (January 6)
  • Ash Wednesday (February 14)
  • Feast of the Annunciation (March 25)
  • Palm Sunday (March 24)
  • Holy Thursday (March 28)
  • Good Friday (March 29)
  • Easter (March 31)
  • Feast of the Ascension (May 18)
  • Pentecost (May 19)
  • Trinity Sunday (May 26)
  • Corpus Christi Sunday (May 30)
  • Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 7)
  • Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24)
  • Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29)
  • Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola (July 31)
  • Feast of the Assumption of Mary (August 15)
  • All Saints Day (November 1)
  • All Souls Day (November 2)
  • Feast of Christ the King (November 24)
  • Advent Season (December 1)
  • Feast of St. Francis Xavier (December 3)
  • Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)
  • Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12)
  • Christmas (December 25)

Islam

  • Ramadan (March 11-April 10)
  • Eid al-Fitr (April 9-10)
  • Eid-ul Adha (June 16-17)
  • Ashura (July 16-17)
  • Mawlid-al-Nabi (September 15-16)

Hindu

  • Maha Shivaratri (March
  • Shri Ramakrishna Jayanti (March 12)
  • Rama Navami (April 17)
  • Krishna Janmashtami (August 26)
  • Diwali (November 1)

Buddhist

  • Bodhi Day (January 18)
  • Vesak (May 23)

Sikh

  • Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (January 5)
  • Vaisakhi (April 13)
  • Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (June 16)
  • Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib (November 24)
  • Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib (November 27)

Bahá'í

  • Naw-Rúz (March 19-20)
  • Ridván (April 21-May 2)
  • Declaration of the Bab (May 23-24)
  • Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (May 29-30)
  • Martyrdom of the Bab (July 9)
  • Birth of the Bab (October 26-27)
  • Birth of Baháúllah (October 27-28)
  • Ascension of ’Abdu’l-Bahá (November 28)
+  January - December 2025

Judaism

  • Purim (March 13-14)
  • Passover (April 12-20)
  • Shavuot (June 1-3)
  • Tisha B’Av (August 2-3)
  • Rosh Hashanah (September 22-24)
  • Yom Kippur (October 1-2)
  • Sukkot (October 6-13)
  • Shemini Atzerat (October 13-15)
  • Simchat Torah (October 14-15)
  • Hanukkah (December 14-22)

Christianity

  • Feast of Mary Mother of God (January 1)
  • Christmas – Eastern Orthodox (January 6)
  • Epiphany (January 6)
  • Ash Wednesday (March 5)
  • Feast of the Annunciation (March 25)
  • Palm Sunday (April 13)
  • Holy Thursday (April 17)
  • Good Friday (April 18)
  • Easter (April 18)
  • Feast of the Ascension (May 29)
  • Pentecost (June8)
  • Trinity Sunday (June 15)
  • Corpus Christi Sunday (June 19)
  • Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 27)
  • Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24)
  • Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29)
  • Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola (July 31)
  • Feast of the Assumption of Mary (August 15)
  • All Saints Day (November 1)
  • All Souls Day (November 2)
  • Feast of Christ the King (November 23)
  • Advent Season (November 30)
  • Feast of St. Francis Xavier (December 3)
  • Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)
  • Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12)
  • Christmas (December 25)

Islam

  • Ramadan (February 28-March 29)
  • Eid al-Fitr (March 30-31)
  • Eid-ul Adha (June 6-7)
  • Ashura (July 4-5)
  • Mawlid-al-Nabi (September 4-5)

Hindu

  • Maha Shivaratri (February 25)
  • Shri Ramakrishna Jayanti (March 12)
  • Rama Navami (April 5)
  • Krishna Janmashtami (August 15)
  • Diwali (October 20)

Buddhist

  • Bodhi Day (January 7)
  • Vesak (May 12)

Sikh

  • Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (January 5)
  • Vaisakhi (April 14)
  • Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (June 16)
  • Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib (November 24)
  • Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib (November 27)

Bahá?í

  • Naw-Rúz (March 19-20)
  • Ridván (April 21-May 2)
  • Declaration of the Bab (May 23-24)
  • Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (May 29-30)
  • Martyrdom of the Bab (July 9)
  • Birth of the Bab (October 26-27)
  • Birth of Baháúllah (October 27-28)
  • Ascension of ’Abdu’l-Bahá (November 28)

*Please keep in mind this not an exhaustive list.