Guidelines for the Respect of Religious and Spiritual Diversity at KSC
Keene State College seeks to support and foster an atmosphere in which all community
members may know that they are safe, welcome, and respected. To this end, the College is
committed to providing diversity in our curriculum and in our community. The programs of
KSC are thereby governed by principles of equal opportunity, access to resources, just
treatment of all, and respect for one another. We also support opportunities for all members of the community to engage in practices that lead to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual
wellness.
In order to demonstrate our commitment to providing an environment that respects and
acknowledges the whole individual (beyond the academic and social wellbeing), students,
faculty and staff are permitted by Keene State College policy to be absent from class and work to observe religious and spiritual holidays without penalty.
Students are required to notify professors of their absence in observance of a religious holiday at
the beginning of the semester. Since religious and spiritual holidays are scheduled in advance,
students will be responsible for any work missed or assignments due on the holiday. If the
holiday falls on a date an assignment is due, or examination is scheduled, students will be
required to complete the course expectation according to an agreed upon process by the
professor. Students may reschedule, without penalty, examinations that conflict with the
observance of their religious tradition.
Faculty and Staff are required to contact their supervisors and make reasonable arrangements to
cover their responsibilities to students and other tasks at the college. As with students, faculty
and staff will be required to make this notification at the beginning of the semester or at a time
designated by the supervisor. Employees could trade the holiday off for a campus “floating”
holiday or take personal vacation time.
Religious Holidays
Even though classes will not be cancelled, individuals responsible for planning major Keene State College events are expected to make every effort not to hold events on dates associated with significant religious holidays. Where conflicts are unavoidable, it is college policy to
excuse the absence of students and employees that result from their attendance at religious
observances or to these religious obligations without penalty.
To aid in planning efforts, the Associate Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity
will provide a list of major religious holidays for a variety of world religions that occur when
classes are being held during the academic year. This list will be sent to members of the campus
community in late March or early April of each year. The list will be developed in consultation
with the campus ministry and other individuals at the College who have knowledge of major
religious holidays.
The Administration of the College realizes there are a variety of religious traditions observed by
our diverse community and this list does not reflect all religious holidays.
Baha’i |
|
Birth of Bab |
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 |
Birth of Baha’u’llah |
Thursday, October 27, 2022 |
Ayyam-i-Ha |
Sunday, February 26 – Wednesday, March 1, 2023 |
Naw Ruz (New Year) |
Tuesday, March 21, 2023 |
First Day of Ridvan |
Friday, April 21, 2023 |
Declaration of the Bab |
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 |
Ascension of Baha’u’llah |
Monday, May 29, 2023 |
Buddhist* |
|
Parinirvana Day/Nirvana Day |
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 |
Buddha’s birthday |
Friday, May 26, 2023 |
Christian |
|
All Saints Day |
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 |
Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic) |
Tuesday, December 8, 2022 |
Christmas** |
Sunday, December 25, 2022 |
Ash Wednesday |
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 |
Maundy Thursday |
Thursday, April 6, 2023 |
Good Friday |
Friday, April 7, 2023 |
Easter |
Sunday, April 9, 2023 |
Hindu* |
|
Diwali |
Monday, October 24, 2022 |
Holi |
Wednesday, March 3, 2023 |
Islamic Holidays* |
|
Eid el Adha ( or Eid al Kabir) |
Sundown Sunday, July 9 – Sundown Monday, July 10 , 2022 |
Hajj (Muslim Pilgrimage) days |
Sundown Thursday, July 7 – Sundown, Tuesday, July 12, 2022 |
Ramadan |
Sundown Wednesday, March 22 – Sundown Friday, April 21, 2023 |
Eid al-Fitr |
Sundown Friday, April 21 – Sundown, Saturday, April 22, 2023 |
Jewish Holidays*** |
|
Rosh Hashanah |
Sundown Sunday, September 25 – Sundown Tuesday, September 27, 2022 |
Yom Kippur |
Sundown Tuesday, October 4 – Sundown Wednesday, October 5, 2022 |
Sukkot |
Sundown Sunday, October 9 – Sundown Sunday, October 16 , 2022 |
Hanukkah |
Sunday, December 18 - Monday, December 26, 2022 |
Passover |
Sundown Wednesday, April 5 – Sundown Thursday, April 13, 2023 |
Shavuot |
Sundown Thursday, May 25 – Sundown Saturday, May 27 , 2023 |
Wiccan/Pagan |
|
Lughnassad |
Monday, August 1, 2022 |
Autumn Equinox |
Thursday, September 22, 2022 |
Samhain Evening |
Evening Monday, October 31 – Evening Tuesday, November 1, 2022 |
Winter Solstice |
Wednesday, December 21, 2022 |
Imbolc |
Thursday, February 2, 2023 |
Spring Equinox |
Monday, March 20, 2023 |
Beltane |
Monday, May 1, 2023 |
Summer Solstice |
Wednesday, June 21, 2023 |
* All Islamic and certain Hindu and Buddhist holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar and are approximate.
** Christmas occurs during campus shutdown
***Traditional Jewish people also observe a work-free Sabbath, beginning every Friday night shortly before sunset, and lasting for 25 hours.
Also, note: In addition to some Jewish people having a Sabbath on Friday evening to Saturday evening, Seventh Day Adventists do this as well.
2022
July |
|
Eid el Adha ( or Eid al Kabir) |
Sundown Monday, July 9 – Sundown Tuesday, July 10, 2022 |
Hajj (Muslim Pilgrimage) days |
Sundown Saturday, July 7 – Sundown, Thursday, July 12, 2022 |
August |
|
Physically Challenged Awareness Month |
|
Lughnassad |
Monday, August 1, 2022 |
September |
|
Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month |
(Wednesday, September 15 – Friday, October 15) |
Autumn Equinox |
Thursday, September 22, 2022 |
Rosh Hashanah |
Sundown Sunday, September 25 – Sundown Tuesday, September 27, 2022 |
October |
|
Diversity Awareness Month |
|
LGBTQ History Month |
|
Yom Kippur |
Sundown Tuesday, October 4 – Sundown Wednesday, October 5, 2022 |
Sukkot |
Sundown Sunday, October 9 – Sundown Sunday, October 16, 2022 |
Diwali |
Monday, October 24, 2022 |
Birth of Bab |
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 |
Birth of Baha’u’llah |
Thursday, October 27, 2022 |
Samhain Evening |
Evening Monday, October 31 – Evening Tuesday, November 1, 2022 |
November |
|
American Indian/Native American History Month |
|
All Saints Day |
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 |
December |
|
Universal Human Rights Month |
|
Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic) |
Tuesday, December 8, 2022 |
Hanukkah |
Sunday, December 18 - Monday, December 26, 2022 |
Winter Solstice |
Wednesday, December 21, 2022 |
Christmas |
Sunday, December 25, 2022 |
2023
February |
|
Black/African History Month |
|
Imbolc |
Thursday, February 2, 2023 |
Parinirvana Day/Nirvana Day |
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 |
Ash Wednesday |
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 |
Ayyam-i-Ha |
Sunday, February 26 – Wednesday, March 1, 2023 |
March |
|
Women’s History Month |
|
Holi |
Wednesday, March 3, 2023 |
Spring Equinox |
Monday, March 20, 2023 |
Naw Ruz (New Year) |
Tuesday, March 21, 2023 |
Ramadan |
Sundown Wednesday, March 22 – Sundown Friday, April 21, 2023 |
April |
|
Genocide Awareness Month |
|
Passover |
Sundown Wednesday, April 5 – Sundown Thursday, April 13, 2023 |
Maundy Thursday |
Thursday, April 6, 2023 |
Good Friday |
Friday, April 7, 2023 |
Easter |
Sunday, April 9, 2023 |
First Day of Ridvan |
Friday, April 21, 2023 |
Eid al-Fitr |
Sundown Friday, April 21 – Sundown, Saturday, April 22, 2023 |
May |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month |
|
Declaration of the Bab |
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 |
Shavuot |
Sundown Thursday, May 25 – Sundown Saturday, May 27, 2023 |
Buddha’s birthday |
Friday, May 26, 2023 |
Ascension of Baha’u’llah |
Monday, May 29, 2023 |
June |
|
LGBTQ Pride Month |
|
Summer Solstice |
Wednesday, June 21, 2023 |