Campus News
Observing the Jewish High Holy Days and other religious holidays
These religious observances, including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, will occur over the next few weeks.
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
As we welcome the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year, Jewish members of our community may also observe the High Holy Days. These religious observances, including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, will occur over the next few weeks. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Friday, September 15, and continues through sundown on Sunday, September 17. Yom Kippur begins the following week at sundown on Sunday, September 24, and ends on Monday, September 25, at sundown.
September 25 is also the first day of the Fall Quarter, and instruction begins on Thursday, September 28. This year, the High Holy Days coincide with many important pre-quarter activities, including Welcome Week and Move-In, both kicking off on Thursday, September 21. We ask you to be cognizant of these scheduling overlaps in welcoming new and returning students back to campus.
UC Santa Cruz has a rich diversity of students, staff and faculty. For many, religious practice and observances are an essential part of personal identity and mental well-being; for some, it is inseparable from cultural identity. During the year, students’ religious observances may include missing class and requesting extensions for assignments, and technology restrictions may include virtual learning platforms. A student’s observance of the High Holy Days may include limiting or avoiding the use of technology. It may be challenging for students observing the holidays to determine how to navigate their responsibilities with their instructors when that communication happens continuously after the start of the quarter.
When monitoring attendance, scheduling tests, deadlines and assignments, we encourage you to make reasonable accommodations to help students avoid negative academic consequences when their religious practices conflict with academic requirements. At the same time, absence from classes or exams for religious reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the coursework required during the period of absence.
The University of California observes 15 administrative holidays. Members of the campus community may observe religious holidays that are not also official university holidays. If you or other other staff members, including graduate student employees, need accommodations for religious observances, please consult with your department chair, college provost or supervisor.
Thank you in advance for your support of all our students.
Sincerely,
Lori
Lori Kletzer
Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor