Diversity at Purchase College is the commitment to a community of equity and access to its academic and artistic promise through the acceptance of all aspects of human difference. This includes but is not limited to age, disability, race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression and identity, language heritage, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, status as a veteran and worldview. Through collaboration, creativity and inclusion, Purchase College integrates various cultural and social perspectives to engender excellence in the arts and liberal arts and sciences.
Purchase College will not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination and harassment. As part of the SUNY system, Purchase is dedicated to adhering to the guidelines expressed by SUNY in the fact sheet: Committing to a Strong Campus Climate.
Purchase College is committed to ensuring that every student is guaranteed the right to pursue their academic goals while practicing their faith.
Any student who is unable to attend classes on a particular day or days, because of their religious beliefs, shall be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements that they may have missed because of such absence. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the college for making available to the student such equivalent opportunity.
Please note that our religious observances calendar includes only religious holidays that coincide with official Purchase College academic terms, sessions, or modules. The dates on which religious observances occur can vary from year to year. The observances listed are not exhaustive of all religions and their observable holidays. Although daily or weekly religious observances are not listed, we are committed to accommodating students’ needs in accordance with New York State Education Law 224-A.
For more information regarding academic attendance on religious holidays and accommodations, please visit the Office of the Registrar page.
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Sunday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
February 10
Saturday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
February 14
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 10 - April 9
Sundown Sunday Sundown Tuesday
Ramadan (Islam)
March 8
Friday
Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)
March 18
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 23 - March 24
Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday
Purim (Judaism)
March 24 - March 25
Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday
Holi (Hindu)
March 29
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
March 31
Sunday
Easter (Christian)
April 9- April 10
Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday*
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
April 22 - April 30
Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday
Passover (Judaism)
June 11 - June 13
Sundown Tuesday Sundown Thursday
Shavuot (Judaism)
June 16 -June 17
Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday*
Eid al-Adha (Islam)
August 26
Monday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 15 - September 16
Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday
Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
October 3- October 12
Sundown Thursday Sundown Saturday
Navaratri (Hindu)
October 2 - October 4
Sundown Wednesday Sundown Friday
Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 11 - October 12
Sundown Friday Sundown Saturday
Yom Kippur (Judaism)
October 16 - October 23
Sundown Wednesday Sundown Wednesday
Sukkot (Judaism)
October 23 - October 25
Sundown Wednesday Sundown Friday
Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 24 - October 25
Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday
Simchat Torah (Judaism)
November 1
Friday
Diwali (Hindu)
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Tuesday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
January 29
Wednesday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
February 13 - February 14
Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday
Laylat al-Bara’at (Islam)
February 26
Wednesday
Maha Shivarati (Hindu)
February 28 - March 30
Sundown Wednesday Sundown Friday
Ramadan (Islam)
March 3
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 5
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 13 - March 14
Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday
Purim (Judaism)
March 14 - March 15
Sundown Friday Sundown Saturday
Holi (Hindu)
March 27
Thursday
Laylat al-Qadr (Islam)
March 29 - March 30
Sundown Saturday - Sundown Sunday
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
April 12 - April 20
Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday
Passover (Judaism)
April 18
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
April 20
Sunday
Easter (Christian)
June 1 - June 3
Sundown Sunday - Sundown Monday
Shavuot (Judaism)
June 6 -June 7
Sundown Friday Sundown Saturday
Eid al-Adha (Islam)
August 16
Saturday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 4 - September 5
Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday
Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
September 22 - October 2
Sundown Monday Sundown Thursday
Navaratri (Hindu)
September 22 - September 24
Sundown Monday Sundown Wednesday
Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 1 - October 2
Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday
Yom Kippur (Judaism)
October 6 - October 13
Sundown Monday Sundown Monday
Sukkot (Judaism)
October 13 - October 15
Sundown Monday Sundown Wednesday
Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 14 - October 15
Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday
Simchat Torah (Judaism)
October 20
Monday
Diwali (Hindu)
December 14 - December 22
Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday
Hanukkah (Judaism)
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Wednesday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
February 17
Tuesday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
February 17 - February 18
Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday
Ramadan (Islam)
February 18
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
February 23
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 2 - March 3
Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday
Purim (Judaism)
March 3 - March 4
Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday
Holi (Hindu)
March 19 - March 20 *
Sundown Thursday Sundown Friday
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
April 1- April 9
Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday
Passover (Judaism)
April 3
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
April 5
Sunday
Easter (Christian)
May 21 -May 23
Sundown Thursday Sundown Saturday
Shavuot (Judaism)
May 26 -May 27
Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday*
Eid al-Adha (Islam)
August 25-26
Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday
Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
September 4
Friday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 11- September 13
Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday
Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
September 20- September 21
Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday
Yom Kippur (Judaism)
September 25- October 2
Sundown Friday Sundown Friday
Sukkot (Judaism)
October 2 - October 4
Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday
Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 3 - October 4
Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday
Simchat Torah (Judaism)
October 11 - October 20
Sundown Sunday Sundown Tuesday
Navaratri (Hindu)
November 8
Sunday
Diwali (Hindu)
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Thursday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
February 7
Sunday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
February 7 - March 8
Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday
Ramadan (Islam)
February 10
Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 9 - March 10
Sundown Tuesday Sundown Wednesday*
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
March 15
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)
March 22 - March 23
Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday
Purim (Judaism)
March 22 - March 23
Sundown Monday Sundown Tuesday
Holi (Hindu)
March 26
Friday
Good Friday (Christian)
March 28
Sunday
Easter (Christian)
April 21 - April 29
Sundown Wednesday Sundown Thursday
Passover (Judaism)
May 16 - May 17
Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday*
Eid al-Adha (Islam)
June 10 - June 12
Sundown Thursday Sundown Saturday*
Shavuot (Judaism)
August 14 - August 15
Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday
Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
August 25
Wednesday
Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 30- October 9
Sundown Thursday Sundown Saturday
Navaratri (Hindu)
October 1 - October 3
Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday
Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 10 - October 11
Sundown Sunday Sundown Monday
Yom Kippur (Judaism)
October 15 - October 22
Sundown Friday Sundown Friday
Sukkot (Judaism)
October 22 - October 24
Sundown Friday Sundown Sunday
Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 23 - October 24
Sundown Saturday Sundown Sunday
Simchat Torah (Judaism)
October 29
Friday
Diwali (Hindu)
DATE
DAYS
OBSERVANCE
January 7
Friday
Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
January 26
Wednesday
Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism)
January 27 - February 25
Sundown Thursday - Sundown Friday
Ramadan (Islam)
February 26 - February 27
Sundown Saturday - Sundown Sunday
Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
February 28
Monday
Great Lent begins, Clean Monday (Orthodox Christian)