Holidays & Religious Holy Day Schedule

Texas House Bill 256 and TAMU Student Rule 7 (“Absences”)

Enacted by the Texas Legislature and effective 9/1/03, Texas House Bill 256 amends Chapter 51: Education Code, Section 51.911, and reads (in part):

“An institution of higher education shall excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose.  A student whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable amount of time after the absence.”

The language of House Bill 256 was adopted into Texas A&M Student Rule 7, Appendix IV (Revised 2005): “Excused Absences for Religious Holy Days.”  A “religious holy day” is defined as one observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20 of the Tax Code.

Providing Accommodation for an Absence
Neither the House Bill nor the Student Rule require that the student notify the instructor prior to the absence. For those students who request accommodations, we ask that you work to fairly accommodate them, and give every indication that we recognize the importance of the day to them.

If you have concerns about the implementation of this Bill, please feel free to contact Karan Watson, Dean of Faculties and Associate Provost at 845-4274 or Watson@tamu.edu.



Holidays and regular breaks observed during 2007-08 are: Thanksgiving, Christmas-New Year’s, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Spring Break, Memorial Day, and Independence Day. (See the University Holidays calendar for exact dates.)


The list is not meant to be exhaustive, and is based upon the following criteria:

• It is recognized as a property tax-exempt religion by the state of Texas under Section 11.20, Tax Code
• It is a day of obligation generally requiring followers of the faith to miss class/work
• The date occurs on, or includes a weekday (dates that occur only on a Saturday and/or Sunday, when classes do not meet, are not listed)
• It occurs on a day when students are normally expected to attend classes. Days of religious observance falling on reading days, during semester breaks, or on previously scheduled State holidays (listed above) are not included

Fall 2007
Sept 13-14 Rosh Hashanah [Jewish]
Sept 22 Yom Kippur [Jewish]
Sept 27-28 First two days of Sukkot [Jewish]
Oct 4 Shemini Atzeret [Jewish]
Oct 5 Simchat Torah [Jewish]
Oct 13 Eid-al-Fitr [Islam]
Nov 12 Birth of Bahá’ulláh [Baha’í]
Dec 20 Eid-al-Adha (first day) [Islam]

Spring/Summer 2008:
March 21, Fri Naw Rúz [Baha’í]
Apr 20-21 Passover (first two days) [Jewish]
Apr 21 First Day of Ridván [Baha’í]
Apr 26-27 Passover (last two days) [Jewish]
Apr 29 Ninth Day of Ridván [Baha’í]
May 2 Twelfth Day of Ridván [Baha’í]
May 23 Declaration of the Báb [Baha’í]
May 29 Ascension of Bahá’ulláh [Baha’í]
June 9-10 Shavuot [Jewish]
July 9 Martyrdom of the Báb [Baha’í]

Important Notes and Information:

• Jewish, Muslim and Baha’i holidays begin at sundown prior to the first date listed.
• The Islamic (Muslim) year begins with Muharram. All Islamic dates are subject to sighting of the moon; an event may be one day earlier or later than the date listed.
• This year, Ramadan will occur from sunset on September 12, to October 13.
• Although the dates are not listed here, for those of the Islamic faith, Friday afternoon prayer is a time set aside each week for expressing collective devotion, and is looked-upon as obligatory.

For a more complete list of holy days, or to find descriptions of the meaning of those days, we encourage you to explore the following websites:

•The Pluralism Project (Harvard)
•The Interfaith Calendar
•PBS.org Multifaith Calendar

If you have any questions, please contact Karan Watson at 845-4274 or Watson@tamu.edu. Thank you.