UW says removal of religious holidays from school calendar not a war on religion

At UW-Madison, the official document notifying professors and students of when classes start and end is called the academic calendar. It also lists special dates such as when commencement exercises are held, when breaks occur and when exam weeks begin.

For years, this calendar has included some of the more well-known religious holidays — Rosh Hashanah, Good Friday, Ramadan — so that professors and administrators can avoid scheduling exams or staff meetings on those days.

That tradition has now ended; all references to specific religious holidays will be deleted from the calendar.

But before anyone yells, “War on religion!” the university would like to explain. Faculty secretary David Musolf, whose office issues the calendar, said the change reflects an effort to be more sensitive toward people of faith, not less so.

Every year, university officials field complaints from students who feel disenfranchised because their religious beliefs are not reflected on the academic calendar, he said.

“It’s a fairly complex situation because there are so many diverse religions represented on the campus,” he said. “We can’t possibly include all of them.”

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