Rick Karlin is reporting for the Times Union Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Easter Monday will no longer be official campus holidays at the University at Albany. The school is now on the same holiday schedule as state government. Students and instructors who take those days off, however, will not be penalized. Provost James Stellar acknowledged this represents a big change for members of the campus community and, he said, the decision was not made lightly. Students, faculty members, and staff still have the right to be excused from class and "work to observe religious beliefs without penalty and with accommodations to make up missed assignments or exams,” Stellar stressed. There is opposition to the decision — the calendar change sparked an online petition. Faculty members affiliated with religious studies are looking to appeal the decision. University officials argued that the growth of January and summer classes make it increasingly difficult to hold enough classes and schedule exams within the 15 weeks that state law requires per semester. Read the full story in the Times Union.