Lunar New Year – Resources and policies
Lunar New Year denotes the start of the lunisolar calendar, and falls on Tuesday, Feb. 17th in 2026. Lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian and Asian diasporic cultures including Vietnamese (Tết Nguyên Đán), Korean (Seollal), Chinese (The Spring Festival or Chinese New Year), Taiwanese, Malay and many others, and is one of the most important holidays in the year. While Lunar New Year celebrations vary depending on region, religion, and culture, many observances share an emphasis on family and ancestors, the colors red for luck or white for purity, and eating special foods such as sticky rice cakes, noodles, whole fish and dumplings. According to the zodiac, 2026 will be the year of the fire horse, a symbol of transformation and enlightenment.
“Lunar New Year has always been my favorite holiday because it’s about family, tradition, and hope for the year ahead. At home, we’d start the day by wearing new clothes, paying respects to our elders, and sharing a massive feast. Dishes like steamed fish symbolize abundance, and dumplings folded to look like gold ingots represent wealth. My favorite is always the tangyuan (sweet rice balls) because they symbolize family togetherness and sweet blessings. At UW, I celebrate by sharing treats with friends, decorating with red paper cutouts, and video calling my family to stay connected. I wish more people knew that Lunar New Year is about more than just food and festivities—it’s a time to reflect on the past, honor loved ones, and welcome the future with joy and optimism.”
Policies and guidelines for instructors
Existing religious observances academic policy note that:
- Instructors should announce early in the semester that your students must notify you within the first two weeks of class of the specific days or dates on which they request relief. Including this information on your course syllabus is encouraged, to make sure your students are informed of the policy.
- Make‑ups may be scheduled before or after the regularly scheduled requirements.
- It is understood that instructors may set reasonable limits on the total number of days claimed by any one student. Occasionally, students may not fully understand the necessity for prior notice, and under these circumstances we urge you to be as flexible as possible. Our policy seeks to be sensitive to the needs of individual students.
With the above policies in mind, instructors should follow these guidelines:
- Proactively plan ahead to avoid conflicts between examinations or major course activities and religious observances, when possible.
- A non-exhaustive list of cultural, religious, and ethnic holidays is provided by the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty. Additional observances may exist that are not included on this list.
- You can also add religious observances to your Outlook calendar.
- Communicate with your students early (e.g., mention in your course syllabi and class announcements), and highlight the shared responsibility – students are responsible for notifying instructors within the first two weeks of classes of the date(s) on which they request relief due to a religious observance.
- Accept students’ requests at face value.
- Be prepared to offer students alternative pathways to fulfill course requirements (including class attendance) in cases where conflicts can’t be avoided.
Students can use this email template to connect with professors to request flexibility on classwork or evening exams.