Summer will be one week shorter than normal for this fall’s incoming first-year class, the result of an effort by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) to minimize the year’s conflict between the academic calendar and the Jewish New Year’s holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

While traditionally first-years are required to arrive on campus during the second weekend in September, this fall the date has been pushed back to the first weekend in September. First-years participating in the various opening week programs, such as the First-year Outdoor Program and the Freshman Urban Program will arrive in Cambridge next weekend.

The change in first-year move-in comes as a result of the earlier start of the fall academic year in FAS. Typically the academic year begins on the third Monday in September—which this year falls on Sept. 17—but this year the first day of classes will be held on Sept. 12—the previous Wednesday.

According to Gregory E. Atkinson, the department administrator of the FAS registrar’s office, the change to the start of the academic year was made so that Rosh Hashanah would not occur during the first several days of the term. This year the holiday starts at sundown on Sept. 17 and ends at sundown on Sept. 19.

FAS academic calendars are voted on officially at faculty meetings, but the registrar’s office provides a suggested calendar to the faculty. Calendars are approved by the faculty years in advance.

Many observant Jewish students do not attend classes during at least the first day of Rosh Hashanah.

Atkinson said that the registrar’s office felt that the first several days of the term are often “crucial to the rest of the semester,” since students use these days to select classes and sign up for sections, so that it would be better if the calendar could be arranged so that students did not have to miss these days of class.

While some of shopping period still does fall during the holiday, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 said that this calendar—while not a great solution—was the best that could be devised to minimize the conflict.