Inside Iowa State

November 5, 2004

Thanksgiving week

Flexible hours sanctioned for Nov. 22-24

by Diana Pounds

Thanksgiving week will join winter break, spring break and summer on the officially sanctioned "flexible work hours" list. University officials recently added Thanksgiving week to the list in an effort to eke out more savings in energy and operations costs.

Since December 2001, officials have encouraged departments and units to adopt flexible work periods during times of lower activity on campus to save on costs. If there are fewer employees in offices for shorter periods of time, facilities staff can adjust thermostats and reduce other operational costs.

Flexible hours are part of a rigorous energy-conservation effort that has netted Iowa State $4.5 million in savings over the past three fiscal years, says Dave Miller, facilities, planning and management director of operations. The goal is to net another $1.5 million in savings this fiscal year.

Miller said faculty and staff can help save energy by simply turning things off. The savings really add when people turn off unused personal computers, monitors, printers, copiers, fume hoods, coffee pots and lights, he said.

Vice president for business and finance Warren Madden emphasized that each unit on campus should develop its own schedules during flexible work periods and get approval from the appropriate dean, director or vice president.

Flexible hours are voluntary and those who adopt flexible hours must follow policies for using vacation, leave without pay or comp time, Madden said.

University guidelines indicate that Thanksgiving week hours can begin the Monday prior to Thanksgiving and should conclude by the Sunday following Thanksgiving. Winter break hours can begin the Monday following fall semester commencement and should conclude by the weekend following New Years Day.

Madden urged those who adopt flexible hours to ensure that clients know office schedules and how to get help in an emergency.

"Phone forwarding, voice mail messages, web sites and office signs are some ways to let clients know how they can get assistance," he said.

Madden added that some units can't operate on flexible schedules because they're vital to daily university operations. These include, for example, units involved in security, power plant operation, ongoing research projects, animal care and snow removal.

Thanksgiving week joins winter break, spring break and summer on the officially sanctioned "flexible work hours" list. Flexible hours are voluntary and those who adopt flexible hours must follow policies for using vacation, leave without pay or comp time.