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October 16, 2002
Officials encourage low staffing over holiday break
To save energy and operation costs over the winter holiday break, ISU
administrators are encouraging minimum or no staffing in university offices
that don't necessarily have to be open.
In a recent memo to deans, directors and department chairs, vice president
for business and finance Warren Madden encouraged unit heads to be flexible
in allowing employees to take time off over the holiday period (which runs
from after commencement Saturday, Dec. 21, through New Year's Day,
Wednesday, Jan. 1).
Options: Vacation, leave without pay, comp time
"Employees are certainly allowed to work," Madden said. "But we encourage
department and unit leaders to be liberal in allowing employees to take
vacation, leave without pay, or compensatory time over the holidays."
Some offices may be closed
Depending on the activity, Madden added it is permissible for supervisors to
close offices, particularly small offices -- if everyone in a unit wishes to
take vacation and if the office supervisor and dean agrees that the unit can
be closed or phone messages forwarded to a staffed location.
"We recognize this may reduce certain services during this period of lower
activity," Madden said. "We believe this is acceptable given the tight
budget the university faces."
If a unit closes, the unit head should provide the dean or vice president
with information on who to contact in an emergency. Phone forwarding, phone
messages, office signs and Web sites can be used to let clients know where
to go for emergency assistance.
Alert facilities about unoccupied areas; turn down thermostats
If a unit or portion of a building can be shut down for part of the holiday
period, supervisors should alert facilities planning and management at
energy@iastate.edu.
Facilities staff will cut back energy use in unoccupied areas. They also
will let department of public safety staff know which areas of campus will
be largely unoccupied.
Individuals can help save energy over the holiday by reducing office
thermostats from 68 to 60 degrees (if areas will be unoccupied) and shutting
off all nonessential items (such as computers, monitors, printers, fax
machines and copy machines) when they leave for break.
Essential units will remain open
Some units can't be closed because they are vital to the university's daily
operations, Madden said. These include, for example, units involving
security, the power plant, animal care, snow removal and ongoing research
projects.
Up to $5,000 daily savings sought
On a typical winter weekend, when most offices are closed, Iowa State saves
$4,000 to $5,000 per day in energy costs (as compared to a typical weekday).
"If we can get close to those savings over winter break, it will help
considerably in our goal to save $1.5 million in energy costs this fiscal
year," Madden said.
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Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111
Published by: University Relations,
online@iastate.edu
Copyright © 1995-2001, Iowa State University. All rights reserved.
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