Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

February 13, 2004

Low staffing encouraged over spring break to save funds

by Linda Charles
To save energy and operation costs over spring break (March 13-21), ISU officials again support minimum or no staffing in offices that don't necessarily have to be open. Since December 2001, officials have encouraged low office staffing during the winter and spring breaks to help with tight university budgets.

"Employees certainly are allowed to work over spring break if they choose," said vice president for business and finance Warren Madden. However, he encouraged supervisors to be cooperative in allowing employees to take vacation, leave without pay or compensatory time over spring break.

It is permissible to close offices over break, Madden said, particularly small offices in which everyone wishes to take vacation. The office supervisor and dean must agree that the office can be closed or that phone messages can be handled by another office. Officials also may wish to reduce the number of open hours for offices that can't be closed for the entire time.

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.

If a unit or portion of a building can be shut down for part of spring break, 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.

"This is not a week of paid time off, but an opportunity to permit staff members who desire to use voluntary leave options to do so," Madden said. "This effort should promote energy and operational savings and assist in meeting ongoing budget challenges."