Memos

To reduce energy consumption, the University will significantly reduce temperatures in academic facilities during the academic break (Saturday, December 16 through Thursday, January 11) and in most other facilities during the winter recess period that extends from Saturday, December 23, 2006, through Monday, January 1, 2007.

Winter Recess. Some offices will be allowed to close during the winter recess period. Buildings that house required services will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 26 through Friday, December 29. Thermostats will be set at 65 degrees during the work day and at 55 degrees after 5 p.m. and on the weekends and holidays (Saturday, December 23, through Monday, December 25, and Saturday, December 30, through Monday, January 1).

Those administrative and student services offices responsible for completing fall semester graduation checks, for processing Promotion and Tenure files, and for discharging operational and business functions will remain open on December 26 through December 29. Employees are advised to dress warmly and comfortably.

Other offices may close for part or all of the winter recess period or may arrange for reduced staffing with prior permission from the appropriate administrator (chancellor, provost and executive vice chancellor, vice chancellor, senior vice provost, vice provost, or dean), who will inform the Provost’s Office of the schedules for his or her reporting units. Offices that will be closed for the period or any part of it (excluding the state holidays, December 25 and January 1) are expected to post their schedules and emergency contact numbers prominently and well in advance. Voice mail messages providing the schedule, appropriate referrals and emergency phone numbers should be recorded.

Academic Break. Final exams conclude on Friday, December 15; spring semester classes begin on Friday, January 19. Beginning on Saturday, December 16, and continuing through Thursday, January 11, we will reduce to 55 degrees the operating temperature in classrooms, class labs, and other areas that house services that are not required during the academic break. Temperatures will be adjusted upward beginning on Friday, January 12. Specific questions or concerns about proposed temperature reductions should be directed to Vice Provost Jim Long (jlong@ku.edu).

Vacation Leave. If offices are closed December 26 through December 29, University Support Staff and unclassified employees must take vacation leave or other appropriate leave unless a satisfactory alternative work setting can be arranged. We ask supervisors to help make such arrangements if their employees request them. The Department of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity (HR/EO) will assist in identifying temporary assignments for employees who wish to work but whose offices will be closed. Additional information about employee arrangements appears at the end of this memo.

Payroll. Due to the Christmas holiday, the payroll period of December 3 through December 16 has an accelerated payroll processing to produce the paychecks for the December 29, 2006, pay date. A detailed payroll processing schedule is included in the Payroll website calendar. (See the Payroll Office website)

Timesheets will be available for on-line entry for the pay period ending December 16 on the morning of Friday, December 8. Departments will be able to print their timesheets from their workstations on this same day. Paper timesheets must arrive in the Payroll office no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, December 16. On-line departments will have until 5:00 p.m. Monday, December 18, to enter time and leave data and make changes to on-line timesheets. The first on-cycle pay calculation will run at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 18. Departments can make changes to existing time and leave entries by noon on Tuesday, December 19. Any new employee time and leave entries by departments after 5:00 p.m. on December 18 will result in the employee paycheck being processed on the first off-cycle supplemental for the pay period ending December 16, 2006. In units that are otherwise closed, employees with time and leave reporting responsibilities will need to report to work in order to complete these responsibilities.

Mail delivery. Federal and campus mail will not be delivered unless delivery is specifically requested. Someone must be on hand to receive all of the mail for the building; otherwise it will not be left. Regular mail delivery will resume on Tuesday, January 2.

Reporting your unit plans. Attached is a form to report your unit’s schedule, mail delivery preferences, and emergency contacts for the period December -- through January 1. Campus Mail will collect and forward information about U.S. mail delivery, so it is important that you indicate your preference for both U.S. mail and campus mail delivery. Please return the form to the administrator to whom your office reports (dean, vice chancellor, senior vice provost, vice provost, provost, or chancellor) by Monday, December 11

Questions? If you have questions about facilities, mail delivery, payroll, or personnel issues, contact the person or office listed below.

Facilities	Production Control, Facilities Operations	864-4770
Mail Delivery	Terri Thornton, Campus Mail	thornton@ku.edu
Payroll	Payroll Office	864-4385
Personnel	Ola Faucher, Human Resources/Equal Opportunity	864-7411

EMPLOYEE ARRANGEMENTS FOR DECEMBER 23 THROUGH JANUARY 1

Use of leave or compensatory time. Non-exempt unclassified and University Support Staff (USS) employees who are not required to and do not wish to work December 26, 27, 28, and 29 may use accumulated vacation or compensatory time. Non-exempt and exempt USS employees who work on November 10 (the Veterans Day holiday) also may use the one and a half days of holiday time. Twelve-month exempt unclassified employees who do not perform their duties during this time must take vacation leave. With the permission of the unit head, non-exempt and exempt employees may also use leave without pay. Eligible employees who plan to be away from work for a week or more may wish to take advantage of the Voluntary Leave Without Pay for Staff in Regular Positions program. (See www.hreo.ku.edu/leaves_holidays/) Approved leave without pay on the workdays immediately before and after the holidays of December 25 and January 1 will not result in the loss of pay for those holidays.

Discretionary day. Unclassified and USS employees who have accrued a 2006 discretionary holiday must take that holiday by Saturday, December 16, 2006, or it will be forfeited. Those eligible for the 2007 discretionary holiday can begin to report its use during the pay period that begins on Sunday, December 17, 2006.

Alternative work arrangements. Some employees may not wish to use their accumulated vacation leave during this period. Anyone whose department will be closed but who wishes to work during this period will be temporarily reassigned. Lynn George and Sarah Campbell (HR/EO, 4-7417) will match those wishing to work with units needing help. Interested employees should call by early December for reassignment. Departments that will need help should also call by that time.

The period between the end of fall semester exams and the beginning of the spring semester provides an excellent opportunity for many USS and unclassified employees to schedule vacation time. We ask administrators to meet requests for vacation leave, use of compensatory time, and the discretionary holiday to the fullest extent possible.

Questions or concerns about energy conservation should be directed to Vice Provost Jim Long (jlong@ku.edu). Other questions should be directed to HR/EO, the Payroll Office, the unit’s dean, vice chancellor, senior vice provost, vice provost, provost and executive vice chancellor or chancellor, as appropriate. Thank you.

Attachment

cc: Personnel Related Staff