Agenda Item: Closure and Furlough Days, Twin Cities Campus

The Meeting Minute is a tool to provide University of Minnesota supervisors and managers with important topics to address with their employees. Please be sure to add the following item to your next staff or team meeting agenda.

Agenda Item: Closure and Furlough Days, Twin Cities Campus

Planning for the upcoming University closure and furlough is the responsibility of each college/campus/administrative unit. Supervisors and managers must work with their leaders to ensure that plans are in place and broadly communicated. Plans should address the following questions:

• How will workflow be modified to accommodate the closure days?
• How will students and stakeholders be notified of the closure?
• Are there critical staff who must work or services that must operate?

Supervisors and managers should:

1. Communicate the expectation that the vast majority of programs and services will not operate during the closure
2. Identify any critical services in your area that must be provided during the closure and develop a proposed plan to ensure their operations
3. Get approval for your plan from the appropriate college or administrative unit leaders, following the procedures each has described for such approval
4. Ensure that all Civil Service and Bargaining Unit employees understand how and when the furlough will impact their paychecks
5. Ensure that all academic staff are either using their personal holiday, vacation days, or voluntary furlough days during the closure or have a plan for working offsite unless required to work onsite
6. Discuss the following items with your employees

Discussion point 1:
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus will be closed from December 24, 2010 through January 2, 2011. During this time, heat will be turned down and buildings will be locked but accessible through normal security. The closure period includes two weekends, official holidays on December 24 and 31, and a floating holiday on December 27. In addition, the closure includes three furlough days, December 28-30, for all Civil Service and Bargaining Unit employees. Academic employees will be expected to work offsite or take their personal holiday, vacation days, and/or voluntary furlough days December 28-30.

Discussion point 2:
With the exception of notified staff, Civil Service and Bargaining Unit employees will not be expected to work and will not be paid for December 28-30. These three unpaid, mandatory furlough days will impact paychecks on January 12. Be sure to remind your employees to review their personal budgets and plan for this one-time reduction in pay. Employees who are required to work during the furlough must complete a Furlough Request Form and arrange alternate furlough dates with their supervisor.

Discussion point 3:
Academic staff are encouraged to use their personal holiday, which can be combined with vacation time and/or voluntary furlough days, to take time off during the closure. Academic staff not using their personal holiday, taking vacation time, and/or taking voluntary furlough days are expected to work offsite December 28-30 unless required to work onsite. Work plans for these days must be discussed with supervisors, following the procedures they have established.

Discussion point 4:
Closing the University of Minnesota for one week is a complicated task. It impacts everyone in our system, and it impacts each of us in different ways. We want to make sure that every member of our community has the information needed to plan accordingly. Watch your inbox for more information on this topic, and check our online Closure Q&A if you have additional questions.

Closure Dates

Twin Cities and Rochester
12/24/10-1/2/11

Duluth (closure site)
12/23/10-1/3/11

Morris (closure site)
12/23/10-1/2/11

Crookston (closure site)
12/23/10-1/2/11

Closure Templates

Sign Template and Out-Of-Office Reply Suggestions