As part of ongoing work to create efficiencies and to reduce costs, a Summer Utilities Savings Pilot Program has been developed for summer 2022.

The cornerstone principles of this pilot program are:

  • Ensuring continuity of academic, research, and student services;
  • Positioning employees and offices to become more student-focused;
  • Maintaining the highest level of service to students, employees, families and other important constituent groups to move the university forward;
  • Meeting overall departmental needs and balancing all employee work schedules within the department.

The 13-week Summer Utilities Saving Pilot Program will be in effect Monday, May 9, to August 14. The ending date was selected to allow for planning and preparation for fall semester instruction to begin on August 22.

The goal of the Summer Utilities Savings Pilot Program is to reduce costs as much as possible by offering new options for employee work schedules designed to reduce the employee footprint on campus (including continuing the Telecommuting Policy), and reducing energy use in campus buildings and facilities.  

Employee work schedule changes/Friday operations

  • Employees in some offices will have the option of a four-day work schedule for this time period.
  • Employees may continue to work under the existing IUP Telecommuting Policy and Procedure.
  • The four-day work schedule and telecommuting procedure may be combined for some employees.

All of these options must be approved by the supervisor or vice president.

Official IUP business hours for the pilot program period will be Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with most services on Friday available remotely.

The Office of Public Safety (Police) will remain open on a 24-hour basis.

Because staffing may be limited in offices on Fridays, it is recommended that persons call offices in advance to ensure that persons are physically in the office.

Some select offices that are not student-facing will be closed on Fridays from May 9 to August 14. A list of those offices will be finalized and posted to the IUP website within the next several days.

In addition to contributing to cost savings for the university, the optional four-day work week is intended to improve the quality of the work-life balance for employees.

This optional four-day work week is outlined in side-letters with AFSCME and SCUPA which outline the details and eligibility including which job groups are eligible. Non-represented employees are also eligible, as appropriate.

Specific to the pilot program, in addition to the default work schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, there are four available optional four-day employee work schedules. All of these schedules include a noon to 12:30 p.m. lunch break (unpaid) and 15-minute morning and afternoon breaks. They are:

Option 1, 2 – Work Monday through Thursday    

  • Option 1: Work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; work Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Option 2: Work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; work Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Option 3 and 4 – Work Tuesday through Friday

  • Option 3: Work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; work Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Option 4: Work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; work Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Reducing The Building “Footprint” and Reducing Energy Costs

The energy needs and status of all buildings have been assessed. Every facility will be closely monitored throughout the summer in order to maximize energy efficiencies, and appropriate changes will be made as building usage changes. Under the Utilities Savings Pilot Program, the following general guidelines will be in place:

  • Scheduled classes and events will continue as planned in campus buildings during the summer months.
  • Buildings/building areas without classes or other instructional or essential work functions will be shut down during this time period; employees can still access the buildings, if needed.
  • Occupancy in buildings will be reduced to the extent possible, without compromising services.
  • Temperature settings in buildings will be standardized and controlled remotely (including during holidays, weekends, and evenings), making any necessary considerations for laboratories with animals, computers, and other highly sensitive equipment, and musical instruments.

In order for this pilot program to be successful and to maintain planned student instruction and services, all classes, meetings, events, and other activities, both instructional and non-instructional, must be entered into the 25Live system, IUP’s system of record, so that appropriate planning can be done.

An intended added benefit to the Summer Utilities Savings Pilot Program is reducing IUP’s carbon footprint beyond energy savings, including travel and transportation costs of employees and others. Additional opportunities related to reduced energy use and environmental impact continue to be discussed.

Information about employee-related matters such as work schedule questions for the Summer Utilities Savings Pilot Program should be directed to Human Resources. Questions or concerns regarding individual buildings, air conditioning, or areas within buildings can be addressed by contacting the Office of Facilities Maintenance and Operations at facilities-maintenance@iup.edu or 724-357-2710.

Next Steps

The pilot program for summer 2022 will be refined based on the results of its implementation, with a potential for increased full implementation for summer 2023. Work will continue to develop and implement efficiency measures that could be used during winter break and the traditional academic year.