Winter Operations Employee FAQs

This year's modified fall and spring semester schedules will result in a 5-week period within the semester break where operational needs will differ from past years. This 5-week time frame has been termed Winter Operations and is an opportunity to reduce on-campus activity by appropriately limiting in-person contact to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The Winter Operations will also allow further opportunity to expand energy savings and deep cleaning of facilities. 

Winter Operations will be in effect Friday, December 11 at 4:30 p.m. until the morning of Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

During Winter Operations, departments should move to virtual or remote activities similar to summer 2020. Departments should consider their operational need for maintaining face-to-face availability to students and customers and determine the most optimal timing to limit or temporarily suspend in-person availability. 

For many offices, this will result in locking office doors to the public through Monday, January 18, 2021 and re-open to the public on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. However, with the exception of the Reduced Operations Period, departments should remain available virtually during normal business hours. 

For Winter Operations, departments should consider which staff can feasibly continue or shift to working remotely, either on a continuous or intermittent schedule. When a level of on-campus staffing is necessary, consider staggering work schedules or telework days to allow for greater physical distancing within the work space. Teleworking levels will likely be similar to summer 2020 levels.

A formal telework agreement will not be required for continuous or intermittent teleworking from December 12, 2020 through January 18, 2021. A formal telework agreement will be required starting January 19, 2021 in accordance with policy 4.26 for employees who will continue to or begin teleworking during the spring semester.

The Reduced Operations Period is an annual university-approved 10-12 day period in late December to early January where offices are allowed to close to the public and operate with reduced staffing levels as feasible. This year’s Reduced Operations Period will be Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021. 

Winter Operations will generally retain the same staffing level, but move as many operations to virtual as reasonably possible in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

During both the Reduced Operations Period and Winter Operations, departments are expected to manage and communicate the department's message retrieval and response protocol when the office will not be open for unscheduled walk-in traffic.

Campus building exterior doors will be locked during Winter Operations. However, with the exception of University Holidays, Gilchrist and Facilities Management will remain open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..  Regular building hours will resume on Tuesday, January 19th at 7:00 a.m.  As a reminder, you can still access buildings with your brass key or UNI ID (with proper access). If a building needs to be unlocked after-hours or on a weekend, please submit a Building Hour Change Form. For more information, call Facilities Management at 319-273-4400.

For building hours related to dining centers, visit dor.uni.edu/dining/dining-hours.

Unless noted below, building systems (heating/cooling) will be in unoccupied (setback) mode during Winter Operations. Athletic facilities and dining facilities schedules will be coordinated with the respective departments.

Buildings Reduced on:

• Wellness Recreation Center - 11/30/2020 – 1/4/2021

• Business & Community Services, Curris Business Building, Center for Energy & Environmental Education, Gilchrist, Innovative Teaching & Technology Center, Schindler Education Center, and Seerley Hall - 12/21/2020 – 1/4/2021

• Admissions Welcome Center, Rod Library, Center of Social Behavior Research - 12/23/2020 – 1/4/2021

• Facilities Management, Gilchrist, Human Performance Complex, and Industrial Technology Center - 12/24/2020-12/25/2020 & 1/1/2021

• Biology Research Complex and McCollum Science Hall will not be reduced.

The mail center will continue to deliver mail throughout Winter Operations. If a department wishes to suspend mail service during this time, they must contact the mail center.

Some parking changes will be implemented during the break. Priority for snow removal will shift due to the expected low number of vehicles on the campus. Visit publicsafety.uni.edu/limited-snowplowing-and-deicing-certain-parking-lots-winter-break-interim-2020-2021 for additional information. Sidewalk snow removal will remain the same.  

Dining center meals will be available to students, faculty and staff throughout Winter Operations. Biscotti’s will be open Monday through Friday and closed on University Holidays. Please visit dor.uni.edu/dining/winter-break for additional information.