In order to create flexibility and balance for UW Tacoma staff while maintaining a high degree of access for our students and community, we have developed new policies for office hours during summer and over the winter holidays for 2024. 

These kind of reduced office hours during summer quarter and winter break are common practice on university campuses across the country and are a more environmentally sustainable practice that can save energy and therefore scarce resources.

Summer Hours 2024

Operating guidelines for June 17 - September 1, 2024

  • Offices must be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday, and 9:00 a.m. to Noon on Fridays with in-person access. Offices have the option be closed after noon on Fridays for the summer, allowing additional opportunities for flexible schedules and vacation time off.
  • Office hours do not necessarily coincide with employee work hours; a 40-hour work week is still expected for full-time employees (i.e. work schedules will start earlier or end later on any given day; examples of 40-hour work weeks include: 8-5 M-F with a one-hour unpaid lunch or 8-5:30 M-Th with 30-minute unpaid lunch and 8-noon Fri)
  • Telework agreements that are already in place can remain in place unless changes are needed.
  • There may be days or weeks when these reduced office hours don’t meet department needs. Departments have the flexibility to alter their office hours to meet those needs, with the approval of the department’s administrative supervisor – communicating changes in advance to staff and other affected parties.
  • Departments should post their hours of access on the door and website with clear indications of in-person services and remote hours (including how to access remote services)
  • Campus Safety and Integrated Facilities Management offices will remain open for service in order to respond to campus needs. Other departments may have specific needs that require staff to work on campus during these times.
  • Most of our buildings will operate on “low-energy mode” from 9 p.m. on Fridays to 4 a.m. on Mondays.

Winter Holiday Hours 2024

Operating guidelines for December 23 - 31, 2024
(Note: Wednesday, December 25th, and Wednesday, January 1st, are official state holidays so campus will be closed those days)

  • Offices have the option to be closed for this week, with some exceptions. Campus Safety and Integrated Facilities Management offices will remain open for service in order to respond to campus needs. Other departments may have specific needs that require staff to work on campus during this week.
  • Offices that are closed should have clear messaging about closure, to include out of office email responses as appropriate.
  • Staff must account for all time appropriately, and will generally have the following options:
    • Staff may request to use appropriate accrued time off (e.g. vacation, personal holiday, holiday credit, compensatory time) for all or part of this week.
    • Staff may work remotely during this week if their work allows it – work schedules and duties to be agreed with supervisor.
    • All UW Tacoma employees may continue to access their buildings and offices using their Husky Card access if needed. Please remember that building temperatures and lighting may be reduced to conserve energy usage during this week.
    • Some positions are required to be on campus in order to keep campus functioning; supervisors will work with staff in essential positions to ensure coverage for essential services.
    • Office closure during the holiday week is not considered “Suspended Operations,” and, therefore, make up time is not available. Staff must either work or use accrued time off.
  • Faculty and Academic Personnel who do not accrue time off will work remotely as needed to meet job requirements.
  • Buildings will be set to low-energy mode during this time to save energy and resources.