Winter Break/Closure - Information

Dear faculty and staff colleagues,

I know we are all looking forward to the upcoming winter break. This email provides important operational information from relevant departments around campus regarding the fast-approaching winter closure.

Period of Closure
Buildings will be secured, and regular staff support services will conclude as the winter closure period commences at 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. We will resume regular hours and services on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.

Recorded Greetings and Automatic Email Replies
Remember to change department and individual voicemail greetings and set up out-of-office automatic email replies as applicable before leaving for the break/closure. Please indicate when you will return to campus and/or retrieve messages.

Mail
Regular and express mail will be sorted into departmental mailboxes during the closure, with mail available for pickup on Dec. 26 and 30, 2023, beginning at noon on both days. Faculty and staff may retrieve letter-sized mail from departmental mailboxes in Mail Services in Wheelock Student Center, which will be accessible via Logger card access Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. If you need to retrieve mail outside of these hours, call Security Services at 253.879.3311 to make the request and be prepared to show your Puget Sound ID card. 

Please note that packages and large mail items will not be accessible during the closure. The U.S. Post Office and other package couriers generally hold packages they receive during break and will deliver them for distribution on Jan. 2, 2024, when campus reopens.

If you have questions about mail, please contact Andrea Brown, Mail Services Coordinator, at 253.879.3315 or at asbrown@pugetsound.edu.

Deliveries
Because buildings will be vacated and locked, we will not be receiving deliveries to buildings during closure. Notify vendors that deliveries should be made before or after the closure period.

Purchasing
Please complete purchasing activities prior to or subsequent to closure. If you have an emergency purchasing need during the closure, call Accounts Payable and Procurement Manager Wendy Vu at 253.879.2732 or Justine Levesque at 253.879.2720.

Heat
General building heating will be provided during the closure period. If you work in an office with heating controls, please place the thermostat on the lowest setting when you leave and adjust temporarily as needed if you are in during the closure. Though heat will generally be available, dressing warmly on campus during the closure period is a good idea.

Energy Conservation
Before you leave campus for winter break, doing a few small shutdown measures in offices and common areas can help us conserve energy (and emit less carbon!):

• Completely unplug any space heaters or other small heaters you have been using.
• Turn off lights in offices and common areas, including task lighting.
• Turn off all unnecessary appliances, such as TVs, computers, printers, and copy machines. If you have a mini-fridge, this might be a good time to clean it out and defrost over break (just put a towel or tray down to catch any water).
• Close and latch windows in offices and common spaces.
• Turn window blinds so the blade faces in, which helps reduce heat loss.

Power Outages
There are no scheduled electrical power outages during the closure period Friday, Dec. 22 - Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. However, as a reminder, Facilities Services has rescheduled the preventive maintenance work on the 4kV high voltage system, initially planned for May 19, 2023, to Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. We anticipate the outage to be from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on various buildings. If your department requires notification regarding unforeseen power outages during closure (e.g., you have sensitive electronic equipment or research), make sure Security Services has current contact names and phone numbers.

Security
Security Services staff will be on duty 24/7 during the closure to patrol campus and provide escorts and access to buildings. For security purposes, please have your Puget Sound ID card available if you need an assisted entry to a building.

Technology
Technology Services will monitor critical applications and services during the closure. If you experience any major and time-sensitive issues with university-managed technology during the closure, contact Security Services at 253.879.3311. They will report your concern to an on-call Technology Services staff member. 

If you have questions about building access before the closure, contact Danette Smith, Security Operations Manager, at 253.879.3312 or at dysmith@pugetsound.edu. If you need assistance during closure, contact Security Services at 253.879.3311.

If you have questions regarding the winter closure, please contact me.

I hope you have a wonderful and restful winter break!