NIU President John LaTourette approved changes which will return 1988 summer office hours to the standard 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. time period, said Dianna Strink, president of NIU’s operating staff council.

To save energy, NIU has operated on a four day summer work week for the past five years. Recent studies have shown the four day work week is no longer saving money; rather, it is costing more, Strink said.

The operating staff council decided at a Jan. 14 meeting to send out a survey to operating staff to get their input on the problem, she said.

The survey listed five options for a Monday through Friday work schedule—7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a half-hour lunch, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a one hour lunch, 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. with a one hour lunch and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a one hour lunch. The final option was Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday 730 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Eddie Williams, vice president for finance and planning, reported the survey results to LaTourette, Strink said. The operating staff survey showed that option one received the most favorable return with 207 approvals. Option five received 205 approvals while the other three options received no more than 110.

The five day work week will be 37.5 hours long, with an overtime pay scale going into effect on a weekly basis. There also will be flexible hours available to each office with approval of the office’s supervisor.

The office personnel may continue to work four days a week if an arrangement can be made to keep the office open on Fridays, Gary Smith, personnel office staff member, said. This might include employees having Friday, Saturday and Sunday off while others would have Saturday, Sunday and Monday off, he said.

The idea of flexible hours was retained to accommodate the summer schedule of some employees while effectively serving the needs of the students, Strink said.

“For once, I think it is going to work,” she said.

Scheduling guidelines require each office to be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. All full-time employees must work 37.5 hours per week with a lunch break of no less than one half hour. Employees may not begin their work day before 7 a.m. and end it no later than 5 p.m.

Employees must arrange the summer schedule and remain on that schedule for the entire session.

The summer schedule will begin June 6 and end Aug. 12.