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University Policies

University Policies

803  Holiday, Administrative, and Emergency Closings

Approved by President
Effective Date: April 3, 2024
Responsible Division: Business and Finance
Responsible Office:  Human Resource Services
Responsible Officer:  Assistant Vice President, Human Resource Services

I.  Purpose

This policy outlines the holidays and administrative closings of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or University) and describes the emergency closing procedure.

II.  Holidays Observed

MTSU will observe a maximum of eight (8) holidays and six (6) additional administrative closing days per year.  The following days shall be designated as official holidays during which offices will be closed and no classes will be held:

  1. New Year’s Day
  2. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  3. Memorial Day
  4. Juneteenth
  5. Independence Day
  6. Labor Day
  7. Thanksgiving Day
  8. Christmas Day

MTSU shall hold observances for Veterans Day on or near the days recognized as a national day of observance.  Offices will be open during regular business hours and classes will be held as scheduled.  Students, faculty, and staff who are veterans shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in the campus observances without adverse action or absence. T.C.A. § 49-7-160. MTSU shall allow a veteran to have the entirety of November 11, Veterans’ Day, as a non-paid holiday if they meet the requirements of T.C.A. § 15-1-105.

In addition to the above holidays, the President shall declare six (6) additional administrative days as holidays to be observed by the University during which offices will be closed and no classes will be held. Such holidays approved for observance will be announced by the Office of Human Resource Services.

III.  Weekend Holiday Pay

When a recognized holiday falls on Saturday, the Friday preceding the holiday shall be substituted. This includes New Year’s Day and can result in December 31st of the previous calendar year being substituted. When a recognized holiday falls on Sunday, the Monday following the holiday shall be substituted. 

Where work schedules or duties make it necessary for an employee to work on a holiday, a corresponding amount of time off shall be granted. The following provisions apply:

  1. Classified Employees. The employee will receive regular holiday pay for the day and will be compensated at a time and one-half time rate for the hours worked on the holiday. See Policy 802 Hours of Work.
  2. Administrative Employees. When work schedules or duties make it necessary for an administrative employee to work on a holiday, a corresponding amount of time off shall be granted.

IV.  Holiday Pay Restrictions

All regular full-time and part-time employees in an active pay status will qualify for holiday pay for the days listed above during which time offices are closed. Regular part-time employees will receive the holiday benefit on a pro rata basis. The following provisions apply:

  1. Employees who are in an active pay status on the work days immediately preceding and following a holiday will receive payment for the holiday.
  2. Any holiday falling within a period of an employee’s sick, annual, or other leave with pay shall be considered holiday leave and recorded as such.

V.  Emergency Closing

At times it may be necessary for the President to declare specific hours as emergency closing as the result of inclement weather or other emergency situations. In such cases, regular full-time and part-time employees on the active payroll who are scheduled to work during the declared times of closing will be granted time off from work with pay. Employees who are not scheduled to work will not be paid for the emergency closing.

If an emergency closing has not been declared due to inclement weather and an employee is prevented from reporting to work for his/her normally scheduled working hours, annual leave or leave without pay will be charged; or the employee may be allowed to make up the time lost with University approval.

Regular part-time employees will be affected on a pro rata basis in each of the provisions above.

Refer to Policy 725 Inclement Weather and Policy 828 Employee Attendance during Inclement Weather for additional information.

Forms:  none.

Revisions: June 5, 2017 (original); October 7, 2022; April 3, 2024.

Last Reviewed: May 2024.

References: Policies 725 Inclement Weather; 802 Hours of Work; 828 Employee Attendance during Inclement Weather; T.C.A. § 15-1-105; § 49-7-160.