Dear NEOMED Community:
Today (June 17) President Joe Biden signed a bill into law establishing Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19) as a federal holiday. We are pleased to announce that NEOMED will celebrate Juneteenth as a University holiday this year and we will observe Juneteenth tomorrow, Friday, June 18.
As a way to honor and respect what Juneteenth commemorates, NEOMED will allow all employees to take the day off, with supervisory approval, as a holiday; and the deans, in consultation with University leadership, will cancel all classes tomorrow.
Due to such short notice, if someone’s work absolutely requires their attendance tomorrow, such employees will be granted a “floating holiday” to use at another approved time this calendar year. Employees who are required to work tomorrow, will be paid as they would be paid for working a holiday.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in America. Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. The Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free, 2.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
As a University, we stand united as one community fueled by the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. We applaud President Biden and the U.S. Congress for establishing Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19) as a federal holiday.
As we enjoy the day off in recognition of this pivotal moment in our country’s history, we must continue to build upon the progress made to become a fair and equitable place for all.
Sincerely,
John T. Langell
President