Nor do they get increased pay for working on Juneteenth, as they would on Christmas and other university-recognized holidays.

The holiday occurs on June 19 of each year, and honors the day the last enslaved African Americans were notified of their freedom in the U.S. in 1865.

Missy Chola, a student supervisor in Brody facilities and a member of the MSU chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said many crew members she oversees are students of color.

“The majority of them had to sacrifice their time on a day when they should really be celebrating … their freedom, their successes, what it’s taken to get here,” Chola said. “Instead, they are lofting beds in hot rooms.”

She said that for many students, Juneteenth holds the same significance, if not more, as other recognized holidays.

Chola and two other student supervisors recently wrote a letter to Student Life and Engagement and the Resident Housing Association demanding university leaders fully recognize the significance of Juneteenth.

“You should understand why, on this holiday, Black students and anyone who wishes to join them in celebration deserve to rest, rejuvenate, and celebrate,” the letter states. “However, many students are not in a position to take time off, even on days they deserve to. Therefore, they should receive a bonus for doing hard labor on a day meant to celebrate them and their people.”

University spokesperson Mark Bullion said that since Juneteenth is not a university recognized holiday, employees are not afforded holiday pay. Employees can still take the day off and receive regular wages by using a “personal observance day,” he said. 

Black Students’ Alliance President Jordan Wesson called the university’s treatment of Juneteenth “inconsiderate.” 

He hopes to work with university leadership to get MSU’s policies changed before resuming work in MSU facilities in the fall.

“If students are working on a federal holiday, they should be paid (extra),” Wesson said.