Responsibilities

• Issue lockout keys and cards when necessary, completing all appropriate paperwork. This includes filling out the lockout key card, correctly checking the student ID with a roster to verify the room.
• Issue public space/public rooms or shared space rooms (i.e. including but not limited to kitchens, restrooms, study rooms, etc.) keys to residents. The OA should be aware of the location of all public rooms in the hall, the policies for the use of the room, any reservations that may be kept for the room, and checking out any keys for accessing the room. Key checkouts should be logged in the daily log and reservations should be maintained in a reservation log/calendar.
• Use and maintain the front desk email account. This hall email account should be checked regularly each day. This account is for communication between the OAs and the hall staff and is not to be used for student communication purposes. This email account will provide access to the HD Outlook calendar for scheduling appointments.
• Create and make entries into the electronic daily log during each shift. The daily log records significant happenings in the building and serves as the hall’s main record keeper of events. All protocols, deliveries, key checkouts (other than lockout keys), and other significant events should be logged appropriately in the daily log. The OA should log into the system with their own NetID and password when making entries.
• Maintain the housing services maintenance log at the front desk. This log is used daily when maintenance staff respond to issues in the hall. The log should be organized, neat, and stocked with log sheets.
• Maintain the police log at the front desk. This log is used daily when University of Tennessee Police Department (UTPD) officers enter the building for their regular rounds. The log should be kept organized, neat, and stocked with log sheets.
• Monitor CCTV monitors regularly during the day, and door alarms must be checked daily to ensure they are in proper working order.
• Responsible for activating/deactivating door prop and open-door alarms. Times will be provided by head staff members.
• Distribute/complete/collect all appropriate paperwork and issue/collect keys from residents checking in or out of the building. Full check-in and checkout procedures will be provided by your hall director.
• Refer all inquiries or check-ins/check-outs in guest housing to head staff. Guest housing is run by the hall director and assistant hall director, who are in direct contact with the main housing office.
• Accept any lost and found items at the desk. Contact students, if their identity is known, and return items when students can show ID and/or prove the item belongs to them. Log lost and found transactions in the daily log or a separate lost and found log.
• Appropriately answer the phone, put callers on hold, and transfer calls. The OA should be competent in making all phone transactions.
• Use the front desk Motorola two-way radio to contact building staff (maintenance and housekeeping) when necessary, throughout the 8am – 5pm business day (Monday-Friday). The OA should understand how and when to use the two-way radio appropriately.
• Checkout, return, and organize hall equipment available for student use (sports equipment, movies, games, etc.).
• Keep hall equipment organized and regularly check in with head staff to audit hall equipment.
• Be familiar with SchoolDude to place and complete student and building maintenance requests. These should be completed on a daily basis to keep track of all current work in the building. OAs should log in using the front desk account.
• Accept and log all deliveries that come to the front desk. Deliveries are logged in the electronic daily log, and express or overnight packages are also accepted and logged at the front desk.
• Direct Instacart, WalMart Deliveries, DoorDash, GrubHub and various delivery services to the delivery station shelf.
• Appropriately refer students to the VolCard office for refunds from any of the VolCard related machines in the hall (card swipe vending, etc.).
• The OA should be familiar with the housing services manual, which is kept at the front desk and includes this information.
• Complete key and package audits as requested.
• Order keys, when necessary, after a key audit or when a student reports a lost or stolen key, and always log key orders in the daily log.
• Enter excessive lock out charges into School Dude.
• Check out access cards for students in the lock out card system.

Expectations

The following list of expectations is designed to give the office assistant specific information relevant to the day-to-day duties that are performed in the position. This information is intended to supplement the duties outlined in the OA position description. These expectations will be used as a basis for the on-going evaluation of OAs working for University Housing.

Administrative Tasks

• Log all significant occurrences in the daily Log, including key and/or package audits. Be alert and pay attention to what is happening in the building and the lobby at all times.
• Enter excessive lockouts at the request of the hall/assistant hall director after key audits are completed and students are identified who are in excess of the lock out key policy.
• Refer all requests for and questions regarding Contract Releases to the hall director.

Communication

• Notify your hall director/assistant hall director if you cannot make a shift or will be late to a shift. It is your responsibility to attempt to find coverage from another office Assistant for any shift changes.

Confidentiality

• As a University Housing staff member, you will have access and be privy to confidential information. Confidential information includes but is not limited to floor and hall rosters, incident reports, disclosures from residents, crises, etc. As a University Housing staff member, you shall not disclose confidential information to a third party unless instructed by a professional University Housing staff member.
• Fulfill all requests for confidential information, including copies, to the University Housing upon request.
• Immediately submit legal documentation to the University Housing before taking any action if you are required to disclose information by court order.

Customer Service

• Demonstrate appropriate conduct, attitude, and appearance when behind the desk and/or in the Post Office.
• Always provide positive and productive customer service. This includes tone of voice, attitude, and willingness to help solve problems for all students, staff members, and guests who call or visit the front desk.

Leadership and Ethics

• Convey a positive attitude regarding the OA position and its duties and responsibilities, by being friendly and helpful with fellow staff members, head staff, and residents.
• Act as a positive role model for fellow staff members and residents by not participating in questionable or unethical behavior.

Meetings, Payroll, & Punctuality

• Arrive at the desk no more than 5 minutes before your shift officially starts, to allow yourself enough time to be briefed by the staff member working prior to you. Each OA should punch in on the time clock, record their time on paper timesheets and record the time in the daily log they clock in/out.
• Attend all staff training and development activities including, but not limited to; fall training, spring training, and in-services as required by supervisors/the department.
• Attend all building staff meetings.
• Attend all one-on-one meetings with the hall director and/or assistant hall director when scheduled.
• Maintain an open line of communication with the hall director and/or assistant hall director.
• Possess and maintain a physical VolCard or time clock card for swiping in and out for shifts. Lost cards are the responsibility of the employee to get replaced via the VolCard office.

Policies and Procedures

• Report excessive noise and/or inappropriate behavior of persons gathered in the lobby area when needed.
• Follow outlined procedure for all resident concerns.
• Report maintenance and cleanliness issues in the lobby as well as those brought to your attention.
• Appropriately acknowledge and reset the fire panel, when necessary. Always contact a building staff member to check any fire alarm.
• Know how and when to contact elevator maintenance if any issues arise with elevator malfunctions during the workday.
• Execute outlined emergency procedures and protocol, when appropriate. Notify a member of head staff when first responders or maintenance enter the building.
• Contact the resident assistants or head staff to ensure appropriate action if the situation involves the 5 P’s (police/paramedics, personal injury, parents, property damage, or press).
• Do not transport residential students to hospitals or provide them with medical care. This does not apply to siblings/family members.
• Comply with the policies and procedures present in the most current versions of the resident assistant job description, Hilltopics, Student Code of Conduct, University Housing website, and expectations of University Housing Staff. Staff who violate University and University Housing policies and procedures are subject to the same conduct process as other residents. In addition, staff members may be subject to job action, up to and including termination.

Post Office

• Follow outlined mail and package handling guidelines in accordance with the United States Postal Service, mail services, the University, and departmental policy.
• Ensure all packages received are checked-in/out with the package management software.
• Require identification verification (VolCard or Driver’s License) to check-out packages.

Team Player/Relationships

• Be a productive and positive member of the staff team in your building.
• Work to maintain an environment free of harassment and discrimination.

Training

• Attending office assistant training, annually and as directed by the department/supervisor.

Work Environment

• Do not allow any non-staff members behind the front desk at any time.
• Use of personal devices is limited to times when all jobs related tasks have been completed.
• Anything being viewed or played behind the desk or in the Post Office must be appropriate for the public and set at a volume that does not disturb the business operation, including the lobby’s function. Use of headphones should be limited to one ear; necessary accommodations can be requested by contacting your supervisor.
• Maintain an organized and clean front desk and/or Post Office while working.
• Wear departmentally issued staff shirts for all shifts. No pajama pants. No clothing items representing another university/college/institution.
• Staff must remain alert while working desk, opening shifts, etc. Sleeping, lying down, or otherwise attempting to sleep while working the front desk is prohibited.

Other

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Terms of Employment

General Rules

• Term of employment is one academic year.
• Office assistants are “at will employees” and may be released from their employment at any time.
• Rehire for another term of employment is based on past work performance and meeting job qualifications and responsibilities.

Evaluation

• Evaluation will be completed at least once during the academic year. The head staff will base the evaluation on job performance and information observation of work.
• Request of the returning OA application will be during the spring semester. Assistant hall director will meet with OAs requesting to be rehired one-on-one. Criteria used will include evaluations and job performance.
• Poor overall performance, lack of availability, and lack of staff support will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Compensation

• The starting hourly rate for this position, as of July 1st, 2023, is $12.00/hr.
• Students are limited to 29 hours per week while classes are in session. Office assistants can work up to 39 hours per week during shortened weeks and over breaks.