DeskAssistantJobDescription
TheDeskAssistant(DA)isastudentstaffmemberemployedbytheOfficeofResidenceLifeandHousing
Services.TheDAisresponsibleforassistingtheResidentDirector(RD)ortheGraduateHallDirector
(GHD)andtheGraduateAssistant(GA)intheeffectiveadministrationoftheresidencehall.Thisis
accomplishedthroughworkingattheFrontDeskofthebuildingandperformingrelatedtasksasassigned
bytheRD/GHDorGA.DeskAssistantsareexpectedtobehaveinamatureandresponsiblemanner,using
goodjudgment,abidingbylocalandinstitutionalpolicies,andmaintainingexemplaryscholarship.
PositionQualifications
1. Youmustbeastudentingoodstanding;thismeansyouneedtomaintaina2.25GPAthroughout
yourtermofemployment.Failuretoupholdthisacademicstandardwillleadtodismissalfromthe
position.
2. Havegoodinterpersonalskillsanddemonstratetheabilitytorelatetopeople.
3. Demonstrategoodclericalandcommunicationskills.
4. Haveaflexiblescheduletobeavailablefordeskhoursincludingeveryotherweekend,finalsweek,
andbuildingopeningandclosingperiods.
Remuneration
Anhourlyrateof$8.00willbepaidtoallDeskAssistantswiththeOfficeofResidenceLifeandHousing
Services.
JobResponsibilities
1. EmploymentbeginsatatimedesignatedbytheDirectorofResidenceLifeandisasemesterto
semestercontract.Jobperformancewilldetermineifyouarerequestedtoreturnforthefollowing
semester.Employmentforsubsequentyearsoccursthroughare‐applicationprocessandis
contingentuponpreviousjobperformance.Reemploymentisnotguaranteed.
2. TheDeskAssistantwillreturntocampusfortrainingpriortotheResidentAssistants’returnin
thebeginningofAugust.Thistimewillbeusedtocompletetasksandpreparethebuildingfor
openingday.
3. TheDeskAssistantpositionisexpectedtobeamajorpriority,secondonlytocoursework.Outside
employmentrequiresadvanceapprovalbytheResidentDirector/GraduateHallDirector.
Requestsforoutsideemploymentmustbesubmittedinwriting.Approvalofsubmittedrequests
willbebasedonjobperformance.Ifjobperformancefallsbelowexpectations,thenyour
supervisorhastherighttorescindtheoriginalofferofoutsideemployment.
4. TheDeskAssistantreceivesdirectsupervisionfromtheGraduateAssistantandResidentDirector
orGraduateHallDirector.Fromthispointon,theResidentDirector,GraduateHallDirector,or
GraduateAssistantwillbereferredtoasasupervisor.
5. Attendanceatallweeklystaffmeetings,workshops,andtrainingprogramsasspecifiedbythe
DirectorofResidenceLife,ResidentDirector,GraduateHallDirectorandGraduateAssistant,is
mandatory.
6. Bealertatalltimeswhileon‐duty.Monitoringallingressandegressfromthebuildingandgreet
individualsappropriately.
7. Reporttoalldeskshiftsontime(arriving10minutesearly)torelievepreviousstaffmember.
DuringthistimeDA’sshouldbecommunicatingwithoneanotherandresumeanytasksthatthey
hadnotbeencompletedduringthepreviousshift.Atnotimeshouldthefrontdeskbeclosed
betweenshifts.
8. ReadandbefamiliarwithallpoliciesandproceduresoutlinedintheDAManual.Completeall
FrontDeskrelatedlogsaccurately,legibly,andcompletely.Followestablishedprocedures
regardingtheuseoftemporarykeys,resourcesandthepublicaddresssystem.
9. BefamiliarwithandabidebyallUniversityanddepartmentalpolicies.
10. Becourteousandhelpfulinallinteractions,includingtelephoneconversations.Takecomplete
messagesinaprofessionalandlegiblemanner.
11. AdheretoestablishedFrontDeskdresscodeandexpectations.Maintaininganeatandclean
appearanceatFrontDesk,atalltimes.
12. Maintainpositiveandopenattitudewheninteractingwithstaffmembers,supervisors,public
safetyandresidentsorvisitorsofthebuildingorapartmentcomplex.Assistingpeoplewhoappear
tobeunfamiliarwiththebuilding.
13. Signoutbuilding/complexequipmenttoresidentsfollowingtheestablishedprocedure.When
endingashiftforthenight,collectallequipmentthatyousignedoutbeforelockinguptheFront
Desk.
14. Sortanddistributemailinaccordancewithestablishedguidelines.
15. Notifyareasupervisorofsuspiciousactivitiesorpolicyviolationsasthesituationdictates.
16. Assistwithallresidencehallorapartmentcomplexopeningandclosingresponsibilities.
17. Remaincalmandrespondappropriatelytoanyemergencysituationwhileon‐duty.Followingall
firealarmsystemandemergencyevacuationproceduresappropriately.
18. Performspecifictasksinpriorityorder(includingtaskassignments)asassignedbythearea
supervisor.
DeskAssistantJobExpectations
Professionalism
1. AsaDeskAssistant,youserveasaninformationsourceforthestudentsinyourarea.Youshould
becomefamiliarwithallaspectsof,andabideby,theStudentCodeofConduct,TheGuideto
ResidentialLiving,andTheWCUCivilityStatement.Youshouldbeconsciousofbeingastudent,
attendingclasses,andmaintainingsatisfactorygrades.Yourbehaviorandattitudeshouldreflect
yourpositionasarolemodelatalltimes.
2. AsastaffmemberoftheUniversity,youshouldchannelyourquestions,concerns,orproblems
regardingtheUniversityoryourpositionappropriately.Directingconcernsthroughyour
supervisorwillgoalongwayinpresentingthepositioninapositivemanner.Youshouldmakea
consciouseffortthroughouttheyeartobringnotonlyproblems,butalsopossiblesolutionsto
yoursupervisor.
3. AttitudeisEVERYTHING!ItisimperativethattheDeskAssistanttakescontroloftheirreactions
inallsituations.DuringFISH!Trainingeveryonelearnedtheconceptof“ChoosingYour
Attitude!”ShouldaDeskAssistantchooseanattitudethatisnegativelyaffectingthecommunity,
fellowstaffmembers,and/ortheirsupervisors,jobactionwillbetakenanddocumented.
4. Socialmediaaccounts(includingFacebook,MySpace,Twitter,etc.)shouldbemanagedinorderto
maintaintheproperimageofastaffmemberwithintheOfficeofResidenceLifeandHousing
Services.
5. Whileworkingthefrontdesk,theDeskAssistantsmainfocusshouldbeoncompletingassigned
tasksorbeingpresentforstudents/visitors.Guestsatthefrontdeskshouldbelimited;atnotime
shouldthedeskassistantsbesocializingwithfriends,orotherbuildingstaff.Onlythescheduled
staffmemberispermittedtobebehindthefrontdesk.Ifstaffmembers,suchasresident
assistants,requestresourcesorkeys,theymustbesigned‐outfollowingprocedure.
6. Thereisnofoodordrinkspermittedbehindthefrontdeskatanytime.Anytrashthatis
accumulatedoverthedurationoftheshiftmustbetakenouttothetrashcaninthelobby.Any
personalitemsleftbehindthefrontdeskwillberemovedanddiscarded.Bemindfulofthe
appearanceofthefrontdeskareaandworktomaintainitsprofessional,cleanlyappearance.
Communication
1. YoushouldworktodevelopaneffectiverelationshipwiththeResidentDirector/GraduateHall
Director,GraduateAssistant,ResidentAssistantStaff,ResidenceHallAssociation,PublicSafety
Officers,maintenance,andhousekeepingstaffs.Youshouldattempttogettoknowallstaff
membersonbothapersonalandprofessionallevelanddeterminehowappropriate
communicationwilloccurbetweenstaffmembers.Youshouldbeopentoofferingandreceiving
constructivefeedback.Anyconflict,whetherinterpersonalorprofessional,shouldbedealtwithin
aprofessionalmannerduringthestaffmeetingsorinprivateone‐on‐onemeetingsinconsultation
withyoursupervisor.
2. ChecktheDeskAssistantBinderandCommunicationlogforimportantinformationandtasks.The
binderandlogshouldbecheckedatthestartandendofeachshift.WCUemailshouldbechecked
daily.
3. Wearealljudgedbythequalityofourwrittenoutput.Careshouldbetakeninwritingreportsand
othermaterialssharedwithothers.
4. Youshouldcontactyoursupervisoraboutemergenciesandcriticalsituationsimmediately(dayor
night).Itisbettertooverinformyoursupervisorthannottoprovideenoughinformationina
timelymanner.Donotuseotherstudentstaffmemberstoconveyimportantortimesensitive
informationtothesupervisor.
5. Ifyoumustswitchshifts,pleasefilloutaChangeofShiftformandhaveitsubmittedandapproved
nolaterthanonedayinadvanceoftheshiftchange.Shiftchangeswillnotbeapprovedifnot
receivedbythedeadlineindicated.ChangeofShiftformssubmittedaftertheintendedshiftisnot
acceptable.Staffmembersareexpectedtocalltheirsupervisordirectlyintheeventofunforeseen
circumstancesoremergencies.
PersonalWorkandElectronics
AsaDeskAssistant,itisanexpectationthattasksandassignmentsarecompletedpriortobeginningany
schoolwork.Ifthereareregularordailytasksthatneedtobecompletedoroutstandingassignments,
theyshouldbecompletedbeforestudentsbeginstudyingordoinghomework.Ifthestudentisinthe
middleofschoolwork,he/sheshouldimmediatelyattendtothenewtask.Atthebeginningoftheshift,
DA’sshouldbecommunicatingwiththeDAtheprecededthem,andresumeanytasksthattheyhadnot
completed.Iftherearenoopentasks,checkinwithyoursupervisor(ifpresent)forfurtherinstruction.
Anypersonalelectronicincludingcellphone,tabletsandlaptopswillnotbepermittedatthefrontdesk.
Allpersonalelectronicsshouldbestoredinanareaawayfromthefrontdesk,astonotbeadistraction.
PleaserememberthatasaDeskAssistantthedepartmentispayingyoutoservethestudentsandassist
thebuildingadministrators.Theneedsoftheofficecomebeforeacademicneedswhileatwork.
Confidentiality
Therearetimeswhenyouwillbehandlingsensitiveinformation.Whenworkingwithconfidential
documents,pleasebesuretokeepthemoutofpublicview.Thisincludesleavingthemonthefrontdesk,
countersorunattendedanywhereelsewherevisitorscanseethem.Allmaterialsyouencountershould
beconsideredconfidentialandshouldnotbediscussedwithanyonebutyoursupervisor.Pleasebe
mindfulthatthereshouldnotbeanystudentinformationgivenoutoverthephoneorgiventoany
unidentifiedpersons.Ifsuchrequestsaremade,apologizeandreiteratethatitisforthesafetyofthe
student.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleaseletyoursupervisorknow.
AcceptableComputerUse
ThefrontdeskcomputershouldbeusedONLYforcompletinglogs,andGoogledoccommunicationlog.
Allothercomputeruseisprohibited.Pleaseplanaccordingly.
Equipment/OfficeSupplies
1. Youareresponsibleforallmanuals,keys,suppliesandequipmentcheckedouttoyou.Pleasetake
careofthisequipment,andreturnanymaterialscheckedouttoyouattheendoftheyear.The
supplybudgetislimited.Useyoursupplieswithdiscretion.Ifyouneedmoresupplies,pleasesee
yoursupervisor.
2. Youareresponsibleforthekeysthataregiventoyou.DONOTlosethem.Individualswillbebilled
thecostforalllostkeysandanylockchangesasindicatedontheEmployeeKeyAgreement.Keys
otherthanyourroomkeyshouldbeusedinjobrelatedfunctionsonly.
PerformanceAppraisals
1. Youwillhavetheopportunitytomeetinformallywithyoursupervisorthroughoutthesemesterto
receiveandprovideconstructivefeedbackandevaluations.
2. Formalevaluationmeetingswillbeheldmid‐yearandattheendofthespringsemester.
Workers’Compensations
Intheeventofaworkinjury,itisyourresponsibilitytoimmediatelyreporttheinjurytoyouremployer/
supervisor.MoreinformationcanbefoundontheWCUHumanResourceswebsite.
Unemployment
Intheeventofjobtermination,orunemploymentyouwillnotbeeligibletofileforunemployment.Asan
employeeofaneducationalinstitution,theemploymentcontractmakesyouineligibletofilefor
unemployment.