Student Assistant Job Description
2008-09
EXPECTATIONS
- This is a real job, and I need you to regard it as one - I need your help to keep the department running smoothly.
- Please be on time for your shift.
- Tell me about expected absences or possible tardiness at least one day in advance. Three absences without one-day notification and I will understand clearly that you have chosen to be replaced by a new worker. If you are offered a new opportunity for work more suited to your interests and you would like to be released from your History department commitment, please just tell me so I can notify Student Financial Services to release you.
- Ask questions if you don’t know something – it is best to get it right the first time.
- Leave a note or tell me any time you leave the office, work room, or building, in the event we need to find you to do something urgent.
- No personal calls or visits from friends.
- No sleeping on the job. Please ask to be excused to return to your room if you are too tired to be at work.
- Please do not schedule meetings with faculty members, even your advisor, during your work shift, not even History faculty members.
- Please cheerfully put homework aside, if faculty request help from you.
- Misrepresentation of the hours worked on your time sheet is fraud, and grounds for automatic firing. Please be aware that your time sheet is a legal document, and be very careful about accurately recording your time at the end of each shift that you work. It is very quick and easy to record your time worked on-line.
TASKS
Time Sheets ARE ONLY On-Line on the HUB! See me for instructional demonstration and handout describing the procedure.
Ask!
Please ask me if anything is unclear to you. It saves a lot of time, money, and anxiety if things are done right the first time.
Computer Searches, Miscellaneous Typing
MUSE and JSTOR, other library searches, typing of envelopes, forms, labels, or short documents in Word or Excel for faculty.
Making Copies
Xeroxing
The History department xerox number is automatically coded onto your One-Cards by the One-Card Office for use while you are working for the History Department. It can conveniently be used at any Xerox MFP machine on campus. If you forget your One-Card during your shift, please see me.
Xeroxing
I or another worker will demonstrate how you use the xerox machine . If you have questions about xeroxing (how to copy back-to-back, how to sort or staple, odd-sized copy, where to make a color copy, how to make transparencies and where they are kept), please ask me.
Collation
This just means assembling pages and stapling them. It is usually done automatically on most Xerox machines. I will be happy to show you how to make the machines do it for you. If the machine disregards your command, please assemble the pages on the tables in the lounge by the Xerox machine.
Desk Copies of Books, Ordering
Some books can be ordered for Faculty on-line. Following are the websites for several publishers (please update as needed):
Some publishers request a faxed letter on Departmental letterhead that includes the author, title, copyright year, ISBN #, publisher, edition, name & title of Professor, name & title of course, enrollment number in course, how many books were ordered by the Carleton Bookstore, and it can be faxed from the department office. You can usually find publisher fax numbers on their websites. See sample letter in the Student Work folder and follow that example. Please show me your letter the first time you do this.
Errands
Library, Media Services, Bookstore, Post Office, Downtown. Faculty members must check in the office first for supplies needed and should not without checking with me first, send you to the bookstore or downtown for anything. We control costs by keeping track of them as they occur. We have many supplies in either the annex closets, the office, or the closet in 203 Leighton outside of Bill North’s door.
Library
Obtaining books, how to find articles, other research tasks
History Department Librarian Liaison for research assistance – Heather Tompkins, htompkin@carleton.edu
The gray Bridge proxy cards for each faculty member are in the gray metal box, you know where it is :) When you go to the library to obtain or return a book or magazine, or gather information, as always, please leave a note or tell me where you will be in the Library so we can find you, if needed.
E-Reserves
To make camera ready copy for E-Reserves, make originals of what is requested, and fill in one of the pink e-reserves post-its naming the faculty member, course number, date required on e-reserves, and take to the Reserves desk in the Library. The items must be copyright approved. Vonnie Otte is the Library Reserves Coordinator, votte@carleton.edu
Library Book Orders
Book orders are placed in the wire basket on the bookshelf in the office. Please put a post-it with the full name of the faculty member who is ordering the book, and ‘History department’ on the post-it, separate the orders by faculty member with paper clips, and send them in a recycled envelope to Library Acquisitions, 3-Library.
Films
When a faculty member requests a film, check to see if it is owned already by the History Department or the College. Please first check our David Parks Film Collection Closet to make sure the film is there and check it out to the faculty member on the sign-out sheet posted on the inside of the closet door, or check it out from the Library using the faculty member’s library gray Bridge proxy card from the gray metal box, as early as possible, before it is needed. Check the calendar in the syllabi folder on my file cabinet for film titles and showing dates for each professor. If there isn't a folder with syllabi and a calendar, make one using the current term's syllabi. Ask me if you cannot find them. If you find that neither the History Department nor the Library possess the film needed, please tell me right away so I can obtain approval from the Chair to purchase it.
In-coming mail arrives twice a day. It is set on the counter in front of the mailboxes. Please sort into faculty boxes in lobby. Put all mail for the Chair of the department in the Adminstrative Assistant’s mailbox for vetting. In 2008-09, the Chair is Annette Igra.
Out-going mail is placed in the metal basket beside the lobby door. When your shift ends please bring mail downstairs to the shopping cart in Central Service, which is neatly divided and labeled for campus mail, out-going metered mail, foreign mail and already-stamped mail.
Stuffing Post Office Boxes. Return student papers (stuff papers in boxes at P.O.). Do this at the end (last fifteen minutes or so) of your shift. Please either call Tracy Barron, x4151 or x5631 or or ask me to call him to make sure it is a convenient time to do this.
Posters and Publicity
Put up posters of significant upcoming events. Post with Scotch or masking tape and/or thumb tacks on Leighton, Laird, Library, Boliou, Sayles-Hill (get the poster stamped by the Campus Activities Office first--they are cooperative), CMC main floor hallway, Science Library in Mudd, Bulletin board by the Tea Room in Basement of Severance, Willis bulletin boards, Sayles-Hill kiosks, and if requested, other dining halls.
Special projects
You may be asked to help a faculty member with a research or other special work project. HOWEVER, please know that they MAY NOT ask you to run personal errands like getting coffee or doughnuts for them from the Snack Bar, or to clean their offices for them. If anyone does ask you to do something that seems personal to you, smile and say, “One moment, please,” and tell me--I will speak to them for you. All faculty members have been informed of this important rule.
Telephone
How to answer the telephone:
"Good morning/afternoon, History Department."
Answer telephone and take messages that will always include the name of caller, telephone number, time and date of call, message, and your initials. The message should be taped/stuck on the department member's door OR you may transfer the caller to a faculty member’s voice-mail, as follows:
How to transfer calls:
1. Press 'Transfer,' your caller is now on hold.
2. Dial the extension you wish to transfer to.
3. Press 'Transfer' again, the caller is no longer on your line.
No Work?
- Ask Faculty members if they have any books to return to the library and return them.
- Ask faculty members if you can help them with any current or upcoming projects.
- Ask me for new Archival work on the History Department project.
- Check map and film closets & double-check sequencing and inventory.
- Update bulletin boards.
- Help to keep surfaces in the lobby neat—recycle outdated materials.
At the End of Your Shift, always:
- Take the out-going mail to the Central Services department on the lower level, East side, of Leighton Hall.
- Remember to sign out on the computer to the nearest quarter hour, and please allow enough time at the end of your shift to do it.