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6.1 Front Office Responsibilities
The RAD Front Office is located on the third floor of A Building and contains the offices of the Director, Assistant Directors, RDs, Res Net, Fiscal Specialist, Program Support Supervisor, and Front Office Assistants. The office is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The RAs On Duty will be expected to provide a number of front desk services after hours - primarily by covering a one-hour shift each on weekdays from 5 - 7 p.m.
When you are completing Front Office administrative tasks, it is important to be attentive to details, follow protocol, and communicate information clearly. If you are ever confused about how to handle a situation, both the RAD website and the white three-ring binder labeled "The Front Office Cheatbook" are valuable resources. If you need to share information with the Program Support Supervisor leave a note in their mailbox. If you ever do not know an answer to a question, DO NOT make one up. Consult the RD on call or have the resident come back during 9-5 business hours.
Desk Shifts
When you are on duty on the weekdays, you will cover one hour at the front desk. RA1 will cover 5 - 6 p.m. and RA2 will cover the 6 - 7 p.m. shift. After you check in for duty at 4:45 p.m., you will meet with the Front Office staff to check in about any on-going issues you may need to handle during your shift. You will primarily be checking out vacuum cleaners and answering questions from residents.
While working at the front desk you must provide excellent customer service. This includes prioritizing guests and students who come to the desk, being helpful, listening attentively and making good referrals. If you do not know the answer to a question, try to find the answer or ask politely for the resident to come in the next day during business hours. NEVER make up an answer or give an answer you are not 100% certain is correct. If the resident needs immediate help call the on duty RD for support.
You are welcome to work on RA tasks (like updating the program tracking log) or homework during your shift. Keep in mind your priority is helping students and guests. You must always leave the office area clean and tidy - this means do not leave behind trash, paper scraps, or personal belongings! Remember to lock all doors and turn off lights and computers when the office closes at 7:00 p.m. Remember the office is used by front office staff all day and you are a guest in their space. You need to leave the office in a work appropriate state at the end of your desk shift.
Please make sure to send an end of shift email to RAD@evergreen.edu detailing what has occurred during your desk shift. If “nothing” happened, please send an email to that effect as well.
Equipment Sign Out
During your desk shift you will check out equipment out to residents, such as hand carts or vacuums. Residents are required to leave their student ID card as collateral when checking out equipment. ID cards should be placed in the front pocket of the equipment check out binder and will be returned to the resident when the equipment is returned to the front desk. Please note you may need to swipe A Building residents' cards in the elevator so they can access the elevator to their floor.
We do not check out equipment after 6 p.m. as students are required to return equipment within the hour. If, while on duty, you receive a call from a resident or Police Dispatch after the desk is closed to check out equipment, politely tell them that their request can be accommodated in the morning when the office reopens.
Check-Ins and Check-Outs
Residents may check in or check out of housing assignments at the Front Desk for a few reasons. These might include late arrivals, mid-year room transfers, or students leaving campus housing to live off-campus or study abroad. In general, if a student shows up at the desk wishing to turn in keys, err on the side of accepting them even if the situation is confusing! Keys are valuable and important, and we prefer to have them in our possession even if they are accompanied by a lengthy note. Please be cautious when it comes to issuing keys. If the Front Office staff is aware of an impending room transfer, they will notify you at the beginning of the desk shift and show you where the keys are located. If it seems like a student is requesting keys but has not fully completed the room transfer process, it is best to ask them to return during business hours. Remember to check student identification when issuing keys.
Check Ins
Residents checking in for the first time will have printed contracts and keys waiting for them. The Front Office staff will be aware of any such residents who may be arriving late, and will show you the location of the file box with alphabetized contracts and the nearby box with labeled key envelopes. These residents should be provided with their contract and given time to read it over and sign. At that point they may have their keys. The signed contract should go in the Program Support Supervisor's box.
Residents completing room transfers may show up to pick up the keys to their new space. You will have been informed of a possible room-transfer at the beginning of the desk shift and shown precisely where the resident’s new keys are located. Inform the resident that in 24 hours (or on Monday if it is Friday or the weekend) they must turn in the keys to their old room. The resident’s name and key information will have been entered on the key log – have them sign across from their name and give them the appropriate keys. If in doubt, you should contact the on call RD for additional support.
Check Outs
There are a few important questions you need to ask if someone wishes to check out. First, determine whether they are doing a room transfer or moving out of campus housing entirely. If they are moving off-campus, ask if they are familiar with our contract break policy, and if they have completed contract release paperwork. We have Contract Release forms on hand in the form cabinet behind the desk. This form explains the process entirely, so giving one to a confused resident may be a good idea. You can also always instruct them to call the Front Office during business hours for further clarification.
Next, you should ask the resident if they have closed their windows and locked their door. Not doing so will result in a $60 Improper Check Out fee, so give the resident the opportunity to return to their room and lock up.
Finally, record the resident’s key information on the key log, take their keys, have the resident sign the form. Put the keys into a key envelope, write a note with the resident’s name at the very least, and include pertinent information if the situation was out of the ordinary. Put the keys and note in the Program Support Supervisor's box.
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