Section 4

CLUSTER OFFICE EXPECTATIONS

The Cluster Office provides important services to the residents of the cluster. Students should expect to find a welcoming, professional atmosphere in the cluster office at all times.

Providing High Quality Service

All residents and guests will be greeted by staff in a pleasant, courteous, and respectful fashion in the conduct of business. In any interactions in which pleasantry is not possible, staff will act in an assertive and professional manner; staff will not engage in adversarial or abusive interactions with our residents. All residents and guests will be acknowledged immediately when they present themselves at the Cluster Office. If they must wait, staff will greet them and request politely that they wait until they can be attended to. The same standards that apply to courtesy in face-to-face interactions will apply to telephone, email and other written contacts with residents.

No activity in the cluster office should prevent the staff present from providing quality customer service.

• Television/Radios/Computers: Radios/music may be used in the office, provided that they are played at a low level. Televisions/movies are not permitted to be used in the cluster office, but limited exceptions may be granted in unusual circumstances. Computer use guidelines are outlined below.
• Alcohol: The presence of alcohol in the cluster office is strictly prohibited. In addition, no staff should be present in the office after having consumed an alcoholic beverage.
• Food: At no time should the consumption of food interfere with the performance of office duties. It is essential that each person appropriately dispose of leftover food or containers immediately after every shift.

A professional atmosphere should be maintained in the cluster office at all times. Staff will maintain office areas and service desks in a fashion that communicates order while also serving as a comfortable and inviting environment in which residents and guests can be received. This includes the following:

• Cleanliness: Desk and countertops should be kept clean and neat at all times. Trash should be emptied at the end of each shift. The office should be vacuumed as necessary. Projects such as special assignments or bulletin boards should be completely cleaned up and put away before leaving the office.
• Personal possessions: should not be left or stored in the office.
• Counters/Desks: should not be used for seating.
• Signage and postings: should be neat, organized and legible.
• Personal appearance and demeanor: of staff should be appropriate for an office setting.

Staff will provide accurate and specific answers to residents’/guests’ inquiries and problems. When no immediate answer is available, staff who receives an inquiry or problem will serve as the immediate contact and follow-up point for a resident/guest until he/she is referred to the most appropriate resource that should handle the inquiry.

Cluster Office Security

Cluster Office Access: Access to the Cluster Office beyond the service point is restricted to staff personnel only. No visitors are ever allowed beyond the service point (counter/desk) in the cluster office. The office/counter door should remained closed and residents should be assisted in front of the counter, if one is available.

Office Security: The Cluster Office should never be left unattended. When a staff member is not in the office, the office, key closet and key boxes should be locked.

Attendance

As a department, we expect cluster offices will be open all scheduled hours. Staff members are responsible for arriving on time for their shift and working their entire shift. If a worker anticipates a schedule change for any reason, it is that staff member’s responsibility to find a replacement and to contact the Cluster Office Manager well ahead of time. If a staff member is unable or fails to do this, the Cluster Office Manager or the COM supervisor is expected to find a replacement staff person.

Confidentiality

Staff who work in the cluster office have access to a range of confidential information. It is expected that staff maintain confidentiality of information as follows:

Student Information: Staff must follow the guidelines related to the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). See “Authorization to View and Have Access to Student Housing Assignments Data” document. All staff members working in the cluster office will sign this document before being placed on the office payroll.

Cluster Office Conversations: All conversations related to residents that take place in the cluster office must be treated in a confidential manner.

Staff Information: Resident staff addresses and phone numbers may not be given out. RD/ARD or ACC/AM office numbers may be given out on a need to know basis.

Telephone Use

Telephone Etiquette: The office phone should be answered as follows:
"Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening (Cluster name) Cluster Office. (Your first name) speaking. May I help you?"

Personal Calls: The telephone in the office is for official use only. Urgent personal calls must be kept to an absolute minimum. While the phone is engaged, no one can call with a possible emergency.

Cell Phone Use: As personal cell phone use may interfere with providing quality customer service, limit use of such devises to a minimum. See your senior staff or COM for further guidelines on cell phone use

Public Use: The use of the telephone is restricted to cluster staff. Residents or visitors wishing to make phone calls should be directed to a public or help phone except in an emergency situation.

Taking Messages: All messages taken by staff in the office should be complete. They should include the date and the time that the message was left; the first and last name of the caller (spelled correctly); that person’s phone number; the message; and the initials of the staff member who took the message. Messages for staff should always be placed in the appropriate staff member’s mailbox.

Telephone Forwarding Procedures

At the end of the evening cluster office shift, it is expected that the primary RA/ALA forward the cluster office phone to the room phone or personal or university cell phone. It is the responsibility of the RA/ALA who has the phone forwarded to the room or cell phone to unforward the phone when duty ends in the morning. If a staff member forgets to do so and receives a call, the staff member is expected to respond as if still on-duty.

TO FORWARD THE CLUSTER OFFICE PHONE TO RA/ALA ON DUTY’S ROOM PHONE

From the Cluster Office Phone, Dial the Following:
* 2 * 6 or 7-_ _ _ _ #

(_ _ _ _ last four digits of Duty RA/ALA’s phone number)
Note: Calls you receive while on duty will double ring as off-campus calls.

TO CANCEL FORWARDING IN THE MORNING

From the Cluster Office Phone, Dial the Following:
# 2 # (Hear Dial Tone)

Cluster Office Voicemail

The following should be the standard outgoing message on the cluster office voicemail in each cluster during periods when the halls are open:

“You have reached the (cluster) Cluster Office. If this is an emergency, please contact the UMASS Police Department by calling 9-1-1. The Cluster Office Hours are Monday through Wednesday 10am - 1pm, 2 - 5 pm, 7 - 11pm, Thursday and Friday 10am - 1pm, 2 - 5 pm, 8pm - 1am, Saturday 8pm - 1am, and Sunday 2 - 4pm and 7 - 11pm. If you want to leave a message, please leave your name, phone number and the reason for your call at the sound of the tone. A staff member will get back to you as soon as possible.”

The following should be the standard outgoing message on the cluster office voicemail during periods when the halls are closed:

"The (cluster) Cluster Office is closed from (date to date) and staff will not be available to take your call or receive your message during that time. If you need assistance, please call the Area Office at 545-XXXX."

Computer Use

Computers will be provided in each cluster office to implement Residence Life processes in an efficient manner. Cluster Office staff are expected to follow all processes related to the implementation of cluster office processes using the computer including use of the cluster e-mail account and electronic logs and information.

Access

Computers will be available in the cluster office for Residence Life use. Resident Assistants, Apartment Living Advisors, Judicial Assistants, Administrative Assistants, Cluster Office Managers, and Cluster Office staff may use computers. Access may be granted to other individuals by permission of the A/RD/AM as needed. Priority for computer use will be given to those who need the cluster office for work.

Appropriate Use

Residence Life work is the focus for the cluster office computers. The following actions are prohibited:

• Downloading and/or saving any files not related to Residence Life work
• Installing software or hardware programs
• Games
• Engaging in any unlawful activities
• Accessing pornographic websites

Inappropriate use of the computer may result in personnel disciplinary sanctions such as probation or termination. As access to the campus network is governed by campus-wide OIT services, computer users should familiarize themselves with the OIT Acceptable Use Policy, which can be viewed at: http://www.oit.umass.edu/policies/acceptable use/policy.html. Staff should also be familiar with and follow the UMass Amherst Residence Life Student Staff Policy and Guidelines Pertaining to Online Communication.

Computer Problems and Requests

Housing and Residence Life Technology Services manages all Housing and Residence Life computers. Problems or requests regarding cluster office computers should be directed to the A/RD/AM. Computer users should not attempt to “fix” any computer problems. Please contact the Help Desk at 5-6926.

Printing

Printing is for Residence Life official purposes only. Computers are networked to print from the RD/AM offices. Anyone printing for non-Residence Life business may have his or her computer privileges revoked. Printing is available at all OIT Computer Classrooms: http://www.oit.umass.edu/classrooms/