Back to the Computer Lab's Start Page

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Lab WorkStudy Page
--information and access to resources--

Welcome to WorkStudy in the Computer Lab!

Signing In and Out: Sign yourself in and out of each work shift using the procedures posted in the notebook. Always read any Notices on the bulletin board above the sign-in book.

Availability--Flags and alertness: Remember to always be available to users in the computer lab. This means keeping a "flag" with you so users can find you to ask for help, and also having a general alertness that notices certain things users do when confused--suddenly looking around the room as if wondering where help might be, wandering back and forth to the printer without picking up pages, etc..

Work Shifts:

  • Be in the lab when you are scheduled to work.
  • Be in the lab when you are scheduled to work.
  • Be in the lab when you are scheduled to work.
  • Be in the lab when you are scheduled to work.
  • Got it? (these modifications made by Searle, 9/20/06, after a work shift was missed the evening before)
  • DO work exactly the hours you are scheduled, and DO NOT work other hours for which you are not scheduled--Exceptions: by specific written permission ahead of time, or when you serve as an emergency substitute.
  • Read the details below about arranging to miss a scheduled work shift. This is important stuff.

Lab Telephones -

  • Staff Phones: If Searle or Claire are not in the lab, please answer their staff phones saying "Computer Lab, this is "your name," and write down a message.
  • Courtesy Phone: The phone on the desk near the emergency exit door and the color printer is for student use; dial "9" for an outside line.
  • "Bat Phone": The phone beside the lab entrance is only for security system use when the alarm goes off.  If it rings (and the alarm has not sounded) it is a wrong number.  Answer it correctly and explain that they have a wrong number.
  • Help Line Phone--leaving soon:  The phone near Claire's desk and beside the special paper cabinet is the student help line.  It will take a message, so don't answer it: let the voice mail answer it. We are working on getting it removed, now that student help is managed by the Tech office.

Keep Notes to share the knowledge: Keep a list of specific questions you are asked to help with by lab users.  If you were able to help, write down what you did.  If you did not know how to help, leave a note about the problem on Claire's desk and I will find out the answer and post it on the bulletin board above the sign-in book.

Become familiar with the "Help Topics" on the lab website: Things that our users are likely to need to know about are posted on the lab website under the navigation label "Help Topics". You should

  1. know how to help users find that link, and
  2. become familiar with the details of the topics found there (and check from time to time to see what may have been added).

Some good tips on "how to help someone use a computer".

Searle and Claire appreciate your work in the Computer Lab.  The following are a few good work-habit reminders.  These are the job requirements that your end of semester evaluation will be based upon.

  • Punctuality -- Be in the lab when you are scheduled to work  As with any workplace, 5 minutes occasionally is acceptable, 15 minutes is late and you may find the lab closed!

  • What to do if you will need to miss a scheduled work shift:

    • If you are ill, contact Searle or Claire as soon as you know you will not be in the lab.  Be responsible and contact us before your work time has begun. This is critical for evening shifts, and important at all times.

    • Arranging to miss a shift for whatever reasons other than illness or serious accident:

      • If you have a conflict with a scheduled work shift during the day, get permission ahead of time to skip your shift. Written permission from Searle or Claire is required--we're working on exact procedures, forms, etc, but make sure you get written permission.

      • If you have a conflict with a scheduled work shift during the evening, you must find a substitute from among the other lab work-study students, and get permission ahead of time to have the substitute take your shift. Again, we're working on exact procedures, forms, etc, but make sure you get written permission. If you can not find a substitute, you must work your shift!

  • Be aggressive in offering to help people working in the lab.  If you see someone walking toward Searle or me, ask if you can help them.  Many times you can, and Searle and I often appreciate not being interrupted.

  • Please check the paper in the printers often, particularly in the mornings.  If it's your shift and I'm replacing paper, I am doing your job.

  • Be sure to enter the actual times worked rounding to the nearest 5 minutes on your timecard.  Round to the nearest 5 minutes to your arrival, not the nearest 15 minutes.  If you arrive at 1:12 and put 1:00 on your time sheet because that was when you were supposed to arrive, you are cheating Schreiner of your time and its money.  Put 1:10 on the time card.

  • While in the lab, use some of your time to practice your computer skills and expand your knowledge of the many programs available.  The more you know, the more you can help others including Searle and Claire.  Skills you should know include: 

    • How to fix print job problems including taking money in PCounter

    • How to print from Acrobat Reader

    • How to find student's personal folders on our Server so they can store work there.

    • How to manipulate navigation bars on the screen

    • How Endnotes work

    • Data Analysis and other Add-In tools in Excel

    • How to use headers and footers in Word and how to number pages.

  • Be aware that if at any time you are the only Schreiner employee in the lab, you are responsible for computer lab security.  You must not leave the lab unattended. Your replacement must be in the lab or you must close.   If you must get to a class and your replacement has not arrived by 5 minutes into the 15 minute overlap of schedules, you must start lock-up procedures.

    • Announce to anyone working in the lab that you may have to close in 10 minutes.

    • Call the student expected at the number provided in this site.

    • Call Searle Crate on his cell phone #: (dial 9 to get out)  739-6532, if no answer, call Claire at 367-5831 - leave a message if no answer!

    • Take the key from the drawer, turn off the lights, lock the door and slide the key back under the door.

  • Always let Claire know if you have problems on your shift with a co-worker not coming in or being late.

A word about your hours -- Each of you is normally awarded $1,500.00 for the 2 semester school year.  Half of that makes $750.00 each semester.  Dividing that by your rate of pay gives how many hours you can work.  I take that number of hours and put it into the semester schedule figuring in all holidays, etc.  Do not work extra hours. 

This year, we are working on a very tight budget.  The minimum wage went up, but our budget for work study students did not.  Therefore, we are using several of you part time with the hope that you can work into using the whole amount of your award.  At this time, the only extra hours you can pick up are when you substitute for another worker because he/she has to miss his/her shift.  If you have a substitute, you may not "make up" those hours.  They have already been worked by someone else and are gone from the budget.

If you are working a full shift (7-8 hours), don't work extra.  It will cause you to go over your work-study award and everyone is in trouble!  It is easy for us to check and see if you are on track and working the correct number of hours.  Anytime you would like to know, just ask.

Thank you for your help in the Lab.