While the Commons Office has gotten a physical facelift along with SNU Dining, the 405 (the space downstairs formerly known as Pop’s) and the library in the past year, the changes go deeper than that.
“We have had physical renovations, including adding some cabinets, a built-in desk and sprucing up our office decor,” said Cheri Pack, Director of the Webster Commons and Conference Services Coordinator. “But we have also had a change in permanent staffing, student staffing and ways of processing mail and other data. Lastly, we have taken on other tasks that were formerly in other offices.”
The Commons Office not only handles the student mail, but also runs a small post office for students, provides campus information, handles student contact and address information, coordinates conferences and events for both university-affiliated events and outside parties, lends audio/visual tech support and supervises guest housing and the faculty/staff mail room. This year, they have taken on the role of the campus switchboard, which directs phone calls to the correct department or faculty/staff member when a person calls into the school on the general line.
“My goal is for the students to understand what we do and that we are a student-friendly office,” said Pack. “We have an open-door policy, which means we care about the students, their parents and all the people who set foot on campus. We want to help.”
Lisa Doss, Pack’s new administrative assistant, agrees.
“I want students to know that there are no stupid questions,” said Doss. “We are sort of like the concierge of the school, so it’s our job to help direct people to the places they need to go on campus and answer any questions or concerns they might have.”
When asked about where she sees the office going in the future, Pack hopes that the office will be much like the goal they are working toward right now.
“We have tried to refine and enhance services for this year,” said Pack. “We definitely want to continue to do that so we become better.”
Doss explained why they want the office to constantly improve.
“It’s more than just a job; it’s a ministry,” said Doss. “It’s part of our mission to pray for others when they need it, even in the midst of our busy work schedules.”
Have a question for the Commons Office? Visit them Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. If you need assistance on the weekend, visit between the hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
[author image=”https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=0BzUPfa-vNtHwN2RXSGN1NDRxYjA&authuser=0&v=1409347068124&sz=w1248-h559″ ]Summer Howard, Editor-in- Chief
Summer is a junior English Education major and Christian romance author from Yukon, Oklahoma. She hopes to one day travel across Europe and have her own personal library. [/author]