Manager Resource Guide

These sample job descriptions for student managers are intended to serve as a guide for expectations on the University's part. Each community is urged to define its own officer positions and write job descriptions that are appropriate to the needs and traditions of the particular student-managed group. The responsibilities listed here are minimum requirements of each job.

Student managed houses are programs of Residential Education. As a manager you are ultimately accountable to the Office of Residential Education. In addition, you are accountable to the residents of the house. As a manager in a student managed house, you are expected to provide opportunities for the residents of your house to be active participants in all community and decision making processes.

Student managers, whether or not they are paid for the job, hold positions of leadership in their communities. They serve as liaisons with University offices, but more importantly they are the people house members have entrusted to oversee the maintenance of standards of order and cleanliness that permit the house to be a safe, healthy and comfortable place to live. Members of a well-functioning community will respect the authority with which they have entrusted their leaders and at the same time will actively hold their leaders accountable to them. A resident in a student-managed house is not just a client or consumer, but must be an active participant in the house's community and decision making processes in order for the self-op/co-op to be successful.

House Manager

• Creates and collects from all residents a signed Supplemental House Agreement that augments the University's Residence Agreement and spells out the responsibilities and expectations of each resident. Submits a copy of the Supplemental House Agreement to the Row Office.
• Maintains good communication with the Assistant Director for Student Management on house facility issues and house staff concerns/issues.
• Works closely with the Facilities Supervisor to aid in maintaining the facility, issues works orders, reports damages and distributes facility related information as needed.
• Serves as the primary liaison between the house and Housing Facilities and Services, and the County Inspectors (Health Inspector, County Fire Marshal). Ensures that the house meets a basic level of cleanliness and safety as determined by the University and the County. Shares with the Facilities Supervisor all County inspection reports and works with the Facilities Supervisor towards resolving any code violations or operations problems.
• Coordinates student work crews--defines, assigns and trains students to do house jobs, makes sure supplies are adequate to the job, checks to see that work is done, and takes appropriate action if work is not done well and on time.
• Keeps a Master Key (and assumes a $500 responsibility for the key).
• Ensures general security of the house (door locking, etc.) and devises a plan for securing the house each evening.
• Works with the RA to distribute and collect room keys and to collect and return key deposits (if applicable to your house.)
• Supervises the house opening in September and house closing for the winter and summer academic breaks and is available through the final days of autumn and spring quarter for house closing.
• Develops and coordinates the house room draw and room assignments procedure. Settles room assignment disputes with the assistance of the RA.
• Oversees academic year storage areas, ensures that all safety laws are adhered to by posting signs at all academic year storage space areas and educates residents about storage safety laws early during autumn quarter.
• Checks Row Office House Officer mailbox at least once a week to keep abreast of meetings, Row issues, important dates, policy changes, updates, etc.
• Participate fully as a member of the house leadership team and maintain regular communication with the RA and other managers.

• In consultation with the Assistant Director for Student Management and an approved payroll service, creates a Cook Contract, which is signed by the cook and Kitchen Manager and spells out the terms of the cook's employment. (self-ops only)
• Submits a copy of the signed Cook's Contract to the Row Office. (self-ops only)
• Hires, supervises, and evaluates the cook's performance. Performance concerns must be discussed with the Assistant Director for Student Management and put into writing to the cook. Notifies cook, in writing, when termination or non-renewal of contract is determined. In the absence of the cook (illness, vacation, termination etc.), develops a contingency plan for providing meals. (self-ops only)
• Maintains good communication with the Assistant Director of Student Management on kitchen and cook issues and house staff issues/concerns.
• Maintains good communication with the Assistant Manager for Student-Managed Kitchens in matters concerning the kitchen, including the maintenance and use of all equipment.
• Ensures that the kitchen and dining room not only comply with the standards of the County Health Inspector and County Fire Marshal, but provide a consistently clean and healthy environment for the preparation and consumption of meals. Shares with the Assistant Manager for Student-Managed Kitchens all County inspection reports and works with the Assistant Manager toward resolving any code violations or operations problems.
• Acquires and shares with residents through in-house resident training, a basic understanding of kitchen health and safety and especially, the safe use and maintenance of kitchen equipment. This is especially important in co-ops where students do all of meal preparation and cleaning.
• Oversees the planning of nutritional menus, shopping, and ordering by cook and/or house residents. Serves as liaison with vendors and delivery persons.
• Solicits regular feedback from residents on quality and quantity of food. Responds to special requests to meet dietary needs.
• Takes responsibility for setting and meeting food budget in conjunction with the financial manager.
• Supervises kitchen opening in September and January and closing for winter and summer academic breaks and is available through the final days of autumn quarter and spring quarter for kitchen closing.
• Establishes kitchen jobs and trains and supervises hashers. Responsible for scheduling kitchen hasher and cleaning crews along with developing a contingency plan if hashers do not show up for meals.
• Participate fully as a member of the house leadership team and maintain regular communication with the RA and other managers.

• Works with the house staff (and residents) to set the house budget and board bill. Collects board and other house bills owed by residents.
• Maintains good communication with the Assistant Director for Student Management on financial management issues and house staff issues/concerns.
• Keeps clear records (i.e., ledger or computer ledger system) of all income/expenditures and reports frequently to the community on its financial status. Pays bills in full and on time and keeps record of all bill payment. Takes responsibility for balancing accounts and keeping the house financially solvent.
• Submits a copy of the House Budget at the beginning of each academic quarter and a budget report at the end of each quarter which outlines the actual income/expenditures and an explanation for major variance to the Assistant Director for Student Management . Copies should be posted in the house.
• Ensures that each resident or EA (Eating Associate) is notified, each quarter, in writing of the actual house budget and the amount they owe for food and non-food expenses.
• Ensures that all accounts are current and no outstanding debts remain during academic breaks after Autumn quarter (December) and Spring quarter (June).
• Establishes payroll account for the payment of the house cook and keeps the account current by making timely and accurate deposits to the payroll accounting service.
• Establishes cleaning or key deposit and rebate policy and issues any rebates the house may owe residents during the summer.
• Consults promptly with the Assistant Director for Student Management and the house if financial difficulties arise, and exercises responsibility for their timely and effective resolution.
• Places registration or transcript/diploma holds for residents who are delinquent in paying house bills if resident has been properly notified of impending hold and has signed a Supplemental House Agreement.
• Participate fully as a member of the house leadership team and maintain regular communication with the RA and other managers.

• Work with house staff to plan and implement social and educational house events including such things as special dinners, faculty dinners, intellectual programs and off campus outings.
• Participate fully as a member of the house leadership team and maintain regular communication with the RA and other managers.
• Provide information about campus activities to residents (e.g. the arts, IMs, etc.)
• Attend all University/Office of Student Activity run Party Planning Workshops
• Take and post minutes of all house meetings

See job description and list of current Row Computer Cluster Assistants as published by Residential Computing. The RCCs (Residence Computer Coordinators)job description and list of current RCCs is also available.