Front desk receptionists hours slashed

By Megan Walsh Staff Writer walsh15@up.edu

Have you been stuck outside of a locked dorm lately, cold and frustrated that there is no hall receptionist to let you in? You are not alone.

Hall receptionist hours in dorms across campus have recently been cut. Last year, a front desk attendant was present starting at 8 a.m., but now the front desk is empty until noon. An attendant is present from noon until midnight from Sunday to Thursday and until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Students must now swipe their I.D. card to get into their dorm until noon daily. The changes have been frustrating for students across campus, whether they live in a dorm or not.

According to Director of Residence Life Mike Walsh, the hours had to be cut in order to stay within budgetary guidelines, and may continue to be reduced throughout this year. Walsh expects that more hours will be cut next year as well.

Sophomore Matt Klemsz, receptionist in Shipstad Hall, is frustrated with how he was informed that his hours were reduced.

"It was pretty upsetting to have the hours cut the way they were," Klemsz said. "We didn't even find out from our boss, but from all the other kids in the school first."

Since students can only scan into the dorm they live in, problems have arisen because some dorms, such as Kenna Hall, house more than just living quarters and also have rooms dedicated to activities such as ceramics classes and ROTC offices.

Some students, like junior Vince Dato-on, find it upsetting that they cannot enter these buildings easily.

"We have to go to Kenna at least three times a week for ROTC, and if we get there before noon we have to call the secretary and have her open the door for us, and if she isn't there we have to call an upper-division member of Air Force which can be awkward," Dato-on said. "It is very frustrating not being able to enter a building that we have to."

According to Walsh, professors who have classes in dorms sent their class enrollment lists to Public Safety so that students could get their I.D. cards coded to allow them into the dorms. Students can get into the building about starting about five minutes before the class begins, and will have access until the class ends.

Some off-campus students also are affected by the inconvenience that comes with the lack of a hall receptionist.

Sophomore Taylor Rudow understands why the hours were cut, but it still annoyed.

"I have many friends that still live in the dorms, and I like to go to their rooms during the day to study," Rudow said. "I feel bad making my friends walk down four flights of stairs to let me in."

Some students, like sophomore Alyssa Lonsbery, worry about their safety in regard to this change.

"Having the front desk workers made me feel safer," Lonsbery said. "There was always someone to monitor who was coming in and if they were welcome."

Walsh said the change change will not affect the safety of the dorms residents because the desks are primarily for reception.

"Although security is an important aspect of the front desks, the reality is that the halls are secure because of how the students behave and whether they let people in or not, or prop doors open or not," said Walsh.

Although Walsh knows many other schools do not have hall receptionists, he thinks they are important at UP.

"It is something that identifies us as unique and it goes along with the mission of the University; One of the primary missions of the Congregation of Holy Cross is hospitality and welcoming," Walsh said.

Students also acknowledge the importance of the front desk and hope that it will not be fully cut.

"It's about that friendly face at the front desk when you are going to and from class, when tours come around," Klemsz said. "It makes the dorm more of a home."