STUDENTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR SUCCESS
Student employees play a key leadership role at the Memorial Union. This is accomplished daily, not only through our front-line student staff, but also through dedicated Student Managers and members of the Student Leadership Team.
Student Leadership Team
The Student Leadership team emerged after the Union’s 2002-2004 renovation when a group of student employees wanted something “more” from their employment experience than just coming to work. They planned activities such as tailgating at football games, end-of-semester picnics, participated in Homecoming parades, and more. They also helped plan orientations and attended the annual Association of College Unions International (ACUI) regional conferences with the staff.
Today, the purpose of the Student Leadership Team is to help create a sense of “community” among staff and student employees. Team members work to define what kind of “community” we envision in our workplace, identify community values that student employees can embrace, and facilitate activities that help us achieve that vision. Through their involvement, students help to positively contribute to the overall morale, productivity and retention of the Memorial Union work environment.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Serving on the Student Leadership Team is not considered a “mandatory” activity for student employees; only those students who are interested and enthusiastic about joining should be encouraged to participate.
The Student Leadership Team will consist of students representing all areas of the Memorial Union. Members will be as follows:
- Representative from each of the following six (6) service areas: Lifetime Sports, Union Services, Information Desk, Sign & Design, Building Managers, and Administration. The Student Manager may serve as the primary representative from their area. If the Student Manager does not serve on the team, another student may be selected.
- A representative from the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership
- Loading Dock Club Manager
- “Members-at-large.” Any student employee may apply for one of the Member-at-Large positions. An application and selection process will be established by the Student Leadership Team. It is preferred that students serve in these positions for a one year term (for a school year), giving more students an opportunity to apply.
The Student Leadership Team will select a Chair (or co-chairs) to serve for the school year. The Chair will serve as the group’s main contact for the Director and the full-time staff, and coordinate communications among group members.
Supervisors will approve all members on the Student Leadership Team. Items supervisors should consider include (but not limited to): job performance, shift scheduling considerations; academic schedule, etc.
The Student Leadership Team members also have the opportunity to attend the annual Association of College Unions International regional conference (classes and budget permitting). Regional conferences are held during the fall semester, and the location rotates among campuses in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. The conferences are held at Unions at the host school, and it is a chance to attend workshops and events, and to share experiences with student employees and staff from other schools.
Our overall goal is for the Student Leadership Team to result in both a learning experience and a rewarding team-building opportunity for its members.
WORKPLACE VALUES
During the 2007-2008 school year, the Student Leadership Team helped to develop a set of values that everyone could adopt for the Memorial Union. Here are the results:
What student employees are looking for in a supervisor:
- Encouragement – Recognizing our achievements and rewarding us by granting increased leadership opportunities. Giving a minimal amount of positive reinforcement before providing constructive feedback.
- Respect – Viewing student employees as more than part-time help by seeking to build a more personal relationship and acknowledging our ideas in a manner that coveys understanding.
- Understanding – A supervisor is someone who listens and is both open to hearing things and available to hear them. They don’t overreact and are able to look at a situation through multiple viewpoints.
- Trust – To trust means that supervisors are willing to give a high level of responsibility without micromanaging when warranted and to trust student’s opinions and decisions.
What students are looking for from co-workers:
- Trustworthy – To consistently do the right thing, be accountable for ones actions, maintain personal integrity, be flexible, dependable, and available to work hard when scheduled and have the willingness to pick up a shift.
- Honesty – Being straight forward and genuine in everything that you do. Not avoiding or ignoring issues due to fear of other’s judgment. Doing what you say and saying what you do on a consistent basis.
- Respect – Respect your co-workers as far as showing up on time for your shift and fulfilling all of your duties at work, respect your co-workers ideas, and if you have an issue, confront them personally about it.
- Caring – Being helpful, kind and considerate to fellow employees through listening, making time for others and going above and beyond in your work and duties.
One of the goals for the Student Leadership Team during the 2008-2009 school year will be to find ways to implement these values into our daily actions.
2008-2009 Memorial Union Learning Outcomes for Student Employees
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