Residential Living
Conference Host – Position Description
Summer 2016
Position Summary
Conference hosts (CH) prepare the front desks for incoming conferences, facilitate guest check-in and check-out,
and provide resource and referral to conference participants. Conference hosts are one of the first points of
contact for campers as they arrive on campus; therefore, a pleasant, professional demeanor is essential. In
addition, conference billings are generated based on information provided by the CH. The information they
provide must be clear and accurate.
Conference hosts also work alongside the housekeeping crew as their schedules permit.
Accountability Conference hosts report to the conference coordinators
Specific duties
• Actively participate in all training during the week prior to the start of the conference season. Must attend all
training.
• Stay on campus in the assigned hall when on duty.
• Routinely work alone, or as part of a two-person team, operating the hall desk.
• Assist in preparing conference check-in procedures and perform other administrative tasks prior to conference
arrivals.
• Operate hall desk during conference: greeting guests, performing check-ins/check-outs, maintaining hall
security, providing information, and facilitating other services.
• Create informational signs and bulletin boards.
• Maintain key inventory for assigned hall.
• Call appropriate personnel when maintenance, linen, vending, or laundry problems arise.
• Submit maintenance work orders as necessary.
• Evening on-call responsibilities. Periodically will be on-call for evening emergencies.
• When on-call, must be physically present in the building you are covering; this will occasionally require you to
stay overnight in a building other than the one you live in.
• May be required to work some late evenings, early mornings, long hours and weekends, due to the nature of
summer conferences. Work schedules vary weekly, and are established about one week in advance.
General qualifications and eligibility
The requirements of this position are not compatible with taking classes in the summer. Therefore, preference in
hiring will be given to applicants who are not taking summer classes (on-line classes taken on one’s own time are
okay). As a guideline, you must:
• Be able to speak and understand English fluently
• Be an enrolled student at a UW System school
• Be at least 18 years of age by May 23, 2016
• Be in good conduct standing at UWSP, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
• Have general knowledge of Residential Living, the campus, and the Stevens Point community
• Be able to work well with people
• Possess good leadership, communication, organizational and time management skills
• Demonstrate the ability to work independently of a supervisor
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Understand that due to inherent training and work scheduling conflicts, students working as orientation peer
mentors are not eligible for this position.
Be willing to work on the housekeeping crew when not working as a CH.
Previous employment in any summer conference position does not guarantee future employment in that same
position.
Contract period
The dates of employment for conference hosts are May 23, 2016 through August 14, 2016. This is subject to
change, should the summer conference schedule be adjusted. Fall 2016 residence hall staff will be
released early for training. Hours of work may be curtailed or altered during the summer as a result of
the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This act is still being interpreted by UW System Administration.
Time off
Each CH may be allowed up to eight (8) days off during the summer, though not necessarily consecutively (in
addition to regularly scheduled days off). Time off must be requested in writing and approved by the supervisor at
least two weeks in advance. Requests for time off may or may not be approved, depending on the conference
schedule. No time off should be expected during the month of August. Specific days off needed in August must be
disclosed prior to signing your employment contract.
No time off is allowed at the beginning or at the end of the contract period for CHs. All CHs must be present for
ALL of the training period in May and for packing up their hall and participating in closure activities at the end of
their contract in August.
There are several time periods during which no one should plan to be off, due to the specific needs of
these conferences:
Special Olympics
Basketball Team
Suzuki turnover
June 9-11
July 15-17
July 23-24
Pay rate
Compensation for work performed will be $8.55 per hour, plus merit earned from previous summers in that
position.
Miscellaneous
• Forty hours per week is likely for most weeks, but IS NOT guaranteed. We reserve the right to send employees
home early when it gets slow.
• If you accept a full time position in Residential Living, you may not work for another UWSP department
concurrently, as this would put you into overtime pay status.
• Fall 2016 residence hall staff will be released in time for training.
• The number of hours per week that you will work as a CH will vary according to the conference schedule.
• Conference hosts are required to live on campus.
• Conference shirts and nametags are provided and must be worn while working.
• You may have other employment outside of UWSP if approved by your supervisor. Hours scheduled for
summer conferences have priority over other jobs.
• During the first several weeks of summer employment, CHs will be assisting the housekeeping crew and/or
project crew in the physical preparation of the residence halls conferences.
Questions
If you have any questions, call Susan Malnory at 346-3511 or e-mail at smalnory@uwsp.edu.
2/19/16