UTAPS student employee more than tickets

Lindsay Comstock

Student employees of University Transportation and Parking Services find both stress and fullfillment as clerks, drivers, customer service representatives and Community Service Officers on campus.

UTAPS employs nearly 60 students for various jobs around campus including 16 community service officers, six office assistants, 15 shuttle bus drivers and two appeals employees.

A number of student Community Service Officers declined to be interviewed for this article, stating that they get hassled by students for doing their job ? issuing parking citations on campus.

Two who did speak on the record were sophomore Jason Jacobs and senior Stephanie Duncan.

Jacobs said he has never experienced any uncomfortable situations in his job so far, but that he has heard of many other officers who have.

“Everyone looks at you differently when you wear the neon vests,” Jacobs said. “That?s one thing that you have to get used to.”

Jacobs said that he applied for the job because he had friends who were also officers, and the job was laid-back and coincided with his school schedule.

Duncan said that she likes her job because she does not have to work nights or weekends.

“At first my friends told me not to do it, but overall I think this job is one of the better jobs for the pay on campus,” Duncan said.

Both students said that beyond parking enforcement, they also act as information consultants and help out students in many cases.Jacobs said that he wishes everyone would have permits, so that he wouldn?t have to give out tickets to students.

Duncan said that for her, giving out tickets is a rewarding experience even though she hates to be on the receiving end.

“It?s really interesting to have the power to give out tickets,” Duncan said. “It makes the job more entertaining.”

She said that she hasn?t experienced any problems with the job because most of the students tend to be in class when she writes citations.

Nancy Fox, manager of UTAPS, said the notion that officers write tickets based on quotas is false.

“CSOs do not work based on a quota. There is always work to be done. Students work to be consistent and productive,” Fox said.

Duncan said that when writing tickets, she must use her own judgment on what should be done in specific situations.

“One must learn to separate yourself from the job to do what is best for the campus community and other drivers,” Duncan said.

Fox said that UTAPS looks for students who have adequate communication skills and who are “friendly and customer service oriented.”

Staff Transportation and Parking Office assistants, Sara Meece, a sophomore at Sacramento State and Laura Fontana, a junior, both said they enjoy their UTAPS jobs because of the flexible schedule and friendly working environment.

Meece said she originally applied for the job on campus because it was convenient.

“I lived in the dorms freshman year, so the office was very close,” Meece said. “The supervisors have always been understanding that being students is the first priority for employees.”

Meece sells permits, processes first level appeals and handles questions or complaints.

She said that, as in any other customer service jobs, office assistants often deal with complaints from people angry because of parking situations or tickets that they have received.

She said she knew of one girl who was booed in class because she works at the UTAPS office.

“We get a lot of venting from people because we are the first people that they see,” Meece said.

Fontana said they have the chance to talk to individuals rationally and calm them down.

“People realize that we are students too, so we can be understanding of their situation,” Fontana said.

UTAPS wages range from $7.25 ? $10.25 per hour. Students must have at least a 2.0 GPA and be enrolled in a minimum of six units in order to apply for assistant positions.

UTAPS is advertising for shuttle drivers in the Career Center and around campus. UTAPS trains employees in all positions; prior experience is not necessary.

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