Pulse: How many people work in your office?
Cashiers Office: Four. Ron Wood, Mellody Pogirski, Jane Dean and Margaret Burrichter.
Pulse: What do you do during the course of a workday?
Cashiers Office: The cashiers wait on students, answer questions from students and from their parents (only with the student's permission!). They also teach students how to read their accounts and how to request checks. They do deposits for all departments and organizations on campus and answer approximately 2500 cashier e-mails per year. In this office, they can't say, "gee, I don't know the answer to your question". They have to research it until they find the answer.
Pulse: What do students pay for in your office?
Cashiers Office: They pay parking fines, demerit fines, CLEP test, UMS charges, bookstore charges and student teacher fees etc. ...
Pulse: What other departments do you deal with the most?
Cashiers Office: Financial Aid, Post Office (correcting addresses and mailing statements), Office of the Registrar and Computer Services.
Pulse: How do you deal with an office area with no windows?
Cashiers Office: Margaret does miss not having windows. They do have the opportunity to chat with students about what the weather is like outside and that helps "break the ice". I noticed they decorate their office with "outdoorsy foliage" which helps.
Pulse: Do you have any office pets?
Cashiers Office: Yes. They have a fish named Parmley. He was a lovely centerpiece at a wedding reception and Jane rescued him and brought him to the office. They've had him 4 years.
Pulse: Any toys in the office?
Cashiers Office: Yes!! There are Etch-a-Sketches available for students to doodle on while they wait. Some create awesome pictures while waiting.
Pulse: Why do you sit behind those glass windows?
Cashiers Office: That is to keep the customers at a distance for privacy reasons. It's also a "sneeze guard" to protect the cashiers from getting sick. They place tissues in their lobby for those "runny nose" type days and the students appreciate it!!
Pulse: Do you wash your hands a lot since you handle a lot of cash?
Cashiers Office: Yes, we wash our hands at least 3-4 times a day and we each have a bottle of antibacterial cleanser we use continually.
Pulse: Do you buy coffee at Vecino's every morning?
Cashiers Office: No, not every morning, just once in a while. We drink decaf...they need to stay calm.
Pulse: Do you like working for Ron Wood?
Cashiers: We like him. He is the funniest person in the office. Once in a while we find him stealing chocolate from our stash, but we just smile and ignore it. Ron lets us dress down for casual day and he allows soft, instrumental music to be played. Ron has loosened things up and it helps the students to relax. It's been a good thing.
Pulse: Do you get to know the students?
Cashiers Office: Yes, Margaret does the billing for the ROTC guys and gets close to them. Jane has a good relationship with many students (some she takes classes with). Mellody is always offering motherly advice (usually to the guys around special Holidays so that they don't forget their Moms or girlfriends) Students send them appreciation cards and they stop by to visit with answers to prayer, engagement news, etc. The cashiers are lovely ladies.