Tech Computer Center User Consultant Handbook

A snack at the Help Desk, now and then -- not as a habitual thing, is okay.

Taking of meals at the Help Desk is not acceptable though. When you come to work you should be coming to work, not planning on having time at work to eat a meal. Your personal affairs (like eating) should be taken care of prior to work, or left till after work, so as not to interfere with work.

On the rare occasions where you have been called into work on short notice and you've not had time to eat before arriving at work eating should not be a problem as long as people are still getting help when they need it.   The catch here is that the Help Desk should not be left unmanned (as when you'd go to the office for a quick meal while scheduled to work -- of course you could not properly claim that meal time as time worked).   If you have to leave the Help Desk then you must find somebody to cover for you while you are gone.

In the unfortunate case that scheduling forces you to work during the only time(s) you would otherwise have for eating on the campus meal plan you can overlap your mealtime with work time. Here again though the meal should not be taken in the Help Desk area (you could leave a message on the screen lock saying your are in the UC office), and it should not keep you from being able to help people.

Wherever you eat be sure to properly clean up after yourself.   Not only is this for the sake of our appearance as TCC staff to our user community.   It also has to do with courtesy to the people you work with.   Perhaps it may also help instill upon those who use the TCC that they should pick up after themselves too.

To help control the stench of rotting food the closing UC will place any trash can containing food products (or remnants thereof) in the hallway.