[Jennifer Keegin]

I’m struggling with needing more staff! I am an office of ONE. I do have a GA, but he’s a student (even working as a para-professional he still has limited hours) – I do not have enough hours in the day to do all the things. Create an event, promote the event, attend the event (running an event with one other person is nuts). This is not a new situation but this is the year that I start saying NO. So here’s to those saying NO this year!

——————————
Jennifer Keegin
Associate Director for Campus Activities
Binghamton University
Binghamton NY
——————————
——————————————-
Original Message:
Sent: 09-07-2022 14:43
From: Kaitlyn Howarth
Subject: Talk About it Tuesdays (a day late)

Hi everyone,

Once a month, we are going to post a topic to talk about in the forum (typically on a Tuesday ? we like alliteration).? Yesterday got away from me so let’s Talk About it Wednesday!

What is one thing you are struggling with at work? ?As a group, we will support you and help you work through your struggles.

I’ll go first ? recently I had one of my student staff tell me that I am too nice, and they think their coworkers are taking advantage of me.? We have an accountability system in place that I follow for all students.? I know I can often be a “yes” person.? How do you balance saying yes to students without being perceived as a “yes person”?

Looking forward to your advice!

All the joy,
Kait?

——————————
Kaitlyn Howarth
Assistant Director of Building Operations, Hospitality Services
William Paterson University
——————————

[jessige]

Sometimes it’s easier for me to say no when I have more details about the plan. If a student comes to you and says, “Hey, let’s do a foam party!”, that sounds great. But if I see the details and I can see all the holes in the plan (if there is a plan at all), and I know that I’m the one who’s going to end up plugging those holes, it makes it a lot easier to either say no, or to say “bring this back when you’ve fixed A, B, and C.”

When it comes to managing student staff, it’s important to rely on the policies in place…but it’s doubly important to make sure those policies are equitable to everyone, *including you* as the supervisor. Being student-centered doesn’t mean being self-sacrificial. I think we as women often have been taught to put others’ needs before our own and that it’s a zero-sum equation. It’s not. The meme is true, that equal rights (or treatment) for others doesn’t take away yours…but the converse is also true: equal treatment for you doesn’t take away others’ rights either. 
 

——————————————-
Original Message:
Sent: 9/8/2022 11:16:00 AM
From: Jennifer Keegin
Subject: RE: Talk About it Tuesdays (a day late)

I’m struggling with needing more staff! I am an office of ONE. I do have a GA, but he’s a student (even working as a para-professional he still has limited hours) – I do not have enough hours in the day to do all the things. Create an event, promote the event, attend the event (running an event with one other person is nuts). This is not a new situation but this is the year that I start saying NO. So here’s to those saying NO this year!

——————————
Jennifer Keegin
Associate Director for Campus Activities
Binghamton University
Binghamton NY
——————————
——————————————-
Original Message:
Sent: 09-07-2022 14:43
From: Kaitlyn Howarth
Subject: Talk About it Tuesdays (a day late)

Hi everyone,

Once a month, we are going to post a topic to talk about in the forum (typically on a Tuesday ? we like alliteration).  Yesterday got away from me so let’s Talk About it Wednesday!

What is one thing you are struggling with at work?  As a group, we will support you and help you work through your struggles.

I’ll go first ? recently I had one of my student staff tell me that I am too nice, and they think their coworkers are taking advantage of me.  We have an accountability system in place that I follow for all students.  I know I can often be a “yes” person.  How do you balance saying yes to students without being perceived as a “yes person”?

Looking forward to your advice!

All the joy,
Kait 

——————————
Kaitlyn Howarth
Assistant Director of Building Operations, Hospitality Services
William Paterson University
——————————