As an employee of the University of Oregon Campus Recycling Program, you are part of a commitment to resource conservation and social change which has an impact from a local to a global level. Working for the Recycling Program means hard work, but you can feel good that the work you're doing makes a difference. We appreciate your commitment to the program and its principles, and we hope that you'll gain positive skills and ideas from working with us.

THE U OF O RECYCLING PROGRAM

The O of U Recycling Program is an operational arm of the Facilities Services Department. Our funding comes from Facilities Services, University Housing, the student body through incidental fees and the ASUO, our own recycled paper revenue, and occasional grants and gifts. The Program is directed by a manager and four fulltime coordinators who are responsible for providing recycling services to the campus community, Housing, campus auxiliaries, and special events participants. Our major recycling efforts are directed at paper and paper products; corrugated cardboard; deposit beverage containers; glass, plastic and metal food and beverage containers; and office waste. We also facilitate the recycling or reuse of numerous other products and materials, such as Styrofoam packing peanuts, transparencies, CD's, computer floppy discs, office supplies, and food waste (compost).

In addition to these primary service responsibilities, we are also actively involved in education and efforts to foster environmentally sound consumer buying and consumption choices, waste reduction, increased recycling awareness, and sound recycling habits and participation throughout the university and community. As a student recycler, you will have the opportunity to become involved in all of these areas and to become widely acquainted with the larger campus community in the course of your employment.

With occasional exceptions for special events and weekend activities, the Program operates from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. All student employee hours are scheduled during this time.

A FEW MORE WORDS ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Our operations are split between two primary physical locations: the "Warehouse" and the "Trailer." The Warehouse at 933 Franklin Blvd. is where our paper recycling operations are located and where we do some intermediate sorting of other recyclables. Employees assigned "Paper" or "Sorting" duties on the term schedule (more about that later) report for work to the Warehouse. The Trailer (actually, a manufactured housing unit) is located at 1440 Villard Street and is the central office for our campus/public recycling service crews, our housing recycling services, and other operations. Employees assigned "Van," Maintenance" or "Housing" duties on the term schedule report to work at the Trailer. Each of these two locations has its own vans which employees use in the course of their duties. In addition to these two operational centers, we also have crews which work out of the EMU and Lawrence Hall. But for now, this is all just for the sake of orientation. You'll be given more detailed information about all of this later.

Our full-time, supervisory staff consists of the Program Manager and 4 Recycling Coordinators: the Paper Recycling Coordinator and the Operations Recycling Coordinator, both located at the Warehouse; and the Student Recycling Coordinator and Housing Recycling Coordinator, both located at the Trailer. The Program Manager is also located at the Trailer. All student recyclers are regularly scheduled to work for any of the Coordinators, as well as the project manager, and are at all times accountable to all of these full-time staffers.

New employees are hired at the pay rate of $7.00 per hour. As a new-hire, you will be given a 1 month trial period during which time the program will evaluate your performance and progress, and will determine if continued employment is in our and your best interests. After 12 months, you will receive a brief evaluation. This is an opportunity for us to review your work performance and for you to provide employee input. If all goes well, you'll receive a $0.25/hr. raise. If you are not meeting the expectations of employment, you will not receive a raise and will be informed of areas needing improvement. If you improve over the following 3 months, you will receive the raise. If not, your employment will be terminated.

As the provider of a vital service to our customers in the campus community, our professionalism and reliability are of paramount importance. Given that our primary funding sources are the U of O student body and the taxpayers of the State of Oregon, we are doubly bound to a high standard of excellence in the provision of this service. In short, there's a customer around every corner, whether that customer is a faculty member, a staff or office worker, a fellow student, or even a tax payer in the community. In such an environment of public employment and accountability, work rules and high standards of work performance are absolute necessities. The following are our expectations of you as an employee of the Recycling Program, followed by some specific employment/work rules. Read all of this carefully, know it, understand it, and follow it. Your signature at the end of this manual indicates your knowledge and acceptance of the following.

Recycling is a labor intensive operation which requires hard work, commitment, consistency and perseverance. It is a tough job with a lot of details and responsibilities. Dependability is essential to our operation -- excessive absenteeism, tardiness, uncooperative attitudes or a poor work ethic are not acceptable. Barring unexpected emergencies, illness, etc., you are expected to be at work, to be on time, and to do your job. Although school is the reason you're at the University, you've made a commitment to a job, and it's your responsibility to plan ahead to accommodate the pressures of school and work.

At the beginning of each term, you will be scheduled for the entire term based upon the Schedule of Availability you provide us. Once finalized, this term work schedule does not change during the term. Please keep the scheduling coordinator informed of all availability changes. If you need to change your schedule for an unusual situation, this is possible only if you make prior arrangements to get a substitute to do your job. Special "Substitute Needed" forms are available for this purpose and should be posted on the bulletin boards. For prolonged absences, a special "Request for Time-off" form is available which must be completed by you and approved by a Coordinator at least two weeks prior to the desired leave time.

Read the printed work schedule carefully and make sure you show up for work at the right time and place. All of this information is on the schedule, including "Job" duties (first column), work "Location" (second column, usually "Warehouse" or "Trailer"), the day of the week (columns 3 through 7), and the time your shift starts (written after your name under each day of the week). Read through each day's assignments thoroughly, as it's possible that you've been scheduled for more than one shift in more than one work location on a given day.

Each term, students are required to submit to the Operations Coordinator a "Schedule of Availability" form in which students communicate to the program the hours they are available to work (based upon their course and personal schedules) and the total number of work hours they desire per week. The submission of these "Schedule of Availability" forms in a timely manner (by deadlines) is absolutely essential to our operation, and is a strict requirement of employment with the Program.

At least two deadlines will be communicated to student workers each term for the submission of availability forms: 1.) the full term availability deadline (requested for any given term a couple of weeks before the end of the preceding term); and 2.) the Finals Week deadline (requested a couple of weeks before finals week).

Failure to respond to these requests for information by deadlines can leave students in the position of being the last to get scheduled, those getting the "leftovers." This can jeopardize the total number of hours a student is scheduled, the specific shift times the student gets, the duties a student is scheduled for, and, ultimately, a students' continued employment with the Program.

Course schedule changes (adding and dropping classes) made after the term starts must be communicated immediately to the Operations Coordinator. You will be excused from any scheduled shift which conflicts with a recently added course (we would never ask you to miss a class). Absences will not be allowed, however, to allow you time to hunt for open courses, purchase course books, etc.. All course changes should be communicated as soon as they are made and no later than the Registrar's deadline for Adds/Drops.

One last word of caution about availability: Don't schedule yourself for work 10 minutes after the end of a class, as this won't allow you time to arrive to work on time. For example, if your class ends at 2:50, don't indicate that you're available for work beginning at 3:00. Rather, put 3:30 as the available start time.

!!EVERYONE MUST WORK FINALS WEEK!! Work schedules will be adjusted to finals schedules, but all employees must work during this time. Work during school breaks and the summer is also available.

Attitude and Responsibility       

This is a hard job that often challenges your stress level. People leave messes, and there's a lot of work to be done. You are out in the public and represent not only the Campus Recycling Program, but the IDEA of recycling. The success of our program is primarily due to individual participation generated from the opportunity we provide for people to recycle, and the excellent public relations and education we offer through our program. If the job is putting you in a bad mood, take a break. If you have a hard time having a positive attitude at work, please evaluate if this job is suited to you. THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB!!

You will not have a supervisor or coordinators on top of you. This job requires independent work skills, dependability and the ability to trouble-shoot, make decisions, and communicate. Take a minute to answer people's questions or pick-up something unexpected on your route. Write down the name and phone number of someone who has a request or needs some information. Go the extra mile. Above all, follow program policies and rules at all times. Also, be thinking about your future. When you graduate you'll be competing for jobs. There is little that is more important to a prospective employer than 'glowing' references.

Communication is the key to success in our program. It will make all of our work easier if we keep each other informed. Don't hesitate to ask questions if you don't understand something. Similarly, let us know if you have ideas to make something work better or if something needs to be fixed.

Procedural and policy changes are a common, almost weekly, occurrence for us. Given the varying shifts we work, communicating these matters to the crew is difficult. To accomplish this task, we rely upon crew meetings, announcement bulletin boards, and e-mail. It is essential that you: a.) attend all crew meetings; b.) check the bulletin boards at the Warehouse and Trailer each time you work, and initial announcements when requested; and c.) read and respond to your e-mail regularly, at least every couple of days.

Just as the Program may need to communicate matters to you, we also rely upon you to communicate matters to us. Since you constitute the Program's presence on campus, you also function as the eyes and ears of your supervisors. Promptly and completely communicate to your supervisor any matters you note requiring our attention on campus, in service areas, in the vans, etc.. Write down recycling site problems and needs on the route sheets, and discuss with your supervisor any ideas you may have to improve our service or ameliorate a logistical problem. And always get the names and phone numbers of campus users who have questions, special needs or concerns about our service, and assure them that a Coordinator will contact them.

Theft or misappropriation of the property of Facilities Services, the University or others for personal use is prohibited. This includes taking surplus and scrap materials from any area of University or State property, and taking food from a University dining area or office. Many offices have food out for the holidays or for special events. Never help yourself to it without first being invited to. Theft of any kind is considered a serious matter and could result in termination of employment. Activities of this kind not only put you at risk; they jeopardizes the entire Recycling Program.

All University employees are paid once per month. Our student employee pay periods run from mid-month to mid-month, with the exact cut-off dates varying slightly from month to month. Student employees are paid on the last working day of each month for the preceding pay period.

A separate timecard must be filled out for each day worked -- no more than one day can be on any one timecard. However, multiple shifts on a single day should all go on the same timecard.

You will be shown how to correctly and completely fill out timecards during your Orientation. However, keep in mind that each timecard must have printed clearly the following information:

• The employee name at the left top of the card (last name first, first name last).
• The date.
• The Index number (either RREC or RREC3).
• The Class of Work Done (usually "Recycling").
• The Hours worked as a line-item.
• The Total hours worked at the bottom of the "Hours" column.
• The employee signature. Timecards cannot be processed without an employee signature. Supervisors cannot sign timecards for employees.

All employees are issued keys to the Trailer and the Warehouse which are to be brought to work for every shift (they are necessary to access the work sites when the Coordinators are not present). Extreme care should be exercised to ensure that keys are not lost or stolen. In the event keys are lost or stolen, contact a Coordinator as soon as the loss becomes known.

Employees are not to use keys to access any work site (Trailer, Warehouse, EMU Office) outside of normal program hours (7:30-6, Mon. thru Fri.). Using keys to access these areas in the evenings or over weekends is grounds for termination for cause. In the event an employee leaves important personal property at the work site (wallet, house keys, needed school work) and needs to retrieve these items outside of normal operating hours, an officer from the Office of Public Safety must be present (simply call OPS, explain the situation, and ask that an officer meet you at the work site to verify your activities while retrieving the personal property).

During the course of our work, recyclers often encounter confidential and sensitive materials. What are these materials and how should they be handled?

Confidential Materials - Confidential materials are those documents designated by Oregon Administrative Regulations as being of a confidential nature. Disposition of this material is administered by University Archives. Examples include materials containing the names of students, faculty or staff in conjunction with Social Security numbers, address and phone information, e-mail addresses, etc.. Campus Recycling is prohibited by law from collecting these materials if they are in an unshredded state. Although it rarely occurs, recyclers encountering paper recycling which is marked "Confidential" or appears to be confidential should leave the material on-site and alert a supervisor to its presence and location upon return from the route. Customers inquiring about Confidential Materials should be directed to contact University Archives.

Sensitive Materials - Much of the recycling collected by Campus Recycling is of a sensitive, although not legally defined confidential, nature. Examples include graded exams and papers with student names, research data, meeting minutes, dissertation proposals, etc.. This material is regularly and legally collected by Campus Recycling. It is the nature of our service, however, that we must be able to collect this material while still respecting its sensitive nature. Our customers expect this level of professionalism and discretion from us, and we strive to live up to that expectation. While collecting and processing this material, therefore, please respect this bond of trust. Do not stand around visibly "reading" recycling materials while collecting them on campus; do not pass information found in the recycling along to others; and do not take anything out of the recycling to be used for personal or financial gain, exploitation or other use.

Student employees found to be deficient in work performance or in violation of Program policies will be informed of the need to improve in those areas under question through a combination of verbal and written warnings, including expectations for improvement. The Program reserves the right to terminate employees who exhibit willful or serious disregard for laws, University conduct guidelines and Program policies without opportunities for improvement as situations or violations warrant.

The Recycling Program abides by the STUDENT EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES distributed by the University of Oregon Department of Human Resources, which states:

"If layoff is necessary due to lack of work, lack of funds, reorganization or other reasons not reflecting discredit on the student employee, reasonable notice in writing shall be given. Students may be terminated if their performance is deficient or if their behavior does not merit continued employment. Coordinators are encouraged to give the student the opportunity to correct his or her deficiencies prior to termination. No written notification is required, but it is strongly recommended."

If there are concerns regarding your employment performance, a coordinator will discuss these issues with you as they occur. If these concerns are not corrected, you may be jeopardizing your employment and you may be asked to re-consider your employment with Campus Recycling.

A copy of the STUDENT EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES is available for your viewing from your supervisor, the Office of Human Resources, or from the University of Oregon web site.

*NOTE: Read the following carefully. Your signature at the end of this manual constitutes verification of your knowledge of and agreement to abide by the following rules at all times. Failure to follow program policies and rules is grounds for disciplinary action and/or termination.

1. Attendance - Work all scheduled shifts. Excessive absenteeism is grounds for termination.
2. Punctuality - Be to work on time. Excessive tardiness is grounds for termination.
3. Preparedness - Be ready to begin work on time. All work shifts begin with a 10-15 minute stretching routine. Begin your stretching promptly at the start of your scheduled work shift.
4. Shift Duration - Stay at work until the end of your scheduled shift. Do not "slip out early."
5. Checking In and Out - Always check in with a coordinator or the Program Manager upon your arrival at work and before leaving at the end of your shift. Communication is key to our success. Do not leave work without "debriefing" with a staff member.
6. Breaks and Lunches - Paid breaks are provided at the rate of one fifteen minute break for each shift worked which is from 2.5 hours to 4 hours in length. Second breaks in the same day are based upon the working of a second shift meeting the shift criteria as described above. Breaks are intended as a means to allow you to rest and re-charge your body from and during work, and should be taken at the approximate mid-point of the work shift. Taking breaks at the beginning of a work shift (coming in late or starting work with a break) or at the end of a work shift (leaving early) is not allowed.
   
   Breaks begin when employees terminate work and begin the break period. Time spent walking to and from a chosen break location is considered part of the break -- not "extra" break time. Vans are not to be taken off-route for the sole purpose of driving to a desirable break area -- including on-campus areas such as the EMU. Vans are to be kept on-route during break periods.
   
   Unpaid lunches are provided at the rate of a 30-minute lunch for each shift worked which is at least 6 hours in length. Employees are expected to return from breaks and lunch periods on time.
7. Knowledge - Know your job responsibilities and standard operating procedures. If you're unsure about something, ask someone who does know or who can find out. Don't "guess" or leave a task unfinished.
8. Bulletin Board - Check the bulletin board every time you work.
9. E-mail - Check your e-mail regularly (at least every couple of days) and respond promptly if applicable.
10. Crew Meetings - Attend all scheduled meetings. Missing a meeting is the same as missing a work shift.
11. Procedures - Follow instructions and processes accurately be flexible to changes as they occur.
12. Keys - You will be issued keys for the program work sites. Bring these keys to work with you for every scheduled shift, or risk being locked out of your work site (at your own expense). Do not lose these keys.
13. Illnesses - In the event you are ill and unable to work a shift, notify the Coordinator for whom your are scheduled to work as far in advance of the shift as possible (either through direct phone contact or via a voice mail message). Always check the Coordinators' schedules. If the regular Coordinator for that operation is off that day, leave a similar message with any other Coordinator who is working that day.
14. Respect - Respect your co-workers. Keep jokes and interpersonal interactions respectful, professional, and attuned to the feelings of others. Respect all points of view and don't force your perspective on another. Be sensitive to and respectful of the values of your co-workers, even as you value your own. Above all, refrain from behaviors or communication which could be deemed intolerant to the race, gender, ethnicity, sexual preferences, or other special characteristics of another.
15. Customer Service - Be courteous, professional and discrete when working on campus. Keep conversations at a reasonable volume level and within the bounds of topical and vernacular appropriateness. Keep work and equipment noise to an absolute minimum. Get contact names and phones numbers from members of the campus community expressing concerns or asking questions about the program or its services. Assure these people that a Coordinator will contact them and forward this information to your supervisor upon your return to the work site.
16. I.D. Tags - Wear your University I.D. tag at all times when working on campus. I.D.'s must be left at the work site (in your locker or basket) during non-working hours and are not to be taken home.
17. Parking As is the case with all University employment, parking while working for the Recycling Program is the sole responsibility of the employee. University parking permits are required for parking at the Warehouse, and spaces are very limited. Parking at the Trailer is all on-street parking administered by the City of Eugene and subject to hourly limits For both locations, campus parking lots are nearby and subject to all University parking regulations, including the requirement that all vehicles have year, term or daily/temporary permits. The Program encourages you to ride a bike, walk, take the bus or carpool to get to work whenever possible. If you do drive, plan ahead. Don't show up to work at the last minute and then ask for extra time to find a place to park (*Note: If you don't have a permanent student parking permit, you can obtain a temporary one at the information desk of the Office of Public Safety, or at the kiosk on 13^th Ave. at a cost of $2 a day.).
18. Smoking - Smoking is prohibited in all University facilities and indoor areas. Smoking is also prohibited in some outside areas as posted. Smoking outdoors is further prohibited within 10 feet of any doorway or entry/exit area. For Recycling employees, smoking is restricted to the following areas: a.) at the Warehouse, outdoor areas 10 feet or more from any doorway; b.) at the Trailer, the area behind the Trailer (picnic table area on the South side). Please do not smoke in front of the Trailer or on the disabled access ramp leading to the front door.
19. Cell Phones - Employees are prohibited from carrying and using cell phones at work during scheduled work shifts. Extenuating circumstances requiring that an employee be contacted during work hours via cell phone must be communicated to a supervisor prior to the start of the work shift.
20. Clothing Policy - Student Recyclers are expected to adhere to the Facilities Services clothing policy, which states: "As representatives of Facilities Services and the entire University of Oregon, all employees are expected to maintain good hygiene and to dress in an appropriate manner. Clothing that has holes, tears or has been defaced in any other fashion should not be worn on the job. Additionally, clothing with derogatory, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate material displayed cannot be worn at any time on the job."
    

GENERAL SAFETY RULES

1. Footwear - Appropriate footwear must be worn while working. Appropriate footwear is defined as shoes with complete uppers, including both closed-toes and something across the back of the foot/heel. Sandals, Birkenstocks, tongs, clogs, and heel-less slip-ons are not allowed. Consider keeping a pair of suitable shoes at the work site for use at work.. Employees reporting to work without the required footwear will not be allowed to work and will be considered tardy or absent without approval.
2. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Please wear the PPE provided by the program for your use at work. This includes: 1.) Gloves for use while engaged in all recycling activities; 2.) Safety glasses and goggles for use when working with glass and cleaners/chemicals;
   

   and 3.) Ear plugs for use in high noise environments. Specialized PPE may also be issued you and its use required when performing other tasks on a case-by-case basis. If in doubt about the application of the above PPE, or if you feel the need for PPE not issued you, contact a Coordinator immediately with your questions, concerns, or suggestions.

3. Injuries - Personnel injuries or other incidents must be reported to a Coordinator immediately for the purpose of required safety documentation and notifications. This is as much for your own protection as it is for the requirements of the university or the state.
   

   Don't ever make a determination yourself that an incident or injury is "no big deal" and doesn't warrant notifying a Coordinator. Instead, initiate the notification and allow the Coordinator and Safety Officer to render all "judgments" about the severity of the injury. Any additional requirements, such as a doctor's release or a visit to the Student Health Center, will be communicated to you if and when they become necessary.

4. Bicycle Safety - Bike helmets must be worn at all times when riding a bicycle during work hours (and we encourage you to do so even when on your own time). This includes the operation of both program bikes and personal bikes when used for work-related activities. When using a bicycle for Program business, observe all rules of the road and bicycle safety (just as you would while operating a state motor vehicle).
5. Safety Communication - Communicate all safety concerns you encounter to a Coordinator as soon as possible, and always before performing any task the safety of which might be compromised by that safety concern (such as faulty equipment or a vehicle problem). This includes any unsafe conditions you might encounter on campus.

VEHICLE OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY RULES

*Note: Vehicle and driving safety rules are fully covered in the Van Training segment of the new-employee training and orientation program. They will be discussed when you receive that training. The following items, however, are significant and basic enough to warrant their inclusion here.

1. Driver Training and Certification - Campus Recycling student employees are deemed authorized to drive program vehicles only after the completion of in-house classroom and behind-the-wheel driving training, and the issuance of a U of O Driver Certification card. Any operation of a program vehicle prior to completion of this training and the express clearance to drive is grounds for dismissal. Students are also required to report any change in driving or license status to the Operations Coordinator immediately.
2. Van Use Policy - Campus Recycling Program vehicles are State of Oregon vehicles, and as such are for program use only. With the exceptions of official business, mechanical failure, or serious (life or death) emergencies, they are to be parked/stopped in University areas only. When embarking on an off-campus route, plan to use restrooms and other facilities on campus before leaving or at the off-campus location. Vehicles are never to be taken to or parked at non-University off-campus locations for breaks or lunches, nor is it permissible to stop at an employee's residence or to use the vehicles for any personal use or errand. Lastly, vans are not to be taken off-route for the sole purpose of driving to a desirable break area -- including on-campus areas such as the EMU. Vans are to be kept on-route for breaks.
3. Vehicle Accidents and Emergency Response - Students are responsible for reporting all vehicular accidents, incidents and damage to a Coordinator immediately and before leaving the scene of an incident/accident (the Coordinator may need to take pictures and speak with witnesses), regardless of the extent of damage or the perceived insignificance of the incident/accident. More stringent accident reporting procedures are detailed in the Van Training segment of the new-employee training and orientation, including the use of University accident report forms, witness cards, and Department of Motor Vehicle report forms. Procedures to be followed in the event of an injury will also be given in that training. But in general, any emergency on campus should be reported directly to the Office of Public Safety at extension 6-6666 from a campus phone (and if you forget, just keep dialing 6's: OPS will answer after the first five of them), or 346-6666 from off-campus. Call 911 only if off-campus.
4. Backing/Spotting Policy - Spotting by another person is required any time a program or University vehicle is backed up for any distance, regardless of how short the distance is. Since recycling vehicular crews are sent out in pairs, drivers are provided with spotters in the form of their passengers or work partners. Spotters should also be used any time driving forward involves movement in the vicinity of lateral, overhead, or other obstructions or fixed objects. Lastly, these passengers/spotters should provide visual assistance to their drivers during all driving situations, including those involving lane changes, poor visibility, and the close proximity of pedestrians and bicyclists.
   The Program has adopted a "zero-tolerance" approach to violations of this policy (no exceptions are considered justified). In the rare event a work partner is not available to spot, drivers must refrain from backing up unless and until a University employee, student, or passerby is available for spotting. Since the backing/spotting policy applies equally to drivers and passengers, non-driving passengers are held equally responsible for the fulfillment of the policy and/or any violations of it.
5. Vehicle Operational Responsibilities - All operators and passengers are responsible for ensuring the mechanical and operational preparedness of the vans. Check the vehicle pre-operation checklist prior to driving a van. If the pre-op check has not been performed and recorded for that day, perform and record it. Report any problems found to a supervisor immediately and before driving the vehicle. Similarly report any problems discovered while on route to a Coordinator immediately and before driving the vehicle further. Use pager communications if necessary.
6. Cleanliness and Safety - Cluttered van cabs, unswept cargo areas, and dirty windows present not only a housekeeping and aesthetic problem: they compromise our safety. Remove all garbage, collectibles and personal belongings from the van cabs after every route, and sweep out the cargo areas during the unloading/reloading process. Clean the windshield and windows, if necessary, prior to heading out on route. Make sure the vans are clean, safe and operationally sound at all times.

OPERATIONAL AREAS

Campus Recycling student employees are scheduled to work in all areas of our operations whenever and wherever practicable. This not only ensures maximum flexibility in our staffing and operations; it also provides for variety in the work-life of our employees, and a well-rounded and knowledgeable work force. Most student employees will quickly become familiar with and trained for the following areas of operations:

• Housing Operations (includes Housing walking routes)
• Student Recycling Operations (includes Van Routes)
• Paper Operations (includes Paper Routes and Sorting)

Employees who have been with the program for a while and have distinguished themselves may also advance to positions as recyclers for the EMU, Lawrence Hall, Walking B/C's, the Recycled Office Supply Exchange, and even occasional Administrative work. These employees are individually picked and trained for these positions. Students may also be scheduled for non-routine Maintenance tasks.

For new employees, however, the 3 primary areas of operations mentioned above will be the primary work areas. Most of the specific training for these work assignments will come on the job. Our operational philosophy of scheduling employees to work in tandem ensures that new employees are always paired with an experience recycler who can train new recyclers in all facets of the job. Our supervisors also engage in further on-the-job training with our new-hires beyond the initial New Employee Orientation.

For these reasons, no attempt will be made here to present a training manual for these specific areas of operation. However, the following will provide you with a brief description of the work tasks associated with each area of operations. And don't forget -- the term schedule will always tell you when and where to report for these work assignments.

Students working Housing routes service the interior recycling sites in campus residence halls and some additional areas on the eastern edge of campus. These routes begin at the Trailer and are done on foot using equipment cached in each hall and residence hall key sets checked out from the Trailer. There are approximately 40 recycling sites located throughout the residence hall complexes.

Utilizing handtrucks, barrels, and "Bagit" recycling bags, Housing crews transport all recyclables (paper, deposit beverage containers, glass, plastic, metals) collected from the residence halls to the building loading dock areas. These recyclables are sorted and stored in barrels at the docks and other centralized locations in preparation for pick up by the Van Route crews.

Students working Van routes pick up the materials staged at the residence hall loading docks by the Housing crews. They also service all off-campus housing sites (Westmoreland, Spencer View, East Campus Housing), some Public Drop-Off (PDO) sites, several campus buildings, and a few miscellaneous areas, including the residences of the University President and the Chancellor of the State Board of Higher Education. These routes begin at the Trailer and utilize the step vans and equipment kept there.

Van routes are typically designated either Paper or GMP (Glass, Metal, Plastic) routes. Paper routes collect only the paper at the residence halls and the off-campus sites. GMP routes collect the non-paper items at these locations. Crews servicing the President's and Chancellor's residences collect ALL materials from these locations.

Paper collected on the Paper Van routes is deposited at the Warehouse. Materials collected on the GMP Van routes is deposited as follows: Deposit containers are left at the Warehouse; non-deposit materials are deposited at the BRING facility located at the Glenwood Transfer Station (euphemistically known as "The Dump.").

Students working Paper routes collect the paper recycling from University office and academic buildings. They also collect the paper and deposit containers from certain off-campus sites which are not considered Housing areas (including the Casanova Center and several leased office buildings). These routes begin at the Warehouse and utilize the vans and equipment located there. A complete building and recycling site map catalog is maintained at the Warehouse for use in servicing these areas. All material collected on Paper routes is deposited at the Warehouse.

IV - SORTING SHIFTS Students assigned Sorting shifts report to the Warehouse for work sorting paper and beverage containers, and miscellaneous cleaning and maintenance work, including cleaning B/C liners and Bagits. The majority of Sorting time, however, is devoted to sorting, grading, and processing paper.

New student recyclers will receive detailed and individualized Paper Sorting training shortly after they begin working for the program. For now, the following will serve as an brief, initial glimpse orientation to the Program's Paper Sorting system.

Recycled paper is collected on campus in 4 grades, and our public recycling stations are all set up with containers for each of these 4 grades: White, Colored/Office Pack, Low Grade, and Newspaper. Materials collected on campus are often not as finely sorted as we'd like, however, and they often contain non-paper contaminants. For this reason, further sorting of paper into these 4 grades is done at the Warehouse by Sorting crews and by the Paper route crews at the end of their routes. Additionally, separate containers are maintained at the Warehouse for the sorting out of Computer Printout, Bookstock/gluebound, Phonebooks, and the pre-consumer paper collected from the University Print Shop. All materials are sorted into large recycling bins at the Warehouse for eventual loading into a 45-foot trailer and shipment to Weyerhaeuser.

I,_______________________________, hereby acknowledge receipt of the employment policies, procedures and information contained in the University of Oregon Campus Recycling Program Manual ("Congratulations: You Are Now A Recycling Specialist"). I also understand that my employment with the Campus Recycling Program is contingent upon my adherence to the policies contained therein. I indicate by my signature below my understanding of and agreement to abide by those policies.

Signature of Student Employee ________________________Date_____________

Employee Trainer Signature____________________________Date_____________

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