Fall 2026 | Desk Assistant - Housing & Residential Life

Job Description

The Desk Assistant (DA) is a student staff member of Housing and Residential Life who assists in developing an environment conducive to comfortable living by providing excellent customer service at the residence hall front desk or mail room. DAs help residents by answering questions from students and guests, disbursing mail and packages, answering the phone, and checking out equipment. A primary responsibility of this position is handling federal mail, including but not limited to: receiving, sorting, and processing incoming/outgoing mail according to US Postal Service requirements.

Staff members may choose how many hours they would like to work each week, up to a maximum of 20 hours a week. Most students work an average of 15 hours a week, depending on shift coverage needs and staff availability.

Compensation: $10.00/hour

Supervisor: Residence Director or Front Desk Operations Coordinator

Start Date: August 15, 2026

Required Qualifications:

• Ability to work minimum 10 hours per week
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite for everyday tasks
• Minimum 12 hour/6 shifts of regular weekend availability

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous customer service experience
• Experience in a student leader position such as Hall Council, Orientation Leader, or a club officer position
• Experience living on-campus in a residence hall
• Consistent weekday availablity Monday-Thursday 10am-4pm

Conditions of Employment:

• Maintain enrollment for at least six semester credit hours in the fall and spring semesters unless specific position requirements designate that the student employee must be enrolled full time.
  • If the student employee wishes to take more than 18 credit hours or less than the minimum credit hours for the given semester, they must receive written approval from the appropriate unit director or their designee.
• While enrolled with Texas State University, student employees may not work more than a total of 25 hours per week and may not be scheduled to work during class times.
  • International students may work a maximum of 20 hours per week while they are enrolled and attending classes.
• The student employee must remain in good academic standing and is required to maintain a minimum semester and cumulative GPA of 2.5. The last fall or spring semester (long semester) will be considered for the semester requirement. The overall Texas State GPA will be counted for GPA.
  • This requirement is waived for first semester students.
  • The job agreement may be terminated after one semester of probation if the GPA requirements are not met, or if the student employee’s cumulative and/or semester grade point average falls below a 2.0.
  • Newly hired student employees cannot start their employment on GPA probation.
  • In the event where the student employee is terminated due to low GPA, the student employee must maintain a semester/cumulative GPA higher than 2.5 for at least two long semesters before reapplying for the position.
• The student employee must complete required university compliance training and other training assigned to the student worker. Compliance requirements must be kept up to date for all annual training.
• The student employee must act in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws and remain in good judicial standing with TXST.
  • If a student employee is subject to a student conduct or administrative review process, decisions made will be viewed as separate processes from employment performance management.
  • Student employees must act as role models, demonstrating good conduct and positive contributions to the campus community as student employees may be viewed as a representative of the department and institution.
• Hourly student employees are responsible for submitting working hours in SAP by the Payroll Deadlines for the applicable fiscal year. Payroll Deadlines may be found at https://www.txst.edu/payroll/payroll-calendars.html. Submitting working hours on time is required in order to receive timely pay for hours worked.
• The student employee position is security-sensitive, and a security screening/background check must be performed before the first day of work. Student employment is contingent on the results of the background check.
• Student employees who fail to comply with department and supervisory expectations, training, and guidelines as outlined will be subject to the student employee performance management process.
• Student employees are not guaranteed reappointment to their student employee position semester-to-semester and academic year to academic year.
  • Student employees’ reappointment will be determined based on performance evaluations completed semesterly.
• The student employee may be terminated from their positions in accordance with U.P.P.S. 07.07.04: Student Employee Termination, Separation, and Grievance Procedures and with the express approval of the appropriate authorities representing DHRL.

Essential Functions:
Desk Assistants (DAs) are student employees who assist with developing an environment conducive to comfortable living by providing excellent customer service at the Residence Hall Front Desk or Mailroom. Night Desk Assistants (NDAs) assist with security and communication between hall staff and residents by providing after-hours assistance to all Residence Halls. To fulfill these roles, Desk Assistants and Night Desk Assistants must be able to perform the following essential functions:

1. Communication 
   • Clear and effective verbal and written communication, including one-on-one conversations and phone calls, with residents, staff, guests and mail delivery people.
   • Answer, respond to, and make calls on a touch screen Teams phone. 
   • Give and receive verbal and/or visual instructions during emergencies or high-stress situations. 
   • Prepare written and/or typed documentation including summaries of incidents or interactions for supervisors as requested. 
2. Emergency and Crisis Response
   • Navigate crowded or high-stress environments and remain calm and communicative while providing support during critical situations. 
   • Notify supervisors via phone, email, and/or in-person communication of any events or conditions that could impact a student, floor, hall, or the university. 
   • Be able to visually inspect public areas of the Residence Hall.
3. Physical Requirements 
   • Hear and see clearly to respond to alarms, verbal calls for assistance, and visual emergency cues. 
   • Perform tasks requiring hand-eye coordination such as writing, filling out forms, organizing supplies, or sorting mail. 
   • Use hands and fingers to operate a touch screen Teams phone, key boxes, locks, and computers for reporting, communication, and facility access. 
   • Be able to utilize departmental software platforms to manage records, submit forms, and complete operational tasks.
   • Speak clearly and loudly enough to be understood over the phone, in group settings, emergencies, or while wearing a face covering. 
   • Lift and carry up to 10 pounds for distances of up to 100 feet. 
4. Availability and Scheduling 
   • Be available to work during open periods of 10am-10pm at the Residence Hall Front Desks or 5pm-8am at the Night Desk.