By: Chloe Smith
While the students of Southern sleep through the night, a small, often overlooked group of workers remain awake at the front desks of Thatcher and Talge residence halls. From midnight to sunrise, these student workers serve as the first point of contact for residents, visitors and emergencies.
Mary Neri, associate dean of women, oversees Thatcher and Thatcher South desk workers and says that having students at the front desk is vital for residence hall environments.
“Having students at the front desk creates a more welcoming and peer-centered environment,” she stated in an email to the Accent. “Residents often feel more comfortable approaching another student, which strengthens community. It also adds an extra layer of accountability and gives student workers valuable leadership and professional experience.”
Steve Rogers, associate dean of men, compared his student employees to the hub of a bicycle wheel.
“They’re a central point that can connect residents and visitors with the people or resources they need in that moment,” Rogers stated in an email. “After hours doesn’t stop issues from arising or people from needing assistance. Because fewer offices are open at night, the desk role can be even more important as a consistent point of contact.”
Safety
Both deans emphasized safety as one of the major reasons to have a worker present at all times.
“Locked doors and policies help, but there’s no substitute for a trained person who can identify concerns early and quickly communicate them to the right campus resources,” Rogers stated. “Along with Campus Safety, the residence hall front desk is one of the few places on campus that operates 24/7.”
According to Neri, the overnight shift does come with risks.
“There is always some level of risk in an overnight role, but we have clear protocols in place,” Neri stated. “Students are trained in de-escalation, have access to the dean on duty and Campus Safety and are never expected to physically intervene. Safety systems and escalation procedures are clearly outlined.”
Campus Safety expressed support for this system. According to Shawn Haas, associate director of the department, Campus Safety works closely with the residence halls at all hours.
“Campus Safety protocol does not change depending on the time of day,” he stated in an email to the Accent. “If an incident or safety concern is reported to us, we will respond. …Campus Safety works to support the residence halls and is available to respond as needed, in addition to use of cameras and visual patrols on campus to deter crime.”
Scheduling Shifts
According to Neri, overnight shifts are often chosen by students themselves.
“Students primarily choose their shifts based on their availability and preferences,” she stated. “Night shifts are usually chosen by students whose schedules align with later hours. If needed, we make minor adjustments to ensure coverage in collaboration with the students.”
Rogers expressed a similar sentiment.
“When students apply to work at the front desk, they indicate which shifts they prefer,” he stated. “When we have overnight openings, we prioritize applicants who specifically request those shifts. Weekend night shifts in Talge operate on a rotation among male desk workers, but most students only have one or two of those shifts each semester. If someone has a conflict, they’re encouraged to drop the shift so another interested worker can pick it up—and so far, that system has worked smoothly.”
Though some students may choose night shifts, both deans said overnight work can be challenging.
“It can be [difficult], mainly because night shifts impact sleep schedules [and] work-life balance,” Neri stated. “However, since students choose their shifts, those who select nights typically do so intentionally. Some even prefer them, because they tend to be quieter.”
According to Rogers, fewer students are interested in working the overnight shift.
“Overnight shifts are naturally harder to fill, because they take place when most people are going to bed, so fewer students apply for them,” he stated. “That said, we’ve been fortunate that it hasn’t been a major struggle to fill the needed coverage.”
Student Perspectives
Not all student desk workers have the same experiences with overnight shifts. One Thatcher Hall worker, remaining anonymous, shared her thoughts on the matter.
“Most students who are stuck with the 12 to 4 a.m. [shift] are either upset or oblivious and end up begging people to take [the shift] after a few weeks,” she said. “You’re not allowed to ‘not’ work if you can’t find someone to replace you. The deans won’t cover for you.”
She also expressed concern for students’ lack of sleep when taking this position.
“I think there can be people who are able to work the desk at this time without a large amount of harm done,” she said. “However, the consistent, scheduled lack of sleep during the hours of 12 to almost 8 a.m. is really harmful for someone’s health. If the deans aren’t even in the office during those times, why should the awareness and ‘safety’ of an entire dorm be rested on a random students’ shoulders? I find it difficult to rationalize that.”
When asked how the system should change, she offered an alternative.
“I think a Campus Safety officer should be put in place of the student between the hours of 12 to 4 a.m,” she said. “The dorm has the check-in scanner for cards and time stamps regarding coming in, [and] there are cameras.”
Caley Rae Smith, a freshman pre-nursing major who currently works at the Thatcher front desk from 12 to 4 a.m., shared her experience.
“It can be [difficult], but when you build a routine, you get used to it for sure,” Smith said. “When I work, I study as much as possible, finish homework and answer emails. What helps is if you sleep before your shift. I kind of have to become nocturnal.”
When asked if the role is necessary, Smith emphasized the safety element.
“I believe [working this shift] is for the safety of everyone,” she said. “My job is to alert the dean on duty if there is any suspicious activity going on outside of the door or if a resident is in dire need of assistance. My sole job during that shift is to stay alert and protect. I think it’s definitely necessary.”
Smith said that she does not have any concerns about her safety.
“I do feel safe during my shift,” Smith said. “The precautions I was taught during my training are good enough, I believe. I don’t feel in danger or scared when I’m doing this shift.”
Seth Job, a freshman business administration major, worked as a substitute desk worker last semester, filling in shifts as needed. As he was not a primary worker, Job often had to cover night shifts.
“Last semester I was a sub, so I was kind of forced to [work night shifts] because there were not a lot of other shifts I could take during the day,” Job said. “The only [shifts] were available at night, and I needed to work.”
Job explained that late nights were not an uncommon experience for him.
“Sleep-wise, it kind of sucked, but I’m used to not getting a lot of sleep,” he said.
When asked about the concerns of overnight shifts, Job did not see any major issue.
“From my experience, a lot of people work night shifts because they volunteered for it or it’s the only time they can work,” Job said.
Katy Bayer, a freshman elementary education major and former night shift worker, raised concerns about the job’s impact on students’ mental health.
“I personally do think that it is unethical for students to be working this time because of the dorm setting,” Bayer said. “It’s already hard to go to bed early with how loud everyone is and having to live with others. Not only that, but [the shift] overtime made me not only physically drained but emotionally drained. When having to focus on my studies, it made it hard because you lose all motivation not being able to have good rest.”
Bayer suggested how the overnight shift could operate.
“I think they should change [the policy], because I feel like we have deans for a reason,” she said. “I believe that the deans should stay in a room where if a student knocks, they can hear it, rather than having students who have full loads of classes having to sacrifice their sleep when their main job should be college.”
Concerns addressed
Despite student concern, both deans maintain that overnight shifts are reasonable if they are voluntary and supported.
“Since students choose their shifts and receive training, supervision and backup, it becomes both an ethical and developmental opportunity,” Neri stated. “The key is ensuring their safety and well-being remain the priority.”
When asked if the overnight shift is to much for students, Haas also shared his thoughts. “I do not see an ethical issue to have adults who are in college working at the desk overnight,” he stated.
Rogers explained that students are aware of what comes with the job before starting.
“We are very clear during the hiring process about the nature of the job, the shifts and the expectations so applicants can make an informed decision about what’s in their best interest,” Rogers stated.
There are procedures that can be taken if students are not able to work their shift, according to Rogers.
“If a student came to me and said an overnight shift was becoming a major struggle and they needed to step down, I would not stand in the way,” he stated. “We may not always have an alternative shift to offer, but at the very least they would have our blessing, and we would often keep them on our roster as a substitute worker.”
Both deans emphasized their commitment to students’ well-being.
“Our goal is to support students in a role that serves the residence hall without undermining their academics or well-being,” Rogers stated.
