WHAT DOES A CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY FACILITY COORDINATOR REALLY DO?
- Adrien Hymiller
- Feb 1, 2022
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 30, 2023
“I feel underappreciated and forgotten because of the number of hours that are spent on campus, including the number of things we do,” Facility Coordinator Kasey Konte said.
Background:
Kasey Konte graduated from Cleveland State University with her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in business management and a minor in sports management. While attending Cleveland State University, Kasey worked with the Lake County Captains, a minor league baseball team. During her tenure, she was a stadium operation assistant, then got promoted to manager of stadium operations. She was laid off in April 2020 from the Captains because of the pandemic. She spent the entire summer on unemployment and discovered that “sports would not be starting up again for a very long time.”
“This was one of the hardest times I have been through since I loved my job. I enjoyed going to work every day, which is hard to find a job like that.”
“I decided to pick up a 9-5 job with Universal Windows Direct as their regional schedule coordinator.” She did not enjoy the job but did love her boss, which “made it hard to put my two weeks’ notice in.”
Today, Kasey is one of the facility coordinators at Case Western Reserve University for the North Residential Village (soccer, football, baseball, softball, track and field, and Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center).
When Konte joined the Case Western Reserve University Athletic Department in July of 2021, she felt ‘alone'. “I started in the summer, so the coaches, who are considered faculty, had the summer off, so there were very few people here. I was in my office in the basement of House 7, and it felt like a dungeon.”
Konte was asked to do various tasks at first but completed them within an hour or less but had no idea what to do until there was another task. Now she knows that different tasks can be done, like inventory.
The Case Western Reserve University Athletic Department has approximately 80 student employees. Their bosses, Jeff Kingery and Kasey Konte are considered facility coordinators. Student employees are asked to help set up, break down, and run various athletic events throughout the year. They also supervise the weight room at Wyant and do different tasks during their shifts. There needs to be an average of six people per game to keep things running smooth. However, the coordinators have felt the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic just like every other business: staffing issues. There has been an average of five student employees per week that has had to quarantine because they have contracted the virus.
Kasey explained to me, “If one of our building managers at Veale is diagnosed with COVID, and they are working the closing shift, that creates a problem. If we can’t find coverage Jeff or I must step up and be the building manager and closer, meaning we will be working from 8:00 am to 12:30 am.”
“Another example is the week after New Year’s. I had to be a Customer Service Assistant (CSA) at Wyant for four days for long hours because we did not have the students back yet.”
But What Does a Case Western Reserve University Facility Coordinator REALLY do?
“There is no set thing that we do” Konte stated. “There are days where I know exactly what I have planned for the day, while there are other days where I have absolutely no idea what will be happening. For example, today I had to interview a new student employee, put up the basketball hoops from last night’s fantastic men’s and women’s basketball games, and later I have to figure out what to do with the athletic training room since there was a flood last Thursday.”
There is just more than setting up events. Facility coordinators also handle the building reservations for Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center, Veale Recreation Center, and Adelbert Gymnasium. The list also includes DiSanto Field, Freiberger Field, and Van Horn Field.
“We have to have meetings with people who want to use the facilities,” Konte told. “These meetings are really important since the logistics can be complicated for an event, especially if it includes food, which has been an issue with the pandemic.”
The reservations do not cost anything unless floor coverings are needed or if food is being served, but the athletic department is a little over budget because they have not been able to sell their membership passes for the past two years due to the pandemic.
“We are doing our best to raise more money for our facilities, but without the money, there cannot be any changes.”
“Jeff and I feel underappreciated and forgotten because of the number of hours that are spent on campus, including the number of things we do,” Konte said with feeling. “Personally, I feel more forgotten because people go to Jeff for issues since he has been here for four years. However, most of the issues that get brought up to him are sent directly to me, since it regards the North Residential Village facilities or events.”
On average Konte has to text 15 people a day and has about 50 emails a day. “Time management is just part of the job, and I feel like that is one of my strengths. I also find this job very physical. This is a job where you must move basketball hoops, bleachers, and wrestling mats from one area of the room to another, and everything is extremely heavy. However, through the 40 hours a week, and sometimes 65 hours a week because of game days, I still have the willingness to be here. That is what I would say is my biggest strength is. However, I feel like my weakness is just being exhausted, and taking time off is very difficult.”
What are your favorite sports to watch or work?
Konte said, “I love soccer. I enjoyed the people who were working every single game. I love that both teams were good this year, especially the women’s soccer team. There was a difference when I joined the athletic department here.”
The difference was that the coaches, students, and staff all wanted to be there. She described the change as “boujee” because the coaches want to be supportive of their student-athletes and in division one sports, that is not always the case.
“My least favorite sport to work is track and field. We need about 30 people to help run the event, and make sure it runs properly. The tasks vary from hurdle setup to racking the long jump pit. It is also a very long day, especially if it is cold.” Konte described.
A survey was sent out to over 30 members of the Case Western Reserve University community. The questions and highlights of each question are below. *Numbers are averaged.
How often do you think about the facility coordinators and behind-the-scenes workers for any athletic event around campus? 1 (never) – 5 (always)
- 2.944*
How would you rate the work done during athletic events? 1 (very unsatisfied) – 5 (very satisfied)
- 4.111*
How often do you think about the facility coordinator and behind-the-scenes workers when you go to Wyant, Veale, or Adelbert? 1 (never) – 5 (always)
- 2.944*
How many student employees do you think the Case Western Reserve University Athletic Department employees?
Low: 20 High: 200 Average: 76
What do you think a facility manager does?
- “I am a UGA in the athletic department, so I know exactly what a facility coordinator does. Game and practice setup, PE setup, laundry, communication with coaches and players, field prep, facility reservations, patron management, hiring employees, and so much more.”
- “Make sure employees are doing their job, scheduling athletic events in the facility, helping other schools during athletic events, coordinating with coaches.”
- “I think that a facility coordinator makes events happen! Without them, things would not run as smoothly.”
- “Coordinates all the equipment, clean-up, set-up, transportation, communication, scheduling.”
- “Organizes and manages day to day functions of athletic facilities and athletic events.”
- “Coordinates student and staff schedules with athletic, PE, and IM events.”
- “Organize opening times, use of machines, and employees/customers.”
- “Sets up the gym, washes laundry, washes towels, and cleans facility.”
What do you think student employees do?
- “Work on a campus and get paid.”
- “Nothing. Their homework.”
- “I have been a student employee since freshman year! Game and practice setup, PE setup, laundry, cleaning the facility, equipment rentals, communication with patrons, and more.”
- “I think that student employees work at the front desks, help with laundry and other tasks to help make the facility coordinator's life a little easier.”
- “Set up and tear down different events, manage equipment, different game time tasks (aka: score cards, ball boys etc.), monitor gym equipment and usage.”
- “Help with work that the coordinator or director can't do themselves because they have more organizational stuff to do.”
- “Set up facilities, work with facility coordinator, cleaning.”
- “Lift things and stand around. Clean weights.”
How would you describe the work environment? (ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ONLY)
- “Casual.”
- “Relaxed, but stern.”
- “Fun and rewarding.”
- “Positive, although stressful, as it is difficult to find shift coverage currently, especially with the national labor movement. Many people no-call no show which puts a lot of strain on the facility and its leaders.”
- “Very unified, an “all in this together” attitude to get stuff done.”
Would you like to say anything towards the workers within the athletic department that may not get much recognition?
- “Thank you for all of your hard work and efforts in making the athletic department, Veale, Wyant, etc... such a great place to be on campus! You are appreciated!!”
- “You are appreciated more than you could ever know and trust me when I say your work and overwhelming care does not go unnoticed.”
- “We really do appreciate you all. It may not be said much, but without you, we don’t have a running program. Thank you all!”
- “As an athlete I really do appreciate what you do, and I hope your financial compensation reflects that.”
- “Thank you for all that you do for us to make sure everything runs smoothly without us even knowing.”
- “I am so grateful for everything the staff does to keep our varsity athletics teams ready!”
- “I love Kasey xoxoxo - girl boss”.
- “Thank you for your service!”
- “Y'all are doing great.”
- “Thank you, guys!”
I, and the entire Case Western Reserve University community would like to say thanks to everyone who works throughout the entire athletic department, especially the facility coordinators. Every single one of you is the reason why we can have athletics run smoothly, and you are one of the hardest working groups of people on campus. You are not forgotten!
Updated: Feb. 1, 2022, 3:30p.m. | Published: Feb. 1, 2022, 3:30p.m.
CLEVELAND
By: AJ Hymiller
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