Manager Responsibilities

Under Revision please check back after 06/15/2025

Manager Duties

Managers of the sandbox are students who maintain the space and keep it open. They also help other makers by answering questions and helping them learn to use the makerspace tools.

Managers maintain a safe work environment, promote making, and make guests feel welcome. No one should be denied access to the space, unless they are being disruptive. Managers are ambassadors of the space and must act like such, even when they are in the space but not on duty. Managers who abuse their position are subject to losing their position and access.

Manager Expectations

Managers are expected to not only follow all Sandbox rules but also to go above and beyond this expectation. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Model safe behavior to set an example for others. Several examples of this are:
  • Always wear appropriate personal protective gear such as safety glasses.
  • Always follow safety rules even when the space is not open (for example, wearing PPE and adhering to the buddy system -- not using dangerous tools while alone in the space).
  • Ask for assistance when using unfamiliar tools or techniques.
• Maintaining safety within the space through careful vigilance.
• Keeping the space open during published open hours; showing up for all scheduled shifts.
• Maintaining tools and material organization
• Keeping makerspace tidy and organized: Cleaning up after themselves and other makers who fail to clean up after themselves.
• Reporting issues to Sandbox management.
• Engaging with guests during their shift and promoting a positive community
• Being aware of the location and contents of the first-aid kit

An important part of managing Sandbox is fostering a positive community atmosphere, making all feel welcome. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Making guests feel welcome and comfortable.
• Enforcing all safety rules in a professional and respectful manner.
• Keeping the door open and making sure a manager is at the desk.
• Giving tours to guests and promoting the space when possible.
• Ensuring guests are aware of the rules and answering questions related to them.
• Training guests, if possible, or finding a manager who can.
• Promoting a maker environment and helping guests with their projects.

Managers should read and understand the policies listed in this document and any other documents, as well any changes in policies.

Manager Requirements

In order to maintain their managership and associated privileges, managers must meet semesterly requirements. Requirements are subject to change between semesters and official documentation will be revised to reflect these changes. As of 1/27/2020, the duties of managers are as follows:

• Holding scheduled “office hours” for 4 hours every week where each office hour session is at least one hour in duration.
• Support our maker education mission by doing at least one of the following:

1. Create, schedule, and present one workshop during the semester that focuses on a topic that would appeal to makers. OR
2. Prepare, schedule, and present two hours of tool training during the semester.
3. Hold weekly drop-in sessions on a studio or group of tools at least two hours each week.

• Support our overall mission of making by doing at least one of the following:

1. Making a personal project using tools in the space, document the project with text and photos on our wiki. OR
2. Invest at least 4 hours each semester designing and creating a project that helps Sandbox with overall organization, tool storage, or similar improvements to the maker space. Suggested projects are listed on the wiki Service Projects page. Your project should be documented on a wiki project page.

• Sign up for and contribute to our wiki (ter.ps/sandboxwiki)
  • Create your user page both as a learning exercise in using wikitext as well as a way to introduce your interests and skills to other Sandboxers.
  • Adopt two tools and update the tool adoption list to include these.
  • Document your personal project or service project work on the wiki.
• Sign up for and make use of our internal communication system (Slack, Intranet, or other system).
  • Check for announcements, emails, and direct messages at least twice per day or enable notifications for these.
  • Use appropriate communications channels to find coverage of your office hours should you be too ill to attend and offer coverage for other managers when possible.
  • Actively participate in online discussions, especially those relating to ideas for improvements and scheduled events.
• Enroll in our ELMS / Canvas training course and complete at least:
  • The introductory & safety module.
  • The 3D printing modules.
  • The laser cutter / engraver modules.
  • At least four other training modules.

Manager Termination

To ensure our continued viability we have a ZERO-TOLERANCE policy for unsafe and disruptive behavior. We hate to let managers go, but we will remove managers who repeatedly break the rules. Reasons for termination include, but are not limited to:

• Alienating guests on the basis of age, disability, race, sex, intersex status, gender identity and sexual orientation. You are expected to make everyone feel welcome.
• Unauthorized and/or unsafe usage of tools
• Refusing to comply with listed policies
• Failure to meet manager expectations and requirements

To prevent personal biases from individual staffers, all termination decisions will be reviewed by a group of 3 individuals including our faculty manager, the most senior staff member, and one volunteer manager selected by the first two listed above.

Staff Duties

Staffers hold a higher rank than active managers. As a result, they are given more responsibilities. Staffers have the final say in the daily operations of the space.

Operation Managers

Currently, the operation manager of the space is unfilled. Even though the operation manager has different roles than the volunteer managers, they are held to the same expectations as managers, in addition to:

• Understanding and adjusting policies as needed
• Maintaining public relations with guests and administration
• Remembering ALL manager’s names
• Monitoring of the sandbox email, Facebook, and other social media accounts
• Organizing manager shifts and requirements
• Developing and adjusting standard operating procedures (SOPs) for managers
• Terminating and disciplining managers
• Reviewing and responding to incident reports

Shopmaster/Lab Director

Due to the massive expansion of the sandbox, we decided to take on a full-time staffer. Our current Lab Manager is Gordon Crago. He is responsible for:

• Creating training materials
• Directing the top-level organization of the maker space
• Developing and implementing safety procedures.
• Managing staff and volunteer managers.
• Managing overall budget for Sandbox.
• Providing continuity from semester to semester as volunteers and staff change.

Applying to be a Volunteer Manager

To apply please fill out this G-form