Here on the Hilltop, what happens when you’ve got an item that’s still functioning but you just don’t need it anymore? Or when you need something that you imagine others on campus might have a surplus of? That’s when Melodee Lujano, Administrative Coordinator in the Center for Teaching Excellence, had a great idea!
In the spring of 2015, Melodee had a table that she no longer needed, so she sent out an email to some other folks on campus and within 10 minutes, the table had a new home. Since this wasn’t the first time she had exchanged such emails with her fellow admins, she decided it was time to create something more communal and tangible. The advent of Box and a new way of sharing documents gave her the idea to start an Excel spreadsheet in the shared Professional Admin Group folder where people across campus can add items they are looking to get rid of as well as ones that they are seeking. So far, departments across campus have exchanged dozens of three-ring binders, pens and pencils, a coffee maker, a mini fridge, notepads, and more! People have been able to open up extra space in their storage rooms that they didn’t have before. Others are saving precious resources by repurposing items found through the file instead of purchasing new ones.
You can contact your department’s admin coordinator/assistant for the list.