ASUCD LONG-RANGE PLAN
Refrigerator Services
I. PURPOSE AND HISTORY
In 1969, the Associated Students of the University of California, Davis (ASUCD), established the unit Refrigerator Services with the basic goal of increasing the comfort of students living in the dormitories through the rental of refrigerator units to ASUCD members. The service has grown into a major income-generating activity with low overhead costs. In 1990, ASUCD offered the first micro-fridge units for rental. Prior to 1990, only mini-fridge units were available for rent. Since 2007, Refrigerator Services has offered online rentals and payments as well as repair requests.
II. PERSONNEL
Director: The Director is responsible for overseeing the unit’s entire operations and ensuring the success of operations. The Director coordinates refrigerator move-in and move-out days by contacting and hiring workers, scheduling workers and locations, and renting trucks from Fleet Services. During the year, the Director is responsible for responding to repair requests, fixing broken refrigerators, and making deliveries as needed. The Director also regularly takes inventory of the refrigerators in the warehouse and maintains and updates an inventory record. The Director frequently visits the warehouse to clean and reorganize the inventory. The Director also regularly meets with the ASUCD Business Manager, the ASUCD Controller, the ASUCD President, ASUCD Senators, and other ASUCD officials and employees to discuss the unit and ensure efficient operation. In addition to meetings, the Director makes quarterly reports to the Senate.
Assistant Director: The Assistant Director works side-by-side with the Director and also oversees operations. On move-in and move-out days, the Assistant Director handles and assists with the deliveries and supervises and assists workers on site at the dormitories while the Director is at the warehouse. This person is heavily involved in internal matters that the Director is often too busy to attend to. The Assistant Director also keeps count of all the in-house inventory and out-of-house inventory throughout the year.
Future Plans:
1. Hire more temporary workers that would help clean refrigerators. As of June 2011, the Director and Assistant Director have been in the process of cleaning more than 100 refrigerators.
2. Hire temporary labor to help repair old fridges. As of 2011, the Director and the Assistant Director have been in the process of repairing over 100 refrigerators themselves.
3. When the funds are available, hire one more paid student employee as an administrative assistant who would be responsible for internal matters such as handling contracts, maintaining inventory records, and serving as a point of contact for current and potential customers for all questions and concerns. This would reduce the load of the Director and Assistant Director.
4. Consider adding a paid position to the budget who would help the Director and Assistant Director with basic operational activities like cleaning and repairing on a consistent basis. Labor is very time-consuming and a paid-employee would boost efficiency.
III. OPERATIONS
A. Move-in days:
Move-in days occur the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before instruction begins in fall quarter. The Unit Director contacts the groups that will move refrigerators and also rents the trucks from Fleet Service. On the first day, refrigerators are delivered to each different resident areas on three (3) different days. Student Services staff assists with the paper work at the sites during delivery. The Unit Director visits each site throughout the day, but mostly coordinates deliveries from the storage warehouse. The refrigerators are moved by workers who also drive the trucks. Approximately 15 people work at the warehouse.
B. Move Out Day:
Move out day occurs on the dead day before finals in spring quarter. If there is no dead day, the refrigerators are picked up on the last day of instruction. The Unit Director contacts the groups that will move the refrigerators, and rents the trucks from Fleet Services. Student Services staff assists with the pickup at each site, and enforces the deposit policy if necessary. If a refrigerator is returned in a dirty state, the renter is given the option to either clean it or lose the security deposit.
C. Refrigerator Cleaning:
Refrigerators should be cleaned immediately upon return. The Director and Assistant Director retire old refrigerators every five (5) years or when a new shipment arrives.
D. Refrigerator Retirement:
It is required that old fridges be decommissioned once they reach five (5) years of age. The Director and Assistant Director disassemble the refrigerators themselves and extract certain parts for reuse.
E. Repairs
Repair requests are submitted throughout the year through the website or Student Services. The Unit Director receives these requests and repairs the broken refrigerator. If the refrigerator is broken beyond repair, the renter will be provided with a replacement.
F. Information Packet:
The mailing packet is prepared by the Student Services Office Manager during the summer and given to Student Housing for distribution. The packet includes pictures, a description of the refrigerators, price quotes, contact information for Refrigerator Services, ordering information, and on-site distribution information. The packet is periodically updated.
G. Warehouse Maintenance
The Unit Director is responsible for ensuring that the warehouse is kept clean and organized throughout the year. In the spring of 2011, the new Director and the new Assistant Director spent a considerable amount of time cleaning and organizing the warehouse, which was previously in complete disarray.
H. Marketing
Fliers were printed and distributed to freshmen in the fall of 2011 as advertisement.
Future Plans:
1. Complete last phase of warehouse cleanup by removing old yearbooks and desks.
2. Purchase refrigerator legs, power drills, and tools necessary for repairs. Complete inventory audit.
3. Implement a sophisticated filing system for current and past contracts and records.
4. Purchase preservatives to place in unused refrigerators stored in the warehouse.
5. Have the current director begin writing a Director’s manual for future directors
6. Provide workers with formal education on advanced refrigerator repairs.
7. Develop and implement a marketing strategy:
i. Increase business by marketing towards campus departments: Currently, the campus departments represent approximately less than 5% of the unit’s business. As of 2011, the Director is planning to use a special deal to attract business with other campus departments.
ii. Increase business by marketing towards sororities and fraternities: Contact all chapter houses and offer them a special deal with free summer rent.
8. Meet with the ASUCD Business Manager and the ASUCD Controller to discuss profitable price models and deals.
iii. Increase business by marketing towards dormitory residents: During orientation week in the summer, the Director and the Assistant Director could set up a table next to the check-in table with informational packets, fliers, a model refrigerator, and contracts. The table would be specifically targeted towards parents dropping off their children.
IV. FINANCE
This unit does not receive a subsidy.
ASUCD Budget Summary 2011-2012:
● Total Project Income: $60,366
● Total Projected Expense: $35,634
● Subsidy: None
Salaries
Director (Fall) / $1,075Operations Manager (Fall) / $510
Director (Spring) / $1,720
Operations Manager (Spring) / $850
Admin/Programmatic Expenses:
Copying & Printing / $500 / Flyers and formsMail / $10 / Envelopes and stamps
Office Supplies / $10 / Staples, pens, etc
Transportation / $2,300 / Truck rental for distribution and collection
Telephone Long Distance / $50 / Not used
Equipment purchase / $250 / Distribution/Collection: (2 warehouse + 2 desk workers + 2 inspectors + 8 movers)
Repair & Maintenance / $700 / Materials and tools for repairing old or damaged refrigerators
Services Rendered / $5,000 / Compensation for movers
Publicity / $0 / Ads to find movers and renters
Storage / $7,400 / Rent for warehouse
Food / $1,200 / Meals for workers for move-in and move-out days (total 6 days)
Replacement Reserve / $10,000 / Fixed
University Recharge / $450 / Fixed
Admin Recharge / $980 / Fixed
Network Recharge / $2,575 / Fixed
TOTAL ADMIN/PROGRAM EXP / $31,425
Future Plans:
1. Increase service rendered line-item to increase the temporary labor for cleaning refrigerators.
2. Increase publicity fund (i.e. table during orientation).
3. Cut down copy and printing.
4. Consider various price models and possibly restructure prices sometime soon.
5. Increase the number of freshman contracts.
6. Expand consumer basis to Greek organizations and campus departments.
V. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
The yearly mailing packet is printed on recycled paper.
All usable parts are removed from refrigerators before they are decommissioned. Afterwards, the Freon and oil is removed and disposed of properly and the refrigerator is sent to a local landfill.
Future Plans:
1. Purchase energy efficient refrigerators
2. Continue properly decommissioning refrigerators
VI. EXTERNAL RELATIONS
A. Student Housing:
Refrigerator Services provides Student Housing with copies of that year’s mailing packet, which Student Housing distributes to the incoming class along with general housing information. The unit coordinates with Student Housing minimally during move-in days and move-out days.
B. Workers:
The unit contacts campus groups and sports teams and hires them as workers for move-in days and move-out days.
Future Plans:
1. Coordinate with Student Housing to increase advertisements in dormitories.
VII. INTERNAL RELATIONS
A. Senators
The Unit Director meets with Senators on a regular basis to talk about the unit and its operations.
B. Executive Office
The Unit Director discusses with the President and the Vice-President the unit’s state of business, future budgeting, and any relevant matters.
C. Business Manager & the Controller.
The Unit Director discusses with them the unit’s state of business, future budgeting, and any relevant financial and operational matters. The Business Manager and the Controller may provide suggestions.
D. Accounts Receivable (Student Services)
The Unit Director will relay information discussed with the Business Manager and the Executive Office so that Student Services can properly assist the Unit Director in dealing with refunds, paperwork, and other administrative duties related to Student Services.
Future Plans:
1. Work with Creative Media to design fliers.
2. Work with Campus Copies to print fliers.
3. Continue to work with the Business Manager and the Controller to develop a price model and business plan.
Senate Bill# 21
Passed by Senate on November 3, 2011