The University of Texas at Austin Frank N. Bash Visitors Center Visitors Center Employee Handbook Revised: April 2019 Table of Contents Welcome/Overview ............................................................................................. 3 General Guidelines ............................................................................................... 4 Visitors Center Operations .............................................................................. 10 Safety and Security ............................................................................................. 17 Dealing With the Public .................................................................................... 25 Public Speaking Tips .......................................................................................... 28 Programs ................................................................................................................ 31 The Star Date Café ............................................................................................... 41 Information Desk ................................................................................................ 45 Gift Shop .................................................................................................................. 48 2 Welcome/Overview Welcome to Staff Welcome to the staff of the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center at the University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory. We hope you will enjoy working here. Your co- workers are hard-working, competent people, and friendliness is part of their – as well as your – job description. We all believe the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center is absolutely the best facility of its kind anywhere. All of us share a passion for astronomy and a commitment to sharing the wonders of the universe with the public. You will help maintain this level of commitment to the public by welcoming our visitors to McDonald Observatory and giving them the personable treatment for which we are world famous. We want all of our visitors to have a good time while learning about astronomy. Visitors will watch your behavior carefully, and if it is evident you are enjoying yourself while doing your job, they will enjoy a pleasant and memorable experience. This handbook is designed to provide you with all of the information you will need to get started. The first several chapters are a general overview of policies that apply to all Visitors Center employees. The last several chapters are department- specific. You are encouraged to read the entire handbook; information in chapters related to departments other than your own may prove useful to you on occasion. Your supervisor may have also included some attachments specific to your position. As always, please contact your supervisor with any questions or problems you may have. The Staff Website A webpage containing useful resources is located at http://hercules.as.utexas.edu. Many of the documents referred to in this handbook are posted there, as well as other important information. You are encouraged to browse the links and documents available there. Some portions of the staff website are password protected. You will be issued login credentials on, or before, your first day of work. 3 General Guidelines & Information The following information and policies pertain to all Visitors Center employees. Representing McDonald Observatory All Visitors Center positions entail some interaction with the public. When on duty, remember that you are a public representative of the University of Texas at Austin and the McDonald Observatory. You are expected to represent both with professionalism, respect, and scientific integrity. Please adhere to the following policies while on duty: • Express no political opinions while on duty. Do not make jokes or comments about the State of Texas, the governor or other state officials, UT-Austin, or any other agency. • The Visitors Center tolerates all religious/philosophical views and beliefs, including the lack of such views. Do not make religious/philosophical statements supporting or criticizing any particular belief system. • Professional respect and courtesy towards your colleagues and our visitors is an absolute requirement. Demeaning and disrespectful treatment towards others will not be tolerated. Remember that each of us is quite unique, and everyone deserves civil treatment at all times. • The Observatory is a scientific facility, and as such, the information we provide is scientific theory: a tentative explanation supported by evidence, describing why and how a specific natural phenomenon occurs. By visiting an astronomical research facility and participating in our programs, visitors should understand how science is a process of change in light of new explorations, new evidence, improved technology, and engineering. All presentations should be conducted in a manner that encourages understanding of the scientific method. • When responding to inquiries from visitors regarding scientific and/or controversial topics, you are expected to accurately represent the scientific position of the Observatory. If asked for a personal opinion, feel free to share that, but be sure to clearly make the distinction between your opinion and the Observatory’s position, if they differ. If you are unsure about the scientific perspective on a given topic, read the FAQ’s posted on the Staff Website, or ask a colleague or supervisor. • Please refrain from bringing up the topic of the 107” mirror shooting incident on tours or in conversation with visitors. The administration would prefer that we focus more on the exciting scientific and technological advances being made at the Observatory now. If a visitor asks about the incident, you are certainly free to acknowledge that the incident occurred, but be sure to avoid dwelling on, elaborating on or glamorizing the event. State the simple facts and move on to other topics. Below is the suggested response to inquiries about the topic: 4 “It’s true. It’s not something we’re proud of by any means, but it did occur. In 1970, an unstable employee lowered the telescope into service position and proceeded to shoot the mirror several times. Being nearly 12 inches thick, the mirror suffered only minor damage, effectively reducing the telescope’s light-gathering surface area by less than one percent without affecting the telescope’s research capabilities. There were no injuries or need for repairs, and the mirror is still being used to this day for cutting- edge research.” Living and/or Working at a Research Facility McDonald Observatory is first and foremost a working research facility. Although observations are primarily made at night, the facility operates 24 hours a day. In order to maintain 24-hour operations, many employees (perhaps including yourself) are required to live on site. Residences are located in the main housing area just behind the Visitors Center and near the summit of Mt. Locke. The McDonald Observatory Housing Policy outlines what is expected of all residents. Please read this policy carefully if you are living on site. Some staff members, such as summer interns and some volunteers, are housed in the Astronomers Lodge: the “home away from home” for our visiting astronomers. If you are staying at the AL, please be considerate of your neighbors who may be sleeping during the daytime. Research is the number one priority here at the Observatory, so research functions always take precedence over auxiliary functions such as tours and public presentations. All employees and residents are expected to respect the needs of the researchers working here and to avoid negatively impacting research activities. One of the most important considerations while living and/or working at the Observatory is the impact of lighting on astronomical observations. Errant light directed toward the sky can wash out the faint light of stars and other objects. Modern imaging technology is sensitive to a wide range of frequencies, and ambient light can disrupt, if not entirely destroy, an observation. We are fortunate here at McDonald to have a night sky that is among the darkest in the world. It is the responsibility of everyone who lives and works at the Observatory to help preserve our dark skies by using responsible lighting while on site. It is also important to set a positive example for our neighbors in the community. Here are a few simple things you can do to protect our dark skies: • Make sure that any outdoor lights you use are directed toward the ground. • Avoid the use of high beams while driving on site at night. • Use extreme care whenever using a laser device to point out objects in the sky, and never point such a device at or near the domes. • If staying at the AL, use the blackout shades on your room windows at night. • If you live in one of the residences on site, please follow the rules set out in your housing agreement for responsible lighting practices at home. Shields for outdoor lights are available at the Gift Shop. • If you have questions or concerns about responsible lighting, contact Bill Wren. 5 Hours/Work Schedules The VC operates 7 days a week and is closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day. Normal hours are from 10:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. daily, with regular evening hours on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Evening hours vary with the time of year and programming being offered. In order to cover the VC’s seven-day operations, staff members may work a variety of different schedules. Which schedule you will work should