This document will attempt to collect in one area general information you will find helpful as you use the College's phone system.  In addition to this document, there are separate pages that discuss the basics of using the single-line phones, multi-line phones, and voice mail.

Everyone working at the College has an individual DID (direct inward dial) number that can be dialed from anywhere on or off campus.  This number usually rings at a telephone somewhere on campus, but, in some cases, only accesses a voice mailbox.   In addition, staff working within a department can be reached by dialing their departmental number.  Please keep this in mind as you call people, as some may be more easily available at one number or another.  Many departments will answer individual's lines as they ring, but sometimes your call may go directly into an individual's voice mailbox if the person is not at his/her desk to answer, whether or not there are others in the office.

Many departments are set up with a coverage answer group.  This means that the departmental number will ring at several phones and any one of those phones may be answered simply by picking up the handset.  In some departments, several phones will be part of a pickup group.  In this configuration, the phone may ring at only one location, but may be picked up by anyone in the pickup group by pressing *7 or the CallPkup button, if programmed on your phone.  Additionally, anyone may pick up any phone that is ringing in the area, whether or not part of a group, by pressing *8 and entering the 4-digit extension.

You can tell where a call is coming from by looking at your display.  Calls from campus will ID the caller.  If you answer both an individual line and departmental number, the display will show the caller's name on your individual line and the caller's name plus your department name on calls coming in to the department number.  For off-campus incoming calls, you will see "DID SISKIYOU COLLEGE" for calls to your individual number and "DID SISKIYOU Department Name" for outside call coming into your department number if you also answer departmental calls.

When recording a greeting for yourself or your department, remember that it will be heard by both internal and external callers.  Let them know whom they've reached and that the phone is at the College, for example, "You have reached Susie Jones at College of the Siskiyous."  You might consider additional information, like where they can call if they need to speak with someone else or need immediate assistance.  If you want to make sure a caller always is able to reach a live person, let them know in your greeting that they may press zero for the Operator at any time.

If you will be away for any length of time, please consider leaving an extended absence greeting for callers, so they will know what to expect by way of a returned call.  See the voice mail page for instructions.  It is also a good idea to put your phone into Send All Calls mode, *3 or the SndAllCll button.  This will send a caller directly to your voice mail, rather than waiting for the 6 rings that is standard on campus (a long wait for a caller or someone in a department listening to a ringing phone).  Again, the need to do this will vary by department, so coordinate efforts within your department.

If you need to reach someone at the College on an emergency basis and cannot find them at their individual or departmental number, you may call the main College number, 938-5555, and someone will try to track them down.  Please use for emergencies only.  If you are on campus and need emergency help, you can dial 911 from any phone.

If you are new to the College, the best source of documentation is this set of web pages. If your question is not answered on this page, see the other phone documentation web pages for frequently asked questions, voice mail, single-line phone, and multi-line phone. If there is a phone function that is not addressed on these pages, call Nancy Shepard at x5881 to have it added to the web site.

If you need a list of campus telephone extensions, contact Martha Gentry (x5551), for a current printed Telephone Directory or stop by the Welcome Center to pick up a copy.  There is also a staff directory on the campus web site (go to the main web page, http://www.siskiyous.edu/, and select Staff Directory) that contains phone extensions as well as each person's division, job title, and e-mail address.

Please send any comments or questions about this site to Hostmaster .
© 2008 College of the Siskiyous. All rights reserved.