There's one experience every University student has in common. Whether you are completing your first two months here at the University or rushing to take that non-Western perspective before you graduate, you have seen Dean. He is at O-Hill dining hall every lunchtime. Dressed in his navy blue uniform, nametag and visor, he welcomes you with a smile as he swipes your ID for you to enjoy a high-calorie meal sponsored by your parents.
You probably have noticed his detailed replies to students on the Comment Board or were perplexed by his ability to swipe five cards at a time and give them back to the right owners. But what do you really know about Dean, the irreplaceable regent of O-Hill?
Dean Caulfield arrived in Charlottesville in 1985 after living in many different locations around Washington, D.C., Buffalo, New York and Richmond. Upon a friend's suggestion to look for a job at the University, he started his career here in December 1985 at a snack bar at the Law School, which has since been torn down. After working in various capacities for dining services, he came to O-Hill in January 1988.
In the past, "the cashier desk used to be directly opposite the big glass doors, right when you come up the stairs" with only one long line, Caulfield recalled. "When you break it into two different lines, it's easier, without people waiting outside in the rain or snow."
Without the burden of snow and rain on their shoulders, nowadays students only see Caulfield at the cashier's desk, but he has other miscellaneous responsibilities at O-Hill. He makes sure the concept signs on the boards outside the dining hall are correct, keeps the glass tables, doors and floors clean, trains new cashiers and helps the marketing director with the scripts of the O-Hill advertisements on WNRN 91.9.
Though these responsibilities take a lot of Caulfield's time, his favorite job at the dining hall is responding to the students and University community on the Comment Boards.
"Comment cards are a way for the students and the University community to give us feedback, to let us know what they are exactly looking for," Caulfield said.
Although other members of the dining hall staff reply to student suggestions, Caulfield's notes are the most memorable.
"There are a lot of replies to pasta being overcooked, but you read the one that Dean has written," first-year College student Sara Muir said.
Caulfield believes the reason for this attention to his comment cards is his availability to the University community.
"I'm out there, so people can see me," he said. "Of course, management checks if we are on the same page."
Mamie Belle, another first-year College student who eats most of her meals at O-Hill, agreed that Caulfield's visibility makes his comments more interesting.
"Because you see him every day at lunch, he is not a distant figure so you want to read what he says," she said.
Caulfield believes his style also matters.
"I've got my own writing style that is entertaining," he said. "It sticks in your mind -- you'll remember when and how you got the information."
So what kind of fascinating questions or suggestions does Caulfield get?
"There are three categories," he said. "First is the rumors about the things I've done; I dispel or confirm them." The second category is the most entertaining for most of the student body.
"It is the big joke, things like 'Will you marry me?' or 'I want you to have my baby'" he said with a grin.
Belle has seen many such notes. "People really do enjoy joking around with Dean, because he can enjoy these jokes as much as the students can," she said.
The third category contains the legitimate questions which Dean tends to take most seriously.
"You will see that O-Hill is better next year because of these comments," he said.
Apart from the Comment Board, the right side of the Message Center Board, directly opposite the cashier's desk, is covered in Caulfield's small hand-writing. The epic-looking script in blue board marker is the recap of the baseball playoffs. Every year, Caulfield, a devout baseball fan, puts up the results of the playoffs, trying to make it as accurate as he can.
"I know that students have mid-terms, so I want to let them know of what's going on," he said.
Muir appreciates Caulfield's recaps.
"I had a chemistry mid-term this week," she said. "I really had no idea what the results were, so it was good to see them posted on a board, which is available to me at every meal."
Despite the time he puts in at the dining hall, Caulfield manages to pursue a lot of other activities.
In addition to watching a lot of sports, "I also play the guitar and percussion," he said.
Unknown to many O-Hill regulars, Caulfield has his own radio show on WNRN 91.9.
"It's a Grateful Dead show from 9 till 11 on Saturdays," he said.
Upon hearing this, Muir said she would try to tune in.
"I got to catch that sometime, I bet it's cool," she said.
Caulfield says he is content with his life.
"I try to maintain a balance between a happy life and the desire to improve myself. Discomfort motivates, but comfort feels so good," he said. "It is easy to get caught up in the details, but I try to see as much of the big picture as I can."
Dean's job at O-Hill seems to play a major role in defining his happiness. While juggling all the responsibilities he has, he said he loves the interaction he has with people.
"The main award is the exchanges between myself and students and the University community," Caulfield said.
Belle recognized his dedication and appreciation. "It is obvious he really cares about his job. He has become a constancy in our University life," she said. "I mean, he is the only one who has come up with a unique cashier system and personal comments to make it easier for us."
When asked about any negative aspects of his job, Dean the O-Hill guy slowly shakes his head.
"The only hard thing is getting to work. I have to be here at quarter to seven." Which is something that the thousands of students who have experienced his efficient card-swiping system can sympathize with.
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