Lady Behind the Desk
One of most-seen people at OSU, registrar's assistant says students make job 'worthwhile'
Amanda Robbins
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: News
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Her name is Marteen Sparlin, an office assistant in the registrar's office. She started at OSU in September of 1990 because her partner had moved to Corvallis to work in the forestry department.
"I interviewed on a Friday and was told to show up for work on Monday," Sparlin said. "I took whatever position was available to put money in the bank. I was interviewing everywhere and I would have taken a job anywhere and probably would have still been there."
"She is an original," said Amy Flint, the lead records specialist in the registrar's office. "She is meticulous and really cares about her job."
Sparlin added that most of the people who work in the office took the job until they found something better and ended up staying.
"This is just a job for me," Sparlin said stating that she does have an outside life.
Although working in the registrar's office is just a job for Sparlin, she enjoys it on most days.
"There are days and times when students and faculty make it worthwhile," she said. "But the weather can create a down time around campus. When the weather gets better, everyone starts to cheer up."
Sparlin says that because of her job she has to be non-judgemental toward everyone who comes to the front desk.
"We never know if the person standing in front of us is American born, internationally born - but an American citizen - or an international student," she said. "You may inadvertently insult someone and never know unless they tell us. If there is a person of color standing in front of us we don't know if they are from the south, Nigeria or Barbados and if there is a person with a Spanish accent we don't know if they are from Spain, Portugal or South America. We just don't know."
Sparlin said one time she had an international student, who she was not able to help, start to put money down on the counter because that was how they did it at home. He believed if he put enough money down then she would do whatever he wanted her to do. She ended up having to call in her supervisor to talk to the student and let him know that the American culture was different.
"We have to remember that they are first and foremost an OSU student. Our job is to service that student in the most efficient way possible," she said.
Sparlin added that some students come in and get frustrated when she can't help them. They might have a form that needs to be turned in, but some of the information could be missing, or they could be at the completely wrong office.
"Since we always have someone sitting at the front desk it is as if we are Grand Central Station," she said. "Everyone walks in through Kerr. We get old alumni, faculty, visitors, parents and students."
When Sparlin leaves OSU at night it is just a memory of the day.
Sparlin outside of OSU
Her life outside of OSU is completely different - she is a writer.
"I was published in the '80s and I still write prolifically for myself," Sparlin said.
The two books she has published are both with Dell Publishing and both of them are historical romances. The first one was published in 1982 called "Silver Sundown" and her second book was published in 1984 "Ariane."
"It was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time," she said. "I took a class at Rogue Community College in Grants Pass on creative writing. The instructor was Con Sellers, a professional writer."
Sparlin added that Sellers knew what he was doing. He wrote the first big Dallas novel that set up the TV shows.
"He knew his business," she said. "He knew how to write, how to research, how to formulate a discipline, and how to talk to publishers in the right language."
As she started to write a short story for the class, she soon found that she had a novel.
"He knew how to get writing out a persons head and onto a piece of paper," Sparlin said.
When she found out that she had more than just a short story her reaction was a good one.
Recognized for defining characteristics, personality
One of her defining characteristics is her hairstyle.
"It is my punk-page-boy look," she said. "It is not a mullet."
Sparlin had found a hair stylist in Ashland when she lived there prior to moving to Corvallis. She told the stylist that she wanted something simple and comfortable.
"I wanted something short in the front and long in the back," she said. "I had to find something that was simple, low maintenance, and fit me."
When she finally chose the style she loved it.
Sparlin has found someone in Corvallis to help maintain her hair and has found a color that fits her well.
"I know I am recognized by my hair-do," Sparlin admits.
People who know her have a lot of fun with her.
Flint remembers a time when she was trying to learn Latin and although Sparlin is not able to speak Latin, she was still very interested in the language and the learning process.
Barbara Wegner, the office coordinator for ethnic studies, also sees Sparlin as a great person to be around. Wegner was one of the first people Sparlin worked with when she started at OSU.
"She is unique, spontaneous and a lot of fun," Wegner said. "She is well-read, opinionated and always has something interesting to add to the conversation."
Wegner added that most of the people in the registrar's office dress up for Halloween and the first year that Sparlin worked at OSU she work a belly dancing costume to work. She had a jewel that was sitting inside of her belly button that kept falling out.
"We kept finding the jewel on the floor and would give it back to her," Wegner said. "I don't know many other people who would wear a belly dancing costume on campus at the beginning of the first term."
"She is one of the most interesting people I know," said Cindy Lehto, the administrative programming assistant of E-Campus, who worked with Sparlin for five and a half years before transferring departments. "She is a walking encyclopedia."
"We continue to be friends," Lehto said. "We plant a trip to Portland every year. We ride the train up and spend the day at Powell's."
Lehto also said that Sparlin has a giant Johnny Depp poster hanging in her office.
"She is crazy about Johnny Depp," Lehto said.
Although most people on campus meet her they don't know the lady behind the desk.
"With her very interesting hair-do you will never forget her," Lehto said.
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