She’s got the 411

Katrina Miller is a know-it-all. It’s her job at Butte College. Need a phone number? Call Miller. Need to know where a classroom, building or office is located? Come into the Information Office. She’s been working in the office since spring 2003. A native of Corning ("That’s 45 minutes away,” she informed us), Miller’s attended the school for two and one-half years. She plans to transfer to Chico State or San Francisco State by next fall. She is taking Liberal Studies and said she wants to be a teacher, which seems appropriate for an information expert.

Do you consider yourself an expert on Butte College?

I wouldn’t say an expert, but I consider myself able to find out all the information. I know a lot, and then I can find out who can find the rest of the information out. Some of the requests I get are really way out there. So I’m like, well, let’s track it down to where I can get you the right information.

What are some of the weirder requests you get?

Someone once asked me if there was a way to hire someone to come and live with him. [He wanted] a Butte College student. Specifically a female. That was the weirdest.

What did you say?

I told him I don’t think so, but if he wanted to look on the roommate board he was more than welcome to do that.

Did the person then go away?

No, he continued to talk for about another half-hour; not angrily, he just went off on different subjects. “I used to do this” and “I have a degree” and he’s like, “What can I do to get this?” And I’m like [holding up her hand] “OK.”

Did he ever come back?

He was on the phone, but he never called back.

Do you have regulars who come in for information?

Yeah, we do have regulars. People who are just starting out here come in for information a lot to just make sure they are doing the right stuff. There’s the application process, and you have assessment, orientation, counseling. They stop each time, saying, “Where is counseling? Where is assessment?” I think it’s a great thing because you can help them through the process completely so you know they are getting to the right spots.

What does it take to be good information giver?

It takes a willingness to learn. It takes being able to do your research and to not just give half-answers—to make sure you’re giving the right answers. It takes a lot of phone calls. I look through the catalogues a lot, the schedule; we make sure we have the right dates up there. It takes a lot of persistence.

One last question. Who won the 1964 World Series?

The Cubs?