Developing a Career-Building Student
Employment ProgramCathy Patella
Director of Financial AidWells College
EASFAA President
The Past – How Student Employment was administered by the FAO.
Why the Change – Factors that caused the College to review its current program
The Present – How Student Employment is administered today.
The Future – What future developments are in progress.
Agenda
Student Employment was considered a financial aid program where students could earn money on campus to help pay for their educational costs.
Employ as many students as possible. Wells is in a rural location with few outside job opportunities.
In the Past - Philosophy
Budget – Consultation between FAO and VP & Treasurer.
FAO determined how many positions they had to assign.
Students paid minimum wage. Standard job 8hrs/wk for a total of $1600. Only Resident Advisors earned more.
Role of the FAO - Budget
Developed two work-study programs: FWS and Wells College Student Employment (WSE) Program.
Model the WSE program to shadow the FWS program with the exception of no need students can work under the WSE program.
Budget
FAO assign students to all jobs on campus. Exceptions: RAs and Tutors Departments were given the opportunity in
the spring to request their current employees back for the upcoming year.
Departments requested new positions through the FAO Office.
Students completed a job application request form.
Role of the FAO- Assignments
FAO assigned jobs to students based on financial need.
Students received job assignments in their mailbox upon their return to campus.
Assignments
Job Application W-4 Form NYS Payroll Disclosure Form LS59 (Notice
and Acknowledgement of Pay and Pay Day) I-9 Citizenship Form Accept/Decline Response
Role of the FAO - Document Tracking
FAO processed student payroll every two weeks.
Paychex is the college employment payroll system.
Main job of our student workers and one 10 month employee. Timesheets calculated manually, no electronic service.
Maintain direct deposit forms.
Role of the FAO - Payroll
Monitoring of over earnings done by the FAO.
Students notified of job earnings used at the end of the fall semester.
In the spring supervisors notified of all potential over earners.
Increases in job awards depended on budget limitations.
Payroll
Very few new on-campus jobs were created due to time constraint of the FAO.
Exception: Community Service Jobs created to comply with federal regulations.
25% of our time spent on student employment.
Role of the FAO – Job Creation
2008 saw the beginning of our economic downturn or great recession.
College began to review all programs for cost-saving measures.
Why Change - Economic Climate
President’s Obama’s 2013 budget plan was laced with proposals important for college students, including doubling the number of federal work-study jobs over the next five years.
The current administration finds value in expanding the current FWS program.
Political Climate
22% of first yr undergraduate students plan to work 1-10 hrs/wk
30% expect to work 11-20 hrs/wk 25% plan to work 20 hrs/wk Rates even higher among first generation
students and among Hispanic and African-American students
(Noel-Levitz, 2008)
What Studies Say
Studies dating from the 1970s to today, have indicated that student interaction with the campus community in peer relationships and in activities that create a sense of belonging – have the effect of increasing student retention.
(Jacoby and Garland, 2004; Tinto, 1975)
What Studies Say
2008-2009 College employed 78% of its enrolled full-time students.
FAO would literally “beg” offices to take students to fulfill the mission of employing as many students as possible on campus.
Students were coming into the office and requesting, “I want a job where I can do my homework.” Isn’t that’s why its called work study.
FWS funds covered only 20% of the total student employment budget.
Students under earning on average 20%.
Assessing Our Program
Program did not reinforce retention efforts. Viewed as an entitlement program. Did not emphasis helping students build
their skill set or develop strong work ethics. Supervisors indicated the difficulty in
providing valuable work experience w/ the # of students assigned to them.
Very little feedback given to students. Very little student participation in the
program.
What we Discovered
The Wells College Student Employment Program is to provide quality jobs where students are fully engaged and learning while on the job.
The Student Employment Program should reflect a more realistic life experience meaning jobs are not guaranteed, but are competitive and must be earned.
New Philosophy
Emphasize the role student employment has in building and retaining enrollment.
Demonstrate how student employment can better prepare students for the post collegiate working world.
New Philosophy
Financial Aid Office – determines who is eligible and informs all related parties of federal compliance regulations.
Office of Career Services and Experiential Learning – maintains student employment center web page, works w/ supervisors, assigns student workers, training and assessment.
Payroll Office – process bi-monthly timesheets and payroll and maintains direct deposit information.
Career Service
s
Payroll
Financial Aid
Three Tier Approach
Supervisors and Career Services work together on budgetary needs. Career Services report to the Academic Dean.
Supervisors still have the ability to request in the spring returning students employed in their departments.
Job Fair – supervisors advertise their openings, schedule job interviews.
Notify career services of new student workers. Returning students notified of next year’s job
decisions before they leave campus in the spring.
New Job Assignment Process
New students sent a job application in early June.
Attend a Job Fair at one of the Wells College Warm-Ups.
Receive their job assignment in the first week of August before they arrive.
Job Assignments
Job Development. Eliminated some jobs, defined current jobs and skills more clearly, and created tier jobs of advancement.
Orientation. Communicate expectations and explain how student jobs contribute to the larger goals of the institution.
Feedback. Supervisors are asked to evaluate workers annually. Evaluations sent to Career Services Office.
Supervisor Changes
Training. Attend summer orientation workshops developed by the Career Services Office i.e. interviewing and evaluation techniques.
Monitor Job Earnings. Over/Under earnings report available on the web.
Supervisor Changes
Help students find campus jobs that relate to their interests and skills.
Demonstrate to students how their campus job can best be incorporated into their resume.
From campus jobs to internships. Expand student options that will benefit them upon graduation.
Career Service Changes
Maintain the Student Employment Center on the Web.
Design training programs for students such as “My First Office Job.”
Design training programs for supervisors related to interviewing and evaluating techniques.
Main administrator for the Student Employment Program.
Career Services Changes
Career Services
Student Employmen
tExperiential
Learning
Office of Experiential Learning and Career Services
Receive job assignments on returning students before renewed packages sent out in June.
Career Services collects the necessary documents, we are recorders only.
Work with Career Services on complying with federal regulations for the FWS program.
Does not do a bi-monthly payroll anymore. Payroll Office now responsible.
Financial Aid Changes
Budgetary Changes
2011-2012
63% of students enrolled fulltime were employed
FWS funds covered 25% of overall student employment budget.
20% under earned their job award
2008-2009
78% of students enrolled fulltime were employed
FWS funds covered 20% of overall student employment budget.
20% under earned their job award.
Students begin a relationship with the Career Services Office in their first year of college.
Students learn no matter how small or insignificant their task may seem, campus jobs exist and contribute to the larger goals of the department and the college as a whole.
Students and supervisors learn better interview skills.
Students learn that hard work and commitment can grow into job advancement.
College Outcomes
Staff and faculty become supportive mentors and often are seen in the role of “the surrogate parent.” Relationships continue beyond graduation.
Students connect with other students working in their departments. Some departments have T-shirts. Help form an identity on campus.
Student Employment Program that complements the college’s academic program.
College Outcomes
Timesheets recorded electronically Career Services developing a document
tracking model Students can review job earnings at any
time Expand the budget for more off-campus job
opportunities
Future Changes