Transcript Developing a Career-Building Student Employment Program

Cathy Patella
Director of Financial Aid
Wells College
EASFAA President
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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FAO assigned jobs to students based on
financial need.
Students received job assignments in their
mailbox upon their return to campus.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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2008 saw the beginning of our economic
downturn or great recession.
College began to review all programs for
cost-saving measures.
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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.
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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 AfricanAmerican students
(Noel-Levitz, 2008)
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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)
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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%.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 bimonthly timesheets and
payroll and maintains direct
deposit information.
Financial
Aid
Career
Services
Payroll
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
Experiential
Learning
Student
Employment
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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.
78% of students enrolled
fulltime were employed
FWS funds covered 20%
of overall student
employment budget.
20% under earned their
job award.
63% of students enrolled
fulltime were employed
FWS funds covered 25%
of overall student
employment budget.
20% under earned their
job award
2008-2009
2011-2012
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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.
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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.
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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