Developing a Career-Building Student Employment Program

1. Developing a Career-Building Student Employment Program Cathy Patella Director of Financial Aid Wells College EASFAA President

2. Agenda • 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.

3. In the Past - Philosophy 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.

4. Role of the FAO - Budget • 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.

5. 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.

6. Role of the FAO- Assignments • 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.

7. Assignments • FAO assigned jobs to students based on financial need. • Students received job assignments in their mailbox upon their return to campus.

8. Role of the FAO - Document Tracking • 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

9. Role of the FAO - Payroll • 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.

10. 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.

11. Role of the FAO – Job Creation • 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.

12. Why Change - Economic Climate • 2008 saw the beginning of our economic downturn or great recession. • College began to review all programs for cost-saving measures.

13. Political 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.

14. What Studies Say • 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)

15. 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)

16. Assessing Our Program • 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%.

17. What we Discovered • 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.

18. New Philosophy • 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.

19. 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.

20. Three Tier Approach • 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.

21. New Job Assignment Process • 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.

22. Job Assignments • 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.

23. Supervisor Changes • 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.

24. 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.

25. Career Service 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.

26. Career Services 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.

27. Office of Experiential Learning and Career Services

28. Financial Aid Changes • 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.

29. Budgetary Changes 63% of students enrolled fulltime were employed FWS funds covered 25% of overall student employment budget. 20% under earned their job award 78% of students enrolled fulltime were employed FWS funds covered 20% of overall student employment budget. 20% under earned their job award. 2008-2009 2011-2012

30. College Outcomes • 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.

31. 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.

32. Future Changes • 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