As of Oct. 1, there are 1,016 students working for the 1,216 student employment jobs offered through the University. Eighty-two percent of these placements are through federal work study (FWS) students. There are only eight students at the University that fit the requirement for federal work study job, but did not receive decided against the job opportunity.
At the start of the semester, some students reported having issues accessing their federal work study information.
“I went to the Work Study office and they told me I didn’t qualify for work study anymore,” said Leann Burns, junior communication major. Burns later went to an advisor at the Financial Aid office on campus. She said the advisor was very helpful and her problems were resolved.
A student’s financial aid could change for a number of reasons, according to Claire Alasio, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Director of Financial Aid. “A student’s financial aid package, with work study being a part of that package, is driven by: the student’s financial need, their costs (including tuition and fees only for commuting students or tuition, fees, room, and board for resident students) and the types and amounts of other financial aid the student receives. So, as any one of those variables change, the student’s eligibility for work study at all can change, as can the amount of work study they are eligible for,” explained Alasio.
It was Burns’s experience that she was awarded too much aid and this needed to be changed. “My parents were going to get a lot of money back and the solution was to reduce how much my parents got back. Work study is about $2,000 so my instead of $13,000 back my parents only got $11,000,” she said.
Meredith Courtney, junior photography major, explained how she had a similar experience with finical aid at the start of the semester. “The information didn’t show up on the first financial statement I got from school. When I called they said it was a mistake and put it back as apart of my financial aid,” she said. Her issue is now resolved.
There are a total of 95 students at the University who had federal work study last year who do not have it this year. “Of the 95, there are 76 who no longer meet the federal government’s financial need eligibility requirement for the award, we cannot make an award to those students. Of the remaining 19 students, there were eight who are now graduate students (University policy is that we don’t award to grad students), one student who is on study abroad, and two who told us they were going to be part-time (University policy is that we don’t offer federal work study to part-time students),” said Alasio.
Currently, there are no system issues regarding financial aid. If an individual is having problems Alasio encourages them to come to the financial aid office located in Wilson Hall. “If we get two or three phone calls with the same kind of complaint we look into it,” she said.
Student employment works to ensure students are given the opportunity to obtain their federal work study jobs. “Student Employment held a huge Federal Work Study Job Fair during the first week of school. On campus and off campus non-profit agencies attended, we e-mail the federal work study students periodically with jobs, and we have personally been contacting individual Vice Presidents and departments who do not currently utilize student employees and have immediately added positions which have been posted to federal work study students. This departmental outreach continues weekly throughout the fall semester,” explained Aimee Parks, Assistant Director of Human Resources for Student Employment.
Some of the benefits of having an on campus federal work study job includes, “Obtaining references and resume experience, making a difference, flexible hours, paid trainings for several jobs, saving on gas money,” said Parks.
“It teaches me to organize my time better and it helps me to connect with other students and faculty at a more personal level,” said Matthew Sheehan, junior, accounting major in reference to his work study experience.
If a student has any questions regarding student employment, they are encouraged to go to the The Student Employment Office. “Students may call 732 -263-5706 or visit the Student Employment Office in our new location, Bey Hall room 127 for an appointment to review open on or off campus jobs. Jobs change weekly, temporary jobs are often available and students can visit or call at any point during the semester. We have “frequently asked questions” sheet and the administrators, staff, and student employees in the office may help answer questions,” said Parks.
“The University is committed to giving students the opportunity to work,” said Alasio. “We recognize that students need money for personal expenses and the work provides students with that as well as valuable experiences.”
