Work-Study Program Improved

In addition to the program becoming Internet-friendly, several new job opportunities were opened to students this year and wages were increased.

At the beginning of the fall 2002 semester, officials at the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid implemented a new job classification system for FWS students.

Under the new system, students are paid wages set to their skill levels instead of a flat rate.

"The goal of the job classification project was to establish a compensation system that differentiates among skill levels, abilities and prior work experience -- one that recognizes and pays for the wide array of job responsibilities and duties that a student performs," said Ann Trollinger, senior assistant director for the student aid office.

In the new system, supervisors of work-study students are given control over the amount paid to the students as long as it stays within limits set by the office.

The system consists of four classifications: pay levels S1 through S4. Jobs under the S1 category, such as that of a clerical assistant, require no experience or previous training. Students can receive wages of $6 to $7.75.

The highest pay level is S4, in which students might be paid anywhere from $11.25 to $13. These students are expected to perform advanced technical services.

"We wanted supervisors to have more flexibility in setting wage rates," Trollinger said.

"Students are now being rewarded for the level of duties that are being performed, and supervisors are now creating positions that are academic-related and career-related."

In previous years, officials at the student aid office had one set wage, which then would increase by 30 cents for each year of work and by 40 cents for the student's senior year.

For students employed on campus, the most they could make was $8 during their senior years. As a result, officials had to over-award funds by as much as 300 percent each year to achieve full utilization of funding.

"Before we had to offer a lot more positions ... more than we had available. ... (Now) the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid is seeing an increase in students accepting their awards," Trollinger said.

"We feel that work-study wage rates are now more competitive with off-campus and other on-campus non-work- study jobs."

Under the new system, students in the FWS program sign up for jobs online through Student Central and then go in for an interview with the job's supervisor.

Officials plan to expand the FWS program to develop jobs for students who do not qualify for student aid. The Job Location Development program should be in place by the spring semester, Trollinger said.

"JLD is a part of the Federal Work-Study Program but differs from the existing program in that students do not have to be eligible for financial aid in order to participate in JLD's newly created positions," she said.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.