Money is difficult to acquire for many students at TheUniversity of Memphis, which is why the Student Employment Officeis committed to helping students find jobs on campus.
The staff at the Student Employment Office spends each semesterassisting students obtaining part-time jobs at The U of M.
A student can be employed under the Regular Student Employmentprogram or the Federal Work-Study program. Both programs requirestudents to be enrolled at least as a part-time student.
International students under F-1 visas who are seeking jobs haveto obtain employment through the RSE program and must be enrolledfull-time unless they are graduating at the end of the semester inwhich they are seeking employment. In both programs, if a studentdrops below the minimum number of hours they are required to takewhile being employed by The U of M, the student's services will beterminated.
While students can look to the employment office for help infinding job openings, Office Associate Amy Sandlin emphasized thatit is up to the students to call the departments and inquire aboutthe positions.
"We make the students call the departments themselves," Sandlinsaid, "That's how you would (get a job) in the real world."
The salary for many student employees starts at minimum wage,$5.15 an hour, but there are some jobs that offer as much as $10 anhour. Some departments give students semester or yearly wages, butdue to budget cuts many are unable to increase their studentworkers' salaries, Sandlin said.
"It might be up to the student to ask for a raise," shesaid.
Because it is a financial aid award program based on thefinancial needs of its students, FSW program employees are notallowed to work for more than one department, but students underthe RSE program can have multiple on-campus jobs. However, neitherprogram allows its students to work more than 7.5 hours a day or37.5 hours a week.
Regular student employee Abby Cain, who works at the WilderTower Information Desk, said she is more than satisfied with heron-campus job.
"I only work four hours a day, no nights, no weekends," Cainsaid, "It's good money, and it's easy."
The sophomore communications major is a scholarship student whouses the money she earns to help pay for books and other needsduring the semester.
Cain's mother is also pleased with her daughter's job.
"My mom thinks it's wonderful because we live near the campus,and it's convenient," said Cain. "And I feel safe here."
The marketing minor said another advantage to working on campusis that her boss works with her schedule.
But not all the campus jobs are success stories, Sandlinsaid.
"This is a real job, and some students don't treat it as a realjob, which causes some problems," Sandlin said. "Sometimes theydon't show up at all or call when they are going to be late."
Students who are discourteous need to keep in mind they may haveto list their jobs at The U of M as references for other jobs theyapply for on campus or even after they graduate, said Sandlin.
Students who are graduating and are employed by The U of M willno longer be considered student employees, but they can work astemporary employees and be filed through human resources untilanother job is found, Sandlin said.
In just five hours of having the student employment table set upin Wilder Tower, 62 students came to the student employment tableand inquired about on-campus jobs, Sandlin said.
Today is the last day the student employment table will be inWilder Tower, but for more information, students can visit theStudent Employment Office in Wilder Tower, Room 103, between 8 a.m.and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Students can also call ext.3708 or 3680, or access the Web site at www.enrollment.memphis.edu/financialaid/.
