Student Employment Handbook

The Cornell College Work-Study Program

Table of Contents:

Purpose
Procedure
Student Eligibility
Forms to Complete
Earnings
Hours
Rate of Pay
Timecards
Payroll Earning Statement
Developing Work Schedules
Termination of Employment
Office Phone Numbers/Hours
Questions & Answers
List of Supervisors
Summary of Responsibilities

Purpose

The purpose of the Cornell College student employment program is to provide students an opportunity to earn money to assist with educational expenses. Cornell employs approximately 500 students during the academic year. These students are an important part of the Cornell College campus.

Procedure

The work-study program is administered by the Office of Financial Assistance. The supervisor of each department requests a specific award amount for each student worker for the academic year, based on departmental needs and available work-study budget. Returning students are responsible for securing their work-study positions each year, and entering students are assigned to specific departments by the Student Employment Coordinator.

Student Eligibility

Most students who work on campus must qualify for the Federal Work-Study Program, in which the federal government pays a portion of the student's wage. Federal Work-Study is a form of federal financial aid. Work-Study award amounts are not a guarantee of funds; it is the maximum a student is able to earn.

In some special circumstances, students who do not qualify for Federal Work-Study may have institutional work-study. Institutional work-study is only to fill positions on campus that require "specialized skills".

Students are not eligible to work if they have not submitted the forms necessary to process their financial aid award.

All work-study students that have their FAFSA selected for verification must have verification completed within 60 days of the first day of class. If verification is not completed by then, the student will not be able to continue to work.

Summary of Responsibilities

Student Employment Supervisor

Discuss your expectations regarding the position tasks and responsibilities with your student workers.

Coordinate work schedules that will not conflict with the student's class schedule.

Be responsible for keeping track of the student's hours worked to ensure that they do not exceed their work study award.

Approve bi-weekly timecards using the payroll deadlines.

Inform and document if a student is not fulfilling their responsibilities and warn of potential job dismissal.

Email the Student Employment Coordinator to see if an award may be increased before the student has earned their full award. Not all students are eligible to have their work-study award increased. 

Monitor department budgets to avoid spending more than the budget allocation.

Notify the Student Employment Coordinator before hiring new students to see if they are eligible for federal work-study.

Student Employment Coordinator:

Award and adjust student work study awards.

Keep a current file of job descriptions for all positions.

Confirm where student workers are assigned to work.

Insure federal regulations and institutional policies are followed.

Student

Complete W-4, I-9, direct deposit authorization, and marketplace coverage forms with the  Division of Business and Enterprise Services  before you begin working.

Perform tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

Contact your supervisor if you will be absent due to illness as early in the workday as possible. In addition, advance notice should be given when requesting a change in the work schedule or to take time off.

Continued tardiness or failure to notify your supervisor when you cannot report for work is sufficient grounds for termination.

Inform your supervisor of your class schedule and availability to work on each first day of the block.

Keep your electronic timecard up to date.

Monitor the hours you have left to work and talk to your supervisor about increasing your work-study award before your award runs out. 

Represent yourself and Cornell College in a professional manner and maintain the confidentiality of student and College records to which you may have access.

Work Study Supervisors

Forms to Complete

All students who work for Cornell College must have current W-4 Forms (Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate) and an I-9 Form (Employment Eligibility Verification) on file in the  Division of Business and Enterprise Services. Students are required to provide appropriate documentation when filing the I-9 form.  Students are also required to complete a Direct-Deposit Authorization Form and Marketplace Coverage.  All earnings are directly deposited to the student’s bank account; paychecks will not be issued.  

Earnings

All student workers will receive their work-study assignment by email at the end of August. The email includes the work-study award for the academic year, the department where the student has been assigned, and the amount you will earn per hour.

Hours

Student workers will be scheduled to work approximately 4 - 10 hours per week. Hours can be rounded to the nearest 15-minute increment unless otherwise directed by supervisors. All hours must be recorded in the student's electronic timecard and approved by the student's supervisor. 

Students who are U.S. citizens should not schedule themselves to work more than 40 hours a week.  International students are eligible to work no more than 20 hours a week during periods of enrollment.  To avoid termination of your employment, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) laws MUST be complied with. 

All students should keep in mind, once you have earned your full work-study award, you must stop working immediately.  Contact your supervisor to see if their budget will allow for an increase in the work-study award. The supervisor will request by email an increase in the award to the student employment coordinator.

Federal regulations require verification if a student works during a scheduled class time. Please contact the Student Employment Coordinator and request the form be sent to you.

Rate of Pay

Cornell College pays work-study students $11.25 per hour. Any other wage paid to a student must be approved by the department's council member.

Timecards

Students are required to complete and submit an electronic timecard bi-weekly.  It is the responsibility of the student and the supervisor to submit the timecard by the end of the day on Monday following payday, for the following payroll cycle.

By approving the electronic timecard, the supervisor is verifying that the student worked the documented hours.  

If a student falsifies timecard information the Student Employment Coordinator may be obligated to report this incident of fraud to the Department of Education's Office of the Inspector General. A federal investigation may result. Falsification of a timecard could result in immediate dismissal from the work-study program. The student may not be eligible to work on campus the remainder of their time at Cornell.

Developing Work Schedules

All students should be given the opportunity to work their work-study awards in the department to which they are assigned. The student, together with the supervisor, should plan a work schedule that is compatible with his/her class schedule. Any request for time off, such as a weekend or a particular shift, must be approved in advance by the supervisor.

Termination of Employment

A student may be terminated from their work-study position if the student is not performing in a satisfactory manner. The supervisor should make clear to each student employee their performance and responsibility expectations. The termination process is up to the supervisor's discretion.

International students must comply with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) laws.  International students will receive one written warning if the student works beyond 20 hours a week.  If there is a second occurrence the student's employment will be immediately terminated for the remainder of the academic year. 

Immediate Dismissal: If a student has falsified records including timecards, divulged confidential information from the workplace, or is caught stealing, the student may forfeit employment opportunities while at Cornell College.

Questions Concerning Campus Employment

If you have questions regarding the student employment program, please contact the Student Employment Coordinator, at 319-895-4216 in the Office of Financial Assistance.

If you have questions regarding your paycheck or timecard, please contact the Payroll Coordinator, at 319-895-4593 in the Division of Business and Enterprise Services Office.

Cornell College

Office of Financial Assistance

Located in Old Sem, Second Floor

Office hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Phone: 319-895-4216

Email: financialassistance@cornellcollege.edu

Fax: 319-895-4106

Questions & Answers for Students

Students often have questions relating to the student employment program. Listed below are some of the more common questions:

Q: When do I report to my student employment position?

A: You should report to your supervisor by the first Monday of the first block or make prior arrangements with your supervisor.

Q: How can I find a different work-study position on campus?

A: Open work-study position are posted online. 

Q: I was assigned a position for my first year at Cornell College. How will I know what my assignment will be for future years?

A: In March of each year, work-study supervisors are required to submit an email to the Student Employment Coordinator listing the returning students they plan to hire and the amount of the student's work study for the upcoming year. Many students will work in the same department during all four years at Cornell. Be sure to let your supervisor know if you are interested in returning to the same job.

If you wish to work in a different department for the following year, you are responsible for finding a new position on campus during the month of February or March. The new supervisor should include your name on the email request. Please notify your current supervisor is you will not be returning to their department.

Q: Can I switch jobs during the year?

A: Yes.  If you are offered another position on campus, you may switch.  You should notify your current supervisor that you will no longer be working for them and the hiring supervisor should notify the Student Employment Coordinator that they have hired you to work in their office.

Q: What if I don't earn all of my awarded amount during the year?

A: Any unearned amount is forfeited. Amounts are not carried forward to future years. All work study awards are the maximum a student may earn, they are not a guarantee of funds.

Q: When will I be paid?

A:  Payment will be biweekly by direct deposit.

Q: How do I decline or increase my work study award?

A: If you wish to decline your work study award you must notify your current supervisor and the Student Employment Coordinator.

If you wish to increase your work study award you must have the supervisor approve the increase and the supervisor should email the Student Employment Coordinator. All increases must be approved by the Student Employment Coordinator. Not all students are eligible to have an increase to their work study award.

Q: Must I report my work study earnings on my federal income tax?

A: Yes. All earnings, including federal work study dollars, must be included on your Federal Income Tax form if you file. You will receive a W-2 form from Cornell College showing the amount of earnings during the previous calendar year.

Q: Must I report federal student employment earnings on my FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)?

A: Although you must include the amount of federal student employment earning in the adjusted gross income figure on the FAFSA, you will also show the amount of these earnings as a Title IV exclusion on the FAFSA. This means that the processor will exclude from the income the amount you earned in federal work study, thereby reducing the amount of income considered in the eligibility formula. Institutional work study does not qualify to be a Title IV exclusion.