The wide range of on-campus jobs that cater to busy academic schedules allow students to be able to pay for both their tuition and other discretionary expenses.
One of the major programs that helps students find a job is work-study, a $3.4 million federally funded, need-based financial aid program.
Juan Abenojar, the associate director of financial aid, said the work-study program employs students at various on-campus jobs and generally matches half of the student’s salary.
Work-study is different from other forms of aid because it gives students work experience, Abenojar said.
The program generally employs 3,000 to 3,200 students a year, most of whom work at university jobs in areas such as housing and libraries. Abenojar added that work-study at UCLA also extends to approximately 200-300 “off-campus” jobs, which include positions with Associated Students UCLA.
Though ASUCLA has some work-study employees, most of its approximately 1,300 student workers are employed without work-study.
Bob Williams, the executive director of ASUCLA, said the philosophy of his organization is student-centered, with only about 100 nonstudent employees.
Williams said a goal of the association is to create an environment where students put their schoolwork first.
He added that management tries to accommodate students as their needs change throughout the year.
“If you fall behind in school, we’ll try to find a way to cut your hours back. If you want extra money, we’ll try to give you extra hours. If you’re busy around finals week, we’ll try to modify the schedule to accommodate you best,” he said.
Second-year psychology student David Larsen is an ASUCLA employee who does not receive any work-study funding.
“(Working for ASUCLA) is like work-study in that it’s convenient and on campus, except I’m not using my earnings to pay for tuition,” he said.
Larsen added that he enjoys his job because he can plan his working hours around classes while earning extra money for going out.
Abenojar said that one of the often overlooked benefits of the work-study program is the opportunity that students have to gain valuable work experience in new fields and make important contacts for future jobs.
Third-year mathematics and Japanese student Tom Tran said he has benefited from receiving professional experience at his work-study job with the Office of Residential Life.
Tran said he was glad the government paid for work-study because it allows on-campus employers to hire more students at flexible hours.
“My work-study job isn’t that much pressure, so it’s pretty enjoyable,” he said.
Nina Purtell, the director of human resources and payroll for housing, said her department typically hires 400 students in a fiscal year, of which about 100 are with work-study.
Purtell noted that the 400 students are not hired all at one time, and the number fluctuates throughout the year depending on students’ academic schedules and availability.
“We welcome student employees, and we provide flexibility in their schedules to help them earn as they learn,” she said.
Purtell added that housing does not view work-study employees any differently from other student workers.
She said she realizes that attending college is not cheap, and work-study is one tool to help offset the costs.