The Federal Work-Study Program is emerging as a source of
stability for students during troubled financial times.
Despite the end of State Work-Study Program funding ““
which, last year, made an additional $1 million available to UCLA
work-study ““ the UCLA Financial Aid Office has adjusted to
maintain student placements in work-study jobs.
But while students have been largely unaffected by the state
cut, work-study employers facing new demands are cutting some
positions.
UCLA still ranks No. 10 on a list of public schools with the
most work-study funding.
“We have continued to award work-study to students who are
eligible,” said Elizabeth Paniagua, a work-study program
coordinator.
“In fact, historically, we have always over-rewarded,
meaning that more students are offered work-study than actually
participate in it,” she added.
This academic year roughly 12,000 students were offered
work-study and 4,000 students are participating.
The Financial Aid Office has changed the way that student
work-study wages are paid in order to make up for the loss of state
funding.
With work-study, the federal government pays a portion of
student wages and the employer pays the balance.
In previous years, the pay split was 60-to-40, with the
government covering 60 percent of wages and the employer covering
40 percent.
This year, however, the ratio has been changed to 50-50.
In this manner, the Financial Aid Office has been able to
stretch the $3.4 million it has been given for work-study by the
federal government.
This money allotment is more or less constant, Paniagua said,
adding that she does not expect next year’s allotment to
change substantially, nor should work-study eligibility criteria
change.
“Work-study funding is allocated independent of fee
increases,” said Hanan Eisenman, media coordinator for
admissions at the University of California Office of the President,
reiterating the inflexible nature of the funds.
One way the work-study program can adjust its given budget is to
carry forward or backward 10 percent of its money allocation.
“If current trends continue, we would be borrowing from
next year,” Paniagua said.
She indicated students are utilizing, and hence draining, this
year’s work-study funds.
Work-study positions are available in a wide array of areas,
from office work to laboratory research to technical support.
Salary ranges from $9 to $16 per hour, and students may work up
to 20 hours a week to earn the money for which they are
eligible.
UCLA has set maximum wage cap for freshman and sophomores at
$2,500, and at $2,000 for juniors and seniors.
An exception is made for students placed in positions designated
by UCLA as community service. These students may petition for an
increase in eligibility to a maximum of $5,000.
Second-year pre-psychology student Wanna Sahachartsiri
considered taking a community service position through
BruinCorps.
Instead, she decided it was more convenient to work on-campus as
a clerk for the Deans Office for the Graduate School of Education
and Information Studies.
“My current work is nicely tailored to my skills,”
Sahachartsiri said.
She mentioned how her work requires her to be organized,
detail-oriented and comfortable in a fast-paced environment.
Another benefit to her job is that it accommodates her school
schedule. Also, it pays better than minimum wage.
Sahachartsiri receives $9 to $10 an hour, and, in compliance
with the new work-study policy, half of this money comes from her
employer.
Paniagua said the work-study office surveyed departments on
campus to gauge their reaction to being responsible for covering an
increased 10 percent of students’ wages, from 40 to 50
percent.
“They responded very favorably, as they understood the
climate we were facing (the loss of state funding),” Paniagua
said.
Unfortunately, not all departments were able to handle the new
50-50 split, when combined with other fiscal difficulties.
This year, the Royce Humanities Group was unable to rehire their
work-study employees.
“We used to have two students working at our front desk,
putting in a total of 20 hours a week,” said Raquel Escobar,
the front office manager.
These students used to run errands, distribute fliers, and do
high-end clerical work for 6 departments.
“Without their help, it has really been a stretch for us.
There are endless things to do,” Escobar said.
“The University really relies on student help. Work-study
is a strong backbone of campus.”