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Student Employment Center (F-26)

Original Implementation: June 18, 1987
Last Revision: April 21, 2009

  1. Students seeking on-campus employment may visit the Student Employment Center (SEC) in the Counseling and Career Services Office or view on-line jobs located on the SEC (http://www.sfasu.edu/ccs/studentemp/findjob.htm) web site. Students need to contact the employing department to apply for each position.
  2. All students employed by the university are required to report to the SEC for verification of employment eligibility and payroll processing and E-Verify compliance on or before the first day of employment. It is the employing department's responsibility to instruct all new student workers to report to the SEC for paperwork processing before they begin work. Once the necessary employment forms (Student Employment Information Sheet, I-9 and W-4) have been completed, and a picture I.D. provided, the student may be authorized to work on campus. Students working College Work-Study positions must obtain a College Work Study Permit from the Financial Aid office each semester they intend to work. International Students must also provide Forms I-20 and I-94 as part of their student employment paperwork process.
  3. The hiring department will complete job assignments in the Oracle-based on-line student card system for all new hires. Rate changes and new account assignments can be completed within the on-line system as well. The check of approval levels 1 & 2 in the on-line student card system verifies that the supervisor or department head has determined that sufficient funds are available for payment of wages. Terminations are made using the Disable Administrative Account Request form at URL https://apache.sfasu.edu/par/.

    4. Any department still using the physical card system should contact Student Employment for conversion and training.

  4. In the fall and spring semesters, student employees of the university will be restricted to no more than twenty (20) hours of work per week, unless approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee, as indicated on the Departmental Approval to Work More Than 20 Hours form. This form may be obtained from the SEC office or website. To be eligible for on-campus employment during the fall or spring semesters as a student worker (either a student assistant or work study), a student must carry six (6) or more semester hours. It is the employing department's responsibility to ensure that student employees are enrolled for the required number of semester hours. SFA student workers enrolled for 1-5 academic hours must be approved by the Dean of Student Affairs, as indicated on the Departmental Approval to Work While Enrolled for Fewer Than 6 Hours form. This form may be obtained from the Student Employment Center website or office.
  5. During the summer, students employed as either student assistants or work study employees, and who are enrolled for three (3) or more hours of coursework, may not work more than twenty (20) hours per week, unless they receive proper authorization as instructed in section 4. It is the employing department's responsibility to ensure that student employees are enrolled for the required number of semester hours.

    6. Those students who do not attend school in the summer but have a reasonable expectation of being enrolled as SFASU students in the upcoming fall semester are eligible for student assistant employment up to forty (40) hours per week in the summer. Reasonable expectation for a new student would include being accepted by the Office of Admissions.

  6. Departments may determine CWS/Student Assistant pay rates according to the following five position grades. Pay ranges are determined by the student's level of experience and skill. Students must always be paid at or above the federal minimum wage rate. Use the pay grade guide below to determine what amount to pay your student worker and also see our Suggested Pay Range.
    1. Grade 1. Student work requiring no previous training or experience; duties can be learned readily under proper supervision; work may relate directly to the academic program of the University or to the maintenance of facilities and services. (Example: office clerks, sales clerks, service personnel).
    2. Grade 2. Student work requiring some college course work, related experience and/or technical training; continuing supervision not required; positions concerned directly with the academic program of the University requiring completion of some academic work for the position. (Example: typists, stenographers, student craftsmen, student graders)
    3. Grade 3. Student work requiring the supervision or counseling of other students; ordinarily requiring the skills, training, and judgment essential for the adequate supervision of others working in the maintenance or academic functions of the university. (Example: full supervision of student work, supervisors of facilities, services, or personnel)
    4. Grade 4. Student work requiring such professional or technical skills that only advanced students may perform such duties. Position Grade 4 work cannot be performed by students in other position grade classifications.
    5. Grade 5. For student employment not meeting the above four pay grade specifications the department should contact the Student Employment Center.
  7. Job openings requiring services of Stephen F. Austin State University students should be placed with the SEC through the Jobs4Jacks website (http://www.sfasu.edu/ccs/careerservices/jobs4jacks.asp ) and/or the employing department for at least three (3) business days before the employing department recommends appointment of a candidate to fill the opening. Departments may choose to place job postings on their departmental bulletin board in addition to the initial/original posting with SEC. It is the employing department's responsibility to ensure that student job openings are listed for the required number of business days. It is also the employing department’s responsibility to notify the SEC immediately when the job is filled.

    8. If an employment emergency occurs requiring the immediate services of a student worker, the three-day posting requirement can be waived. The employing department must contact the SEC the next business day after the emergency occurred and provide documentation justifying the emergency. Lack of planning is not justifiable cause for an exception to the three-day posting requirement.

  8. College Work-Study (CWS) is a federally-funded program designed to provide financial aid to those students choosing to earn a portion of their educational expenses. The Student Financial Aid Office determines the student's eligibility for CWS employment in accordance with established federal guidelines. Departments' allocated CWS funds should be aware of the following procedures:
    1. The College Work-Study Program is a form of student employment and is therefore subject to the conditions outlined above.
    2. To be eligible for the CWS program, the student must first complete the financial aid application for need-based aid by the established deadline. If the results of the need analysis indicate the student is eligible for CWS, and the student expresses an interest in the program, the Financial Aid Office will make the award accordingly.
    3. The student must reapply for CWS each academic year. If the student wishes to be employed through the CWS program in the summer, he/she must request that the Financial Aid Office review his/her file for eligibility in the preceding spring semester.
    4. Before beginning employment, each student must present to the employing department a "Work-Study Permit" secured from the Financial Aid Office. The permit will indicate the maximum amount of money the student may earn for a given period of employment by the university on a college work-study account. It is important to note that this amount is the maximum amount that can be paid from a CWS budget. It is the employing department's responsibility to control the hours worked by the CWS personnel to be absolutely certain that the student does not earn more than the amount of money allowed from CWS funds.

      5. Once the student has earned the amount of his/her CWS award, the department must terminate the student from their CWS account. At that time the department may choose to either pay the student worker out of their departmental account as a “student assistant” or terminate the student worker.

      It is recommended that departments do not employ CWS students on their CWS and department accounts simultaneously. They should first exhaust their CWS allotment funds and then appoint the student to their departmental account.

    5. A fall "Work-Study Permit" allows the student to work from August through December. A spring "Work-Study Permit" allows the student to work from January through May. A summer "Work-Study Permit" allows the student to work from May through August. (The division between the summer sessions is determined by the university's summer calendar.) Exact dates vary from year to year and are determined by the Student Financial Aid Office.
    6. All time sheets for CWS employees must be signed by the student and the employing department head or authorized personnel.
    7. If questions arise concerning the College Work-Study Program, call the Financial Aid Office at 936-468-2403.

Foreign Students:

The Department of Homeland Security permits foreign students to be employed under the same regulations as students who are US citizens. Questions about documentation and identification requirements can be answered through the SEC at 936-468-6637.

Graduate Assistantships:

Employment authorization and processing goes through the Human Resources office.

Nepotism:

University policy regarding nepotism applies to student employment. (See Nepotism policy.)

Cross Reference:Nepotism, Policy E-33; Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 8 U.S.C. § 1101 et seq., 42 U.S.C. § 2751 et seq.

Responsible for Implementation: Vice President for University Affairs

Contact for Revision: Director of Counseling and Career Services

Forms: Oracle On-line Student Employment Authorization Form (issued by the SEC), College Work Study Permit (issued by Financial Aid), Departmental Approval to Work More Than 20 Hours (issued by the SEC), Departmental Approval to Work While Enrolled for Fewer than 6 hours (issued by SEC), Student Employment Information Sheet (issued by the SEC), I-9 Form (issued by the SEC), W-4 Form (issued by the SEC).