Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Welcome to student employment at Stephen F. Austin State University! Student Employment plays a vital role in both the professional and personal growth of our students. Regardless of your interests or background, you'll discover a work experiences that offers:
- Valuable learning experiences that complement your classroom education
- Financial support for your education, while also contributing positively to the SFA community
- Opportunities to network and build connections with faculty, staff, and fellow students
- Development of essential job and transferrable skills that prepare you for life after graduation and beyond
Student assistant and work-study student assistant positions are part time (less than 115 hours/month), hourly positions and are not benefits eligible. As a student assistant, you may not hold any other type of position such as a graduate assistantship or temporary casual employment at the same time that you are employed as a student assistant or work-study student assistant.
You can review and apply for open student assistant/work study positions by visiting the Careers@SFA website.
If you are applying for work study jobs, check with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to see if you are approved for Federal Work Study. Work study positions can only be filled with eligible students. Learn more at the Financial Aid Work-study web page.
Whether this is your first job ever or just your first job at SFA, we welcome you to the SFA Lumberjack family!
New Student Hiring Process
Congratulations on being offered a student assistant position!
Please visit the Human Resources (HR) office on campus as soon as possible to complete the hiring process.
Step 1: IDs to HR
See the List of Acceptable Documents for federal employment verification. Please bring your original, unexpired IDs/documents to the HR Office on campus. Provide HR your Student ID number, SFA email address and the name of the department for which you will be working. You must present IDs/documents that establish both your identity and employment authorization.
***HR cannot accept copies or expired documents/IDs.***
Step 2: Complete Onboarding
After you submit your IDs/documents, HR will send an email to your SFA email address with a list of tasks to be completed; this is onboarding. Complete each task, document or training included in the email from HR.
Step 3: Notify HR
As soon as you have completed onboarding, notify HR by calling 936-468-2304 or emailing hr@sfasu.edu (be sure to include your name and Student ID).
Step 4: Start Work
After being notified by you, HR will verify everything is complete and, if so, will email an electronic “Go Card” to your hiring department - check with your department for your official start date!
Training
- ASAP Training - Advancing Students As Professionals Training is an interactive and engaging look into the world of work. ASAP Training is mandatory for all new on-campus student employees and must be completed within 30 days of hire. For additional information on the ASAP Training, visit the Center for Career and Professional Development ASAP Training.
- FERPA Training - FERPA Training is a mandatory training for employees who have access to student records. Student assistants with access to student records will be required to complete this training annually.
Employment Verification
The Work Number© is our new service provider for Employment and Income Verifications!
The Human Resource Department no longer provides this service. All current and former employees who have separated from the university within the past three years should direct their lender and or requestor to our new self-serve option which is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for faster service. For former employees that left SFA more than three years ago, please email hr@sfasu.edu.
National Student Employee Appreciation Week: April 8-12, 2024
The National Student Employment Association designates one week each year for universities and colleges across the country to recognize, appreciate, and encourage student employees.
At SFA, over 1400 student employees are employed by the university. They play a key role in or educational, research, and operational excellence. Student employees perform invaluable services with enthusiasm, dedication, and initiative.
We would like to encourage departments to take the opportunity during National Student Employee Appreciation Week, and throughout the year, to thank their student employees and let them know that their efforts are valued.
Ways to Celebrate Student Employees
Low-Cost Ideas
- Treat Day – Full-time staff members buy treats or lunch for student workers.
- Treat Week – Each day bring something different – cookies, popcorn or candy.
- Photos – Take photos of student employees and post them along with a list of the wonderful things they do.
- Bookstore – Buy SFA gear for student employees.
- Notes Home – Send a note to the families of the student workers and let them know what the student does and how their work impacts the department.
- Blank Certificates – Make up silly awards for students like Best Telephone Voice or Best Web-Surfer.
- Friendship Plants – Take cuttings from a plant in the office and give to each student as a live “connection” to the office.
- Cookies – Students love cookies.
- Snack Goodie Bag – Fill it with small packs of popcorn, crackers, cookies, candy and chips.
- Healthy Meal – Provide food like crackers and cheese or spaghetti with ready-made sauce.
- Fruit – Keep a bowl of fresh fruit in the office.
- Gift Cards – Buy gift cards for popular fast-food restaurants like Subway, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s, or purchase tickets to the movies.
- Certificates of Appreciation – Make up certificates and have them framed.
- Cyber Cards – Send your students a free cyber card stating your appreciation.
Ideas that are Free
- Music – Let students pick music for the day.
- Role Reversal – Let your student employee be the boss for a day.
- In and out – Let your student employee choose to come in late or leave early one day.
- Awards Ceremony – Give out awards for unique categories such as Best Attendance, Best Computer Skills, Most Organized, and Best Customer Service.
- Thankful Paper – Have employees in the office pass around a paper with the student employee’s name on it and have them write what they like about the student employee, how they appreciate them and like having them on the team.
- Employee of the Month/Week/Great Idea Award/Gotcha Award – Name an honoree and make a presentation during Student Employment Week.
- Banner – Hang a banner of appreciation for a week in your office.
- Decorate – For a week, put something on the office bulletin board or the office door that recognizes the student employee.
- Home Cooking – There is nothing better than a home-cooked meal for a student.
- Thank You – A simple thank you always goes a long way.