Crunching Numbers
Student employee Jessica Xu, 20, biology, guides Mona Hadi, 28, nursing, through her math homework at the Math and Science tutoring center.New modifications that will alter current Foothill-De Anza District student employment policies effective fall quarter may leave some employees and departments scrambling.
The district-wide policies are being executed in order to be in accordance with the California Code of Regulations and California Education Code regulations regarding restrictions of student employment, according to a memo from Rob Mieso, interim director of financial aid and scholarships
at De Anza College.
All student employees in the district must be full-time students who are enrolled in and maintain at least 12 units, instead of the previous half-time status requirement. Work-Study and Calworks students are exempt from the 12-unit rule and require only six completed units each quarter they work.
Student employees will be limited to working at most 19 hours per week, as opposed to 25 hours allowed under current policies.
Students hired for the summer sessions must be enrolled in at least six units for the summer quarter, or must be continuing their employment from the previous spring quarter.
“[These changes] will encourage students who consider working on campus to enroll full-time and give priority to their academics, and completing their course work,” Mieso said. “It may create some initial hardship for some students and programs, but overtime, I believe everyone will get used to the new policies and adjust accordingly.”
Students will not qualify for district employment if they have attempted more than 150 units.
“The maximum unit [cap] will not go into effect until fall in order to give students that have reached the maximum to make arrangements,” Mieso said.
All student employees must sustain a 2.0 quarterly GPA throughout the time they are employed.
“My thoughts are we should be in compliance with the rules. However, I hope the district finds ways to work within the rules while finding ways to support students,” said Daniel Dishno, occupation training institute supervisor for the district. “There are always ways to find solutions that are win-win.”
