Supervisor Manual

Student Employment Best Practices

This compilation of resources has been assembled by the Office of Career Services division of the Academic Success Center to assist supervisors in creating a welcoming, safe, inclusive, connected, cared for, and supportive environment for career development.

The ASC Mission: We are student-centered support, inspiring the college community to achieve academic success and engagement.


Career Services Mission: We engage students and alumni in developing skills and self-knowledge to lead meaningful professional lives. We engage employers and community members in providing career-focused developmental and employment opportunities.

Student Employee Onboarding Checklist

Targets: Student employees will…

  • Understand the value of experience gained in their employment
  • Explain the transferable skills gained in any workplace
  • View their work experience as beneficial to their professional development
  • Set and work toward SMART goals within their role
  • Have regular contact with their direct supervisor to address performance and goals

During the Search and Hiring Process

Departments will maintain an active profile on Handshake where they will post open positions.

  • This post should have a complete description of the job. It should include not only the duties but
    also the transferable skills that would be learned by taking on the position
  • The pay rate should be clearly listed and whether it is work-study only!
  • A range of dates for the position
  • Any preferred or required qualifications and experience should also be listed
  • *Best Practice* - require students to submit a resume, cover letter, and class schedule

On the First Day

  • Have someone from the department welcome the new staff member, show them their work area,
    and answer initial questions
  • Inform employees in the immediate area when a new staff member starts so they can greet them
    during their first shift
  • Determine the employee’s work schedule for at least the first week of employment

In the First Semester

  • Work with the employee to set SMART goals for their job to keep learning and improving
  • Encourage student to complete Title IX training requirements early
  • Check in with student employees at least once per week to check in on their progress and wellbeing

At the End of the Academic Year or End of Employment

  • Have a performance review session with the student to discuss progress in SMART goals and to
    review transferable skills gained
  • Seek feedback from the employee about the onboarding, goal setting, and evaluation process

Student Employment Deadlines and Payroll Information and Mach Forms

Links

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT 22-23 DATES

  • 8/17/23 – First Possible Day for Fall Temp Services (*requires Referral)
  • 8/17 – 8/25* – Work-Study students hired to start early/training must be paid with temp services (*requires 2 Referrals, one for TS and one for WS)
  • 8/24/23 – Last Day Summer Temp Service students can work
  • 8/25/23 – First Day Possible for Work-Study (Referral required)
  • 8/28/23– First Day of Classes!
  • 5/10/23 – Last Day students can work for 23-24 Academic Year

The Hiring Process

So, you’ve interviewed a student and decided to give them the job…now what?

  • Offer the position to the student (via phone, email, in-person), and allow student time to accept
  • Confirm additional information with the student to complete the Referral
    • Has student worked on-campus before as work-study or temp services? (not BASC,
      BCDC, BSG, or as a RA or GA)
    • If work-study verification should be made
    • 800#
    • Brockport email
    • Enrollment in classes – student employees must be enrolled in at least 1 credit hour to be eligible to be hired through Student Employment. For summer – student employees must be registered for a summer course or registered for fall courses (intention of returning).
    • Start date/schedule
      • Please note training/orientation should be paid and should be considered the first day work (if scheduled prior to students’ first day on job)
  • Change status of applicants in Handshake
  • Expire Job Posting if position has been filled
  • Submit a Student Employment Referral Mach form
    • Please complete referral accurately – any errors will result in processing causes delays
      • You will receive a submission receipt via email
    • Newly hired student will receive an automatic email (based on the email address you input) directing them to bring acceptable documents and come complete New Hire Paperwork in Student Employment/Career Services Office
      • If you select that the student was previously employed, the student will not receive an email to complete new hire paperwork (paperwork is already on file
    • *Best Practice* submit the referral several days before the student is expected to begin work/training to allow time for the student to receive the email from Student Employment, gather acceptable documents, and make an appointment in Handshake to complete paperwork
  • New Hire Paperwork completed by student
    • Students must come in with acceptable documents to complete new hire paperwork (I-9, W-4, IT-2104, Retirement Election Form, direct deposit form (if desired) with voided check included, NY state oath) BEFORE they start working (unless they have worked on-campus before and we have an I-9 on file for them)
    • Upon completing paperwork student will receive a green slip “GO” with our signature to bring back to supervisor as evidence that they can begin to work
      • Students are not allowed to begin working until new hire paperwork has been completed and the green slip has been provided to their supervisor
      • Students will receive a red slip “STOP” if they need to discontinue working until the acceptable documents have been provided.

Budget Tracking

As a supervisor, it is important that you keep track of the hours your students are working and ensure that student pay remains within the budget allotment.

Work Study Awards

  • Students are allotted a specific amount of work study per academic year, meant to be divided equally between the two semesters.
  • Work with the student to make sure their hours worked fall within the allotment. If they would like to work more, encourage students to reach out to Financial Aid to see if there is room to increase their award.
  • Make sure that new work study students are aware that work study will be paid to them as a normal paycheck and not as labor to pay back a tuition credit.

Temporary Services Budget

  • Note the total allotment for temporary services employment.
  • Ensure that if you hire a number of employees that work tasks and budget are divided evenly, this can be adjusted later based on student hour needs.
  • Each pay period, deduct from your allotment to keep track of remaining funds.

How-To Guides for Time and Attendance for Students & Student Supervisors are provided by the payroll office.

Hours Worked

With a set budget, students may only work the number of hours that their pay correlates to. Keep track of
student hours and have a conversation with them as necessary.

*Best Practice*

Make a spreadsheet for work study and temporary services funds. In this spreadsheet, you should include
the student, their allotment, the rate of pay, the total pay per period, and the deductions from their
allotment and your total budget.

Sample Tracking Spreadsheet

Pay Period Student 1 - Wage Rate: $13.20 Student 2 - Wage Rate: $13.20
12: 8/20/2020 - 9/2/2020 125 162.5
13: 9/3/202 - 9/16/2020  187.5 425
14: 9/17/2020 - 9/30/2020  325 425
15: 10/1/2020 - 10/14/2020  246.88 456.25
16: 10/15/2020 - 10/28/2020  187.5 481.25
17: 10/29/2020 - 11/11/2020  118.75 375
Total Fall 2023 Spent 2325.00 2325.00
Fall 2023 Work-Study Allocation $4,000.00 $4,500.00

 

Total Temp Services Allocation 2023 $10,000.00
TS Spent $11,970.01
TS Remaining -$1,970.01

 

Providing Career Development

How to Set Goals with Your Employee

  • Set up a meeting with the student to go over the components of a SMART goal
    • Is it Specific? The goal should be narrow to ensure effective planning.
    • Is it Measurable? Define what proves that progress is being made.
    • Is it Attainable? Is the goal reasonable to achieve in the time set?
    • Is it Relevant? Does the goal align with the student’s values and long-term objectives?
    • Is it Time-based? Set an end-date for task prioritization and motivation.
  • Check in frequently to evaluate progress and adjust as necessary.
  • Celebrate accomplishment of the SMART goal, and have the student reflect on their experience,
    and repeat.

Establish a Project List/Routine

A Physical Project List
  • Select an accessible place in the workspace
  • Create a chart that reflects the project description, supervisor to report to, timeframe for completion, and sign up
A Digital Project List
  • Using Teams or platform of choice, make sure the link is working and easily accessible – consider also having a QR code at student workspaces
  • Create a sign-up document that includes the project description, supervisor to report to, and timeframe for completion
A Routine
  • Using Teams or platform of choice, make sure the link is working and easily accessible – consider also having a QR code at student workspaces
  • Create a sign-up document that includes the project description, supervisor to report to, and timeframe for completion

 

Pre And Post Assessment

  • As part of student onboarding, conduct a pre-assessment of employee’s skills and comfort with job role. This should include data from existing staff members, and a self-evaluation of the student.
  • At the end of the academic year or term of employment, the same survey should be repeated to assess growth.
  • Use findings to guide the student toward their goals and to inform future training and supervisory practices.

Letters Of Reference

  • Be sure to prepare a letter of reference for the student employee.
  • This may be a teachable moment if they do not ask for one or are unsure how to do so. You could teach etiquette for the request as well as the importance of doing so. Be sure to highlight the transferable skills that will best serve the student in their long-term goals.

Establishing a Peer Mentor Program

Effective peer mentor programs require a significant investment of time and resources to develop and
manage. However, it will allow students to develop a stronger connection to the college community. They
will gain an understanding of how their job helps the department and others on campus. Students serving
as peer mentors will also enhance their leadership and communication skills.

Best Practices in Designing a Program

  • Allow at least 1 year to design and implement the program
  • Determine what purpose your program will serve. Are mentors orienting or supervising new student employees? Will they serve as formal mentors or informal mentors?
  • Define program parameters. Will all student staff participate or only a few? What will the selection criteria be? Is their participation for a set time or indefinite? Is their job to target specific skills or holistic support?
  • Set a budget, including peer mentor compensation and funding for training or events
  • Consider mentor: mentee ratios. Is the program going to be more of a 1-on-1 or a group setting?
  • Write job descriptions that specify the qualifications for peer mentors and expectations such as frequency and length of mentee interactions and reporting requirements
  • Identify what content mentors are expected to share with mentees. Some of it may be applicable to students in general, and some may be specific to the department or position
  • Develop policies and procedures, including expectations for both mentors and mentees, handling conflict or other issues, and how to end the mentoring relationship

Best Practices in Running a Program

  • Recruit peer mentors who are committed to the program and believe they can make a positive difference for mentees. Mentors should also have strong academic, communication, and interpersonal skills.
  • Provide training to mentors at the beginning of the program and throughout. Training should clarify the goals of the program, the role of the mentor, address effective communication, helping skills and diversity issues, and include anticipated needs of mentees and common issues mentors may face.
  • Consider making the final selection of peer mentors after some initial training to determine best fit.
  • Create a structured beginning to the mentor-mentee relationship such as an orientation or event.
  • Mark the end of the year or program with a celebration to help mentees reflect on their experience and recognize the efforts of mentors.
  • Develop an assessment plan to evaluate participant experiences and to improve the program over time using multiple measures of assessment including summative and formative evaluations.

Pre and Post Assessments

Performance Evaluation

Student Employee Exit Interview

Student Employee Offboarding Checklist

Resources

Laws & Policies That Guide Student Employment

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