Student Employment Program Guidelines

The purpose of the Augustana Student Employment Program is to provide an on-campus working opportunity to earn money and assist with educational expenses. The program also provides the student with a meaningful and rewarding work experience that contributes to the excellence of the Augustana Community. Augustana employs over 800 students during the regular academic year and 100 students during the summer. Each student employee plays an essential role in helping Augustana University to perform its day-to-day operations. 

The Augustana Student Employment Program is split into two categories. Some students are paid from institutional or departmental funds. These students are not required to qualify for Federal Work Study. 

Other students are paid by the Federal Work-Study Program. The intention of this federal program is to give qualified students the opportunity to work in order to help pay for their studies. Students applying for work-study positions must meet the work-study qualification requirements. Students who are qualified for this type of funding will be contacted by the Financial Aid Office before their first year at Augustana to discuss eligibility and requirements. 

Students who hope to receive federal work-study funding must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and qualify for the Federal Work-Study Program. This program is considered a type of federal financial aid and is included in the student’s Financial Aid Award. Students who qualify for this program have a portion of their Augustana wages funded by the federal government.

If a student does not qualify for the Federal Work-Study Program, they may be employed by Augustana University with institutionally-funded student employment dollars. Departments using institutional student employment dollars are required to obtain approval before using institutional student employment funds. Other than federal aid eligibility, all guidelines, processes, and policies for students being paid through institutional funding are the same as those for students being paid with Federal Work-Study funds.

The Federal Work-Study Program is administered by the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office allocates each department a specific dollar amount that is to be used for student employment for the year as budgeted through the annual planning process. Each department supervisor, in cooperation with the department coordinator, is responsible for overseeing their student employment budget expenditures. The Human Resources Office and the Business Office work together to administer institutionally-funded student employment programs. 

The Augustana Student Employment Program is administered by the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office allocates each department a specific dollar amount that is to be used for student employment for the year as budgeted through the annual planning process. Each department supervisor, in cooperation with the department coordinator, is responsible for overseeing their student employment budget expenditures.

New and Incoming Students

New and incoming students are offered federal work-study as part of their Financial Aid Award for the academic year. Students may begin applying for on-campus positions as soon as they have access to Augie Opportunities.

All first-time student employees, regardless of the type of funding they are receiving, must complete pre-employment paperwork including an I-9 and a W-4. The Human Resources Office will send a notice via email to students who need to complete this step. Students who do not complete this step before beginning work will be asked to stop working. 

Continuing Students

At the beginning of the spring semester, department coordinators are asked to identify the continuing students whom they would like to have return as employees for the upcoming academic year. The coordinator is asked to visit with their current student employees to identify those students who are interested in continuing their employment in that department. If a student and coordinator are in agreement, the coordinator will include the student's name on the student request list that will be returned to the Financial Aid Office.

If the student would prefer to work in a department other than their current department for the upcoming academic year, the student is advised to notify their current coordinator of this decision. It is then the student’s responsibility to apply on Augie Opportunities. 

Continuing students who are interested in working in a new department but who cannot identify a new job placement have the option of completing an Employment Inquiry Form and submitting it to the Financial Aid Office. This form allows the student to be placed on a waiting list. Continuing students who are on the waiting list will be placed in open positions for the subsequent year once all incoming freshmen have been placed.

Federal work-study student employees will receive access to a Student Employment Assignment Form on the student portal notifying them of their job placement for the year. The Assignment Form includes the name of the department coordinator along with contact information. It also contains information regarding the student’s wage rate, the total amount they may earn, and the average number of hours they should work each week in order to earn the entire amount awarded. This average number of hours per week should be maintained to ensure that the student does not reach their maximum dollar amount before the end of the school year. 

All student employment earnings (regardless of the type of funding received) must be reported when filing Federal Income Tax forms. Each student employee will receive a Form W-2 from the Augustana University Business Office in January. The Form W-2 will indicate the employee’s total earnings from the previous calendar year. 

While enrolled at Augustana, a student’s priority should be their academic pursuits. Therefore, the recommended number of hours a student may work during the academic year (September through May) is 20 per week in any one position, or combination of positions, on campus. Students may not work during their regularly scheduled class times.

During the summer months, students who are not enrolled in classes but are intending to be enrolled for the upcoming fall semester at Augustana may be eligible for employment of up to 40 hours per week; this is an absolute maximum.

Students working in multiple positions on campus, regardless of the funding source, may not exceed 40 hours per week. Overtime pay is not authorized for student employment. If a situation arises where a student must work more than 40 hours in a single week in order to fulfill a specific department need, any hours over 40 will be paid through that department’s operating budget.

All students are paid at least the South Dakota state minimum wage, with some students being paid more depending on the position or years of experience. Pay rates above minimum wage are at the discretion of the department coordinator. The coordinator is required to maintain documentation that supports any differences in pay among student employees.

Students’ time sheets are accessible through the student portal. Special attention to accuracy must be given when completing time sheets because they may be subject to an annual federal audit. 

Time sheets are designed to report hours for a two-week time frame. Each time sheet should be maintained on a day-by-day basis to accurately record the number of hours worked. It is unlawful to report hours for a time period that a student did not work. In addition, hours should not be reported on the time sheet in advance to be worked at a later date, nor should a student’s hours be ‘banked’ or stored to be reported and paid at a later time.

Each time sheet must be approved by the authorized personnel in each department or area, typically the department coordinator.

Students and coordinators are notified of the time sheet due dates at the beginning of employment. Coordinators will be notified if a change to the due date is necessary because of a holiday or break period. As a rule, time sheets are due in the Business Office no later than 5:00 P.M. on the Monday following the close of a pay period. It is the responsibility of the coordinator to submit time sheets by the due date. Failure to submit time sheets by the due date will delay the student's paycheck by two weeks. Time sheets that are submitted more than 30 days after the due date will be paid through the department’s operating funds. In addition, timesheets that are submitted after the end of the academic year, summer term, or June 30th federal fiscal year, have no grace period and will be paid out of department operating funds.

Augustana University pays all students through direct deposit directly into their bank accounts. Students may complete a Direct Deposit Form available on the Student Portal at my.augie.edu or stop by the Business Office for assistance.

Direct Deposit allows funds to be automatically deposited into the student's designated bank account and made available on payday. This eliminates the time, postage, and hassle of endorsing and mailing a check to the student's bank. If a student switches banks or bank accounts at any time, they will need to notify the Business Office so the funds can be rerouted.

Each student will be given the opportunity to work his/her awarded hours in the department to which he/she has been assigned. The student and the coordinator will collaborate to develop a work schedule that is compatible with the student’s class and study schedule. 

The coordinators depend on student employees to perform the necessary functions within their departments. If a student needs to request time off, the request must be approved in advance by the coordinator. Any unexcused absences or tardiness will be handled according to the policies established by each department. 

Conflicts should, whenever possible, be resolved between the coordinator and the student. If the student feels unable to approach their coordinator, the grievance may be taken to the Program Administrator in the Financial Aid Office.

If the student is dissatisfied with the coordinator’s response, the student may take the grievance to the Program Administrator in the Financial Aid Office. The Program Administrator will require the student to identify the problem in detail and will contact the coordinator for a written response. On the basis of this information and any other information that the Program Administrator deems pertinent, the Program Administrator will render a decision. This decision will be given to the student in writing and a written copy of the decision and its basis will be kept by the Program Administrator and shared with the coordinator.

If the student or the coordinator is dissatisfied with the decision regarding the grievance rendered by the Program Administrator, either may appeal the decision to the Director of Financial Aid. The appeal should be in writing and must indicate why an appeal should be heard. The Program Administrator will provide the Director with a written record of the grievance procedure at that time. The grievance shall be reviewed and the appeal considered. The decision made by the Director of Financial Aid shall be final.

Termination Procedures

The Program Administrator will terminate a student employee only after careful consideration of all factors involved. Reasons for termination of student employment typically fall under two categories:
1. The student has earned their total student employment award, or
2. The student has demonstrated unsatisfactory performance. 

Earned Total Reward

Each department coordinator will be notified biweekly of the amount each student in their department has earned during that pay period and the percent of the initial award remaining. The Financial Aid Office also monitors the biweekly report and will send notification to any student and the student’s department coordinator when the student is nearing the end of their student employment award. The department coordinator is responsible for adjusting the student's work schedule to prevent the student from working more hours than they are eligible to earn. At the time the student earns their total award, the Financial Aid Office will notify the student. The coordinator of the student's termination and the department coordinator will no longer receive time sheets for that student.

Unsatisfactory Performance

The coordinator should make very clear to each of their student employees exactly what is expected of them regarding work performance, responsibility, and other departmental policies. A written job description for each position must be on file in the Financial Aid Office and a copy provided to the student. A copy of the departmental policies should also be made available to each student at the beginning of employment.

If a coordinator becomes aware of a student demonstrating unsatisfactory performance, the coordinator should take the following steps.

Step One: At the onset of a problem, the coordinator should discuss the situation with the student and establish specific criteria on which the student should improve. This initial conversation should be documented by the coordinator. At this time, the coordinator should schedule a follow-up visit with the student to assess the improvement in work performance.

Step Two: If no improvement is shown, a written warning will be given to the student with a copy sent to the Program Administrator in the Financial Aid Office. This written warning should indicate a time frame and the specific actions the student must take to comply with the required improvements.

Step Three: If there is no improvement after the indicated time frame or if the student takes no action to comply, the coordinator will recommend to the Program Administrator that the student be dismissed from the position. Once a student has been dismissed due to unsatisfactory performance, the student will not be placed in another department for the current year. The termination will be documented in the student’s file.

In order to be assigned to a department as a student employee for a subsequent award year, the student is required to provide the Program Administrator with written justification as to why they would like to resume working as a student employee and what they have learned as a result of the termination. Upon approval of the written petition, the Program Administrator will work with the student to identify an open position on campus.

No-Shows

A student forfeits their employment if three shifts are missed without prior approval from the coordinator and/or no communication from the student. Coordinators will keep copies of their attempted communication with the student. The student may not reinstate student employment for that award year and must make arrangements with the Program Administrator to receive student employment for any subsequent years.

Grounds for Immediate Termination

There are certain instances in which the termination procedures may not be followed and a student is immediately terminated. These instances include but are not limited to: falsifying time sheets, alcohol/drug use while working, assault, and theft or vandalism of campus property. 

Sexual Harassment Policy

In order to maintain a positive, discrimination-free educational and work environment, Augustana University declares that sexual harassment in the workplace or the educational environment is unacceptable and therefore prohibited. The Student Employment Program follows the Sexual Harassment Policy as defined in the Student Handbook. 

The Augustana Student Success Center maintains a listing of part-time job openings in the Sioux Falls area. This service is provided expressly for Augustana students who are seeking off-campus employment. Augustana students are welcome to access this information at any time to obtain information regarding off-campus employment. Augustana University does not assume responsibility for the openings listed nor is employment guaranteed through this resource.

Mid-Year Transfer Procedures
Once a student has accepted student employment, they should continue in the assigned position until their authorized award amount is earned. If a student feels the need to change departments, the student should discuss the reasons for wanting a transfer with their current coordinator and the Program Administrator in the Financial Aid Office. If no other alternative can be found, the student will be allowed to change positions, pending any available positions. However, the student will not be considered for a transfer until the situation has been discussed with their current coordinator and the coordinator has informed the Program Administrator that the discussion has taken place. 

Subsequent Year Transfer Procedures
The student should notify their current coordinator that they will not be returning to that department for the subsequent year. 

Declining Award or Reducing Hours

A student who decides to decline a student employment award or reduce the number of hours assigned per week must first notify their coordinator. Once the coordinator is aware of these intentions, the coordinator will assist the student in completing the necessary paperwork in order for the change to take place. Declining or reducing an employment award will result in a decrease in the overall financial aid package. Loan or grant funds are not available to replace declined or reduced student employment funds.

Summer Employment

These positions are funded through the Federal College Work-Study Program. A student must complete a FAFSA for the subsequent year in order to determine eligibility. Eligible students must also plan on enrolling full-time at Augustana for the fall term. If a student is not enrolled for the fall term, they must be enrolled in summer courses for the period they are working.

Per federal regulations, any dollars earned working through the Federal College Work-Study Program during the summer must be considered as a resource when determining financial aid for the fall semester. Each student is notified, prior to beginning employment, of the effect their summer earnings may have on the amount of financial aid they are eligible to receive for the subsequent year. The student is notified again after their summer employment has ended of the actual effect their summer earnings had on their eligibility for financial aid.

The University may opt to provide discounts on specific services it provides to summer student employees. Any discount on services provided are considered taxable earnings with any applicable taxes withheld from biweekly paychecks. These discounts will be advertised along with notifications of summer employment openings. Summer employees are limited to the number of hours they are eligible to work during the summer months. Refer to the section on “Limitation of Hours” in this guide for more information.

On-The-Job Injuries
Any student who is injured while working as an employee of the Augustana Student Employment Program is covered under the University's worker's compensation insurance policy. If injured, the student has three days to notify the Human Resources Department of the incident. Upon approval, the claim is processed and 100% of the medical expenses may be covered. If the incident is not reported within three days of occurring, it will not be covered under the University's insurance policy.

Absences
Any student who is unable to report to regularly scheduled work assignments due to an emergency is expected to notify their coordinator immediately. In nonemergency situations, students are expected to notify their coordinator in advance.

Dress Code
Each department has established dress standards appropriate for the location, season, and type of work to be performed. A student employee is expected to comply with his/her department's policy.

Drug and Alcohol Use
The use of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs while working on campus is absolutely forbidden and will result in immediate termination.

Unearned Employment Awards
If a student does not work his/her entire student employment award, the unearned amount is forfeited. Unearned award amounts are not carried forward to future employment periods under any circumstance.

Holidays and Break Periods
Students are not normally required to work during holidays and break periods. However, students working in certain areas may be requested to work during these periods. The department coordinators will notify students regarding what is expected during these situations.

Evenings and Weekends
Some departments require students to work evenings and weekends. Department coordinators will notify students regarding what is required during these times.

Semesters Away from Campus
Employment awards made to students who plan to spend a semester away from campus will be prorated so that the students' awards reflect one semester of intended earnings. Examples of this situation include study abroad and student teaching. At the discretion of the department coordinator, a student may work during a semester of student teaching if he/she will be on campus during that semester.