Allocation Process
During the Fall term, the Labor Program Office will begin the allocation process on campus. Provided budgets and student enrollment support any increased adjustments in allocations. The Labor Program may solicit requests for labor positions for the upcoming summer and academic year. Department supervisors return a form stating whether they will need more, fewer, or the same number of positions as currently allocated. Requests for increases must be accompanied by an explanation of need. Preliminary calculations are performed by the Student Payroll Manager/Labor Program Accountant in consultation with the Dean of Labor who then convenes a committee (made up of the divisional VPs) to consider allocation requests/adjustments for the upcoming academic year.
The number of available positions is determined by anticipated enrollment and overall labor budget. The College attempts to maintain an even ratio of students to primary labor positions so that budgets can be easily managed and necessary positions can be filled. As such, additional positions cannot be allocated to one department without creating vacancies in another. For this reason, requests submitted after allocations are finalized are typically denied unless the case is truly exceptional.
Departments who identify new labor needs that cannot be accommodated through an increase in primary allocation may request a secondary allocation. Secondary allocations are easier to approve because they do not impact a student’s existing labor assignment; however, secondaries are not unlimited, as they affect the overall labor budget.
It is important to note that a portion of the total labor allocation is always reserved for community service-oriented positions. This is not only central to our mission, but a requirement of the Federal Work Study Programs (FWS Program and Work Colleges Program).
Budget
The budget for student labor direct scholarship payments typically exceeds $4.3 million. The scholarship payments were funded from the following sources:
| Federal Work Study Program |
25% |
| Federal Work Colleges Program |
46% |
| Industries Income |
8% |
| Institutional Funds |
8% |
| Other (e.g., agency-funded) |
3% |
| Student Fees |
10% |
A student labor budget is assigned to each department based on the number of students assigned and the hours required for each position; additional hours are budgeted for break periods and summer. Departments are expected to adhere to their budgets by ensuring that students do not consistently exceed the assigned hours budgeted for the position. There are features in place through the TRACY UltraTime system that assists supervisors in this task.
Labor Pool
Labor departments occasionally have short-term production or service needs that cannot be met by regular staff. For those instances, supervisors can hire students for one-time use for up to ten (10) hours through a designation called “labor pool.” This designation allows a student to continue their regular labor position without interruption while pursuing extra hours for a short period of time in another department. The Labor Program and Student Payments Office can assist in identifying students, which are paid out of the department’s regular budget at the labor pool rate of $10.00/hour. Supervisors wanting to use Labor Pool should contact the Labor Program Officer prior to working students.
Departments are encouraged to collaborate less formally by sharing students with similar skills to allow for times when one department has a heavier workload than another department. This type of work-sharing does not require additional paperwork, and hours should be reported as part of the student’s usual primary assignment.