Allocation of Students

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:

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.

Flexible Support Team

Departments sometimes have short-term production or service needs that their regular student team cannot meet. Supervisors may request temporary support through the Flexible Support Team designation in these cases. This option allows students to work up to ten (10) additional hours in another department for a short period while continuing their regular labor position without interruption. Students on the Flexible Support Team are paid from the department’s regular budget at $10.50/hour. Supervisors interested in using the Flexible Support Team should contact the Program Office before scheduling students for work.

Departments are also encouraged to collaborate informally by sharing students with similar skills during periods of heavier workload. This type of work-sharing does not require additional paperwork, and hours are reported under the student’s regular primary assignment