Revised: 05/11/2011

Student Employment Procedures UPPS No. 07.07.03

Issue No. 8

Effective Date: 07/15/2009

Review: July 1 E3Y

01. POLICY STATEMENTS

01.01 This UPPS provides an organized procedure whereby: (a) students seeking part-time employment; and (b) the respective departments and offices of Texas State University-San Marcos seeking part-time student employees will receive maximum benefits from the Student Employment Program.

01.02 Specific objectives of the student employment policy are to:

a. provide information to both the student and the employing university department;  

b. ensure compliance with state and university regulations, policies, and guidelines; and

c. complement and strengthen the educational program and support the educational goals of the student.

02. DEFINITIONS

02.01 Student Employee Titles and Descriptions:

a. Undergraduate Instructional Assistants are employed by an academic department and paid from faculty salaries, but are not reported as the "Teacher of Record." Undergraduate instructional assistants are responsible for a specific group of students and assign some portion of these same students' grades. Additional Texas State requirements include enrollment in six semester credit hours (SCH) in an undergraduate degree program (except for the final semester of enrollment), classification as an undergraduate student, and teaching duties. They are appointed via a Personnel Change Request (PCR) and paid an hourly rate on a semi-monthly basis from approved time entry.

b. Regular Wage Student Employees are student workers who do not meet the criteria for undergraduate instructional assistants and are not paid from federal or state Work Study funds. They are appointed via PCR and paid an hourly rate on a semi-monthly basis from approved time entry.

c. Work Study Student Employees are any student workers who do not meet the criteria for undergraduate instructional assistants and are paid from federal or state Work Study funds. They are appointed via PCR and paid an hourly rate on a semi-monthly basis from approved time entry.

02.02 Account Manager is either the account manager or a designee.

03. Non-Discrimination

03.01 Texas State University-San Marcos will not discriminate against any person in employment or exclude any person from participating in or receiving the benefits of any of its activities or programs on any basis prohibited by law, including race, color, age, national origin, religion, sex or disability, veterans’ status, or on the basis of sexual orientation. Equal employment opportunities shall include: personnel transactions of recruitment, employment, training, upgrading, promotion, demotion, termination, and salary.

04. PROCEDURES FOR HIRING A STUDENT EMPLOYEE

04.01 Posting Vacant Positions

Account managers will post their jobs and vacancies on the Career Services Web site.

04.02 Hiring Decisions

In all cases, the account manager will decide who is hired according to the position’s qualifications and standards.

04.03 Appointment and Related Forms

a. For all student employee appointments, the account manager must forward a PCR and the required support paperwork to the Human Resources-Master Data Center (HR-MDC). Instructions and forms are provided at the following link: http://www.hr.txstate.edu/hrmasterdatacenter.html.

a. If paid from federal or state Work Study funds, the student will complete the Work Study Eligibility Letter and forward to Financial Aid and Scholarships (FAS) and the account manager will send the PCR to the HR-MDC.

b. HR-MDC will not process the student appointment until the student submits all required paperwork. It is the account manager’s responsibility to ensure required paperwork is completed and submitted to the HR-MDC by published deadlines.

c. In all cases, students with an hourly appointment cannot hold a monthly, salaried appointment at the same time.

04.04 Pay Rates and Budgets

a. Each of the job titles identified in Section 02.01 is paid in accordance with the pay schedule as shown in the University Pay Plan. Within that plan, the account manager will establish the hourly rate at which the student will be paid based on the student’s prior experience and degree of skill or training. The appropriate university vice president must approve any rate above the designated pay schedule limit for student workers.

b. The account manager will ensure that the departmental budget contains sufficient student wage funds to pay student employees hired on “regular student wages.”

c. For students hired on the Work Study program, the account manager will budget funds for the appropriate percentage of matching funds, as designated annually by President’s Cabinet for budget accounts with fund 20200010XX and above.

d. Career Services will provide the President's Cabinet with an annual report reflecting the student's name, division and hourly wage rate for those student employees paid on the October payroll at a rate higher than the designated pay schedule limit.

e. The overtime provisions in UPPS No. 04.04.16, Overtime and Compensatory Time Policy, apply to student employment.

f. If a student has multiple positions, the responsibility for overtime payment is prorated based on the number of hours worked in each appointment during the week in which the overtime occurred.

g. The account manager may not use Work Study funds to pay overtime. The responsible department is allocated overtime pay from a designated account by the account manager.

04.05 Eligibility for Employment

a. Regular Wage student employees must enroll for at least six semester credit hours in the fall and spring semesters unless the student is in the last semester of enrollment. During summer sessions and mini sessions, enrollment is not required and the student may work a maximum of forty hours per week with the stipulation that they are enrolled in a minimum of six semester credit hours in the following fall semester. The appropriate university vice president will address exceptions on an individual basis. If employing a graduate level student as an hourly student employee, the student is required to be enrolled in nine semester credit hours unless the student is in the last semester of enrollment.

b. Student employees on work study must always enroll for at least six semester credit hours in the fall and spring semesters to retain eligibility for Work Study funds. They must complete a total of six semester hours within the summer sessions and mini session to retain eligibility for Work Study funds. Financial Aid and Scholarships will notify the student if eligibility could be in jeopardy should enrollment fall below six semester credit hours.

c. Eligible students are normally awarded federal or state Work Study funds for the nine-month academic year (fall and spring semesters) or summer sessions. The award period, as well as the amount, is reflected on the student’s My Awards page at My Financial Aid (CatsWeb http://catsweb.txstate.edu/catsweb/index.htm). From this page, the student must complete the Work-Study Eligibility Notification, present it to the employing department, and submit it to FAS before beginning work. One-half of the award is for the fall semester and one-half is for the spring semester unless otherwise indicated on My Financial Aid. The student can transfer one-half of fall semester award balances to the spring semester award. A summer federal or state Work Study award is separate from fall or spring. To apply for summer work-study funds, a student must, in addition to having a current year FAFSA on with FAS, complete a Summer Financial Aid Application, which requires a new Work Study Eligibility Notification. Summer session I balances can transfer to summer session II.

04.06 Continuous Employment

a. Once appointed via a PCR, the account manager needs to perform no action on student employees continuing employment in the same position unless there is a break in service. A break in employment is a full fall, spring, summer I, or summer II semester.

b. Students that do not work summer I and II require a separation PCR. The account manager must complete a separation PCR as soon as the last working day is confirmed.

c. If the student worked in the spring and will return to work in the fall, the account manager should process a rehire PCR. It is recommended that departments submit the rehire PCR as soon as the start date and funding information is known for the fall semester.

04.07 Separating Employees

a. The account manager will complete and submit a PCR to the HR-MDC whenever a student either voluntarily resigns or is terminated.

b. The account manager will make all separations effective the last day the student actually worked.

05. MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WORK HOURS FOR A STUDENT EMPLOYEE

05.01 During Class Sessions

Student employees are limited to an average of twenty-five hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. The appropriate vice president must approve any hours worked in excess of twenty-five hours per week. International students on F-1 or J-2 visas are limited to an average of twenty hours per week. Violations will jeopardize the student’s visa status.

05.02 During University Breaks

During university breaks (when classes are not in session), student employees can work a maximum of forty hours per week if otherwise eligible. International students are entitled to one annual vacation period each year (typically the summer) and they may work up to forty hours per week during that time.

06. TIME REPORTS AND PAY DISTRIBUTION

06.01 Record Keeping Procedures

The account manager will train student employees on timekeeping procedures to comply with one of the processes listed below. The student must submit hours worked according to the schedule outlined in the Payroll and Tax Compliance Office memorandum distributed prior to September 1 of each year.

a. The student may enter time via the HR Timekeeping System for approval by the immediate supervisor. Entries are “saved and released” at the end of each work week. Supervisors are responsible for approving time entries to meet the published deadlines from the Payroll and Tax Compliance Office.

b. The student may record time on a Semi-Monthly Time Report signed by the employee and immediate supervisor, and entered into the HR Timekeeping System by the departmental time administrator. Current time report forms are available on the HR Web site. The time administrator must complete entry by the Payroll and Tax Compliance Office’s published deadlines.

06.02 Pay Distribution

a. All university payments are sent electronically via ACH or direct deposit unless the employee elects in writing to receive payment by check. Any employee that does not wish to participate in direct deposit should visit the Payroll and Tax Compliance Office to complete the required paperwork. The Payroll and Tax Compliance Office will transmit payroll according to its published dates.

b. Students may view their detailed pay statement via Employee Self Service in the HR Timekeeping System. Instructions are available on the Payroll and Tax Compliance Office Web site.

07. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

07.01 Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

Position Date

Director, Career Services July 1 E3Y

Director, Human Resources July 1 E3Y

Director, Payroll and Tax Compliance July 1 E3Y

Director, Financial Aid and July 1 E3Y

Scholarships

Chief Diversity Officer and July 1 E3Y

Director, Equity and Access

Director, Faculty Records July 1 E3Y

08. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Director of Career Services; senior reviewer of this UPPS

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs

Vice President for Student Affairs

President