Work study students left without jobs

This year, many Norwich students came back to school to find that they had no work-study. With no income and a lack of students available for work-study, some students and university departments have been negatively affected.

  "I didn't find out I lost work-study until I got back to Norwich," says Norwich student Craig, who requested to remain anonymous. "I was told I would have work-study all four years and coming back I assumed I would have it but I didn't."

He continued, "Having a work-study was definitely pretty important. Work-study was how I paid for gas, as well as being able to buy books."

Tracy Mingo, director of student financial planning, confirmed that there was a shortage of work-study dollars this academic year.

She explained that last year, the university had received additional federal money as part of the stimulus program. But that extra funding was not extended this year, she said.

And while the work-study money has held steady, minimum wage has increased, which means the work-study money is drawn down faster.

Compounding the problem has been the growth in enrollment on campus.

"We have more students vying for the same amount of money," Mingo said. "We only get so many dollars from the federal government."

Work-study jobs are handed out on a first-come first-serve basis, she said.

"It is a hard thing. We awarded it out as fairly as we can. We award until the money is gone, and then it's gone. And there's nothing we can do about that."

 Students have been forced to look for other means of employment on campus. But those non-work-study jobs are hard to find.

"I've been to Sodexo, Fac-Ops, and admissions and no one is hiring, or all they tell me is that they will look into it," says Craig.

When it comes to Norwich helping to find these students another means of employment, Craig says they "absolutely have not." He said that when it comes to jobs in the area, there is really nothing available.

As far as an explanation to why he lost his work-study, he says he was never told why. Craig says, "I feel like they are catering more toward underclassman and especially freshman."

Some university departments such as the Academic Achievements Center's Peer Tutoring Program are hurt by the decrease in work-study jobs.

Robert Ingham, coordinator of Specialized Student Services, said, "I am finding it harder to meet demand for peer tutoring support and stay within my budget. I am finding it much more difficult to recruit qualified tutors with work-study funding."

Ingham doesn't know why Norwich cut down on work-study students, but he says, "I believe that the decisions affecting the availability of work-study funding is more at the federal level."

"This program has a fixed budget from the university, which primarily goes to peer tutors who do not have work-study funding," Ingham says, "If the work-study funding were to be available, I could recruit more peer tutors and still stay within my budget."

 "I am not sure if it was the school that made this decision," Ingham says, "if it was a decision by Norwich University on its own, then I would agree that it was not a positive decision."

Mingo said that if a student threatens to drop out because of financial problems, her office works to help them out.

"We try to help them find alternative funding sources," she said. "But I can't manufacture dollars I don't have."