No Money for Work Study

This year has marked an overwhelming demand for work study positions at Providence College. Despite the demand, positions are no longer available, through the Feinstein Institute for Public Service as it is already overstaffed for off-campus work study positions for the spring 2010 semester. Many students who received work study financial aid were previously allowed to complete their work hours at off-campus sites, such as St. Pius School. 

“The amount [of money] budgeted for off-campus work study is nearly depleted,” said Raymond L. Sickinger, chair of the Feinstein Institute for Public Service. 

As a result, no more student workers will be accepted for off-campus positions, and no more pay will be available to those who are already staffed. 

“Any student who has worked for two or less pay periods during the fall semester will no longer be allowed to work off campus in the spring of 2010,” Sickinger said. 

The changes are due to pressing budget concerns, which may also cause a reduction in the number of work study awards that students will receive.

“Students who have been engaged in off-campus work study will only be able to work off campus for a very little period this spring semester because there is only a small amount left in the off-campus work study budget,” Sickinger said last week.

The budget depletion is due to a larger number of students partaking in work study and obtaining off-campus positions during the fall 2009 semester. 

One student, Ellen Dupuis ’10, described her situation last semester. 

“There weren’t jobs on campus and I was able to learn a lot working with a teacher at St. Pius and help her out, so it was a win-win situation,” she said.

Mike Killoy ’10 found an internship last semester that he was able to use for work study experience. 

“I did not know off-campus work study qualified until I already had the job, so it was a definite plus,” said Killoy. 

Originally, he was intending to work at his internship at the Public Defenders Office only a half day a week.

“But I ended up working about 12 hours because it was work study,” he said.

Unfortunately, many students are not having such luck now.

Apparently there were numerous situations like Killoy’s, which may have contributed to the budget depletion. 

“Normally we have some 50 to 60 students who are interested in doing off-campus [work], but that number was larger this year because the person responsible for processing application forms accepted too many for off-campus work study,” said Sickinger.

The Office of Financial Aid determines a student’s eligibility for a work study award and the given amount to be received. If a student is interested in fulfilling his or her award at an off-campus location rather than on campus, the position is overseen by the Feinstein Institute. 

“The College provides the Institute with a significant budget amount…approximately 82 percent of the budget for off-campus work study has been spent to date,” said Sickinger.  “In the future we will have to limit the number who work off campus so that this situation does not occur again.”

The work study changes only affect those with off-campus positions. A possibility still exists for acquiring an on-campus awarded job. Information on the availability of such positions can be obtained through the Office of Financial Aid.

On Monday, Feb. 1, the Feinstein Institute for Public Service sent out an additional e-mail which stated, “It is with great regret that we have to inform you that The Feinstein Institute Off Campus Work Study Budget has now been nearly depleted.”  According to the e-mail, the last day for all students to earn money for time spent at off-campus locations is now Tuesday, Feb. 10. 

“No one may work off campus for pay after February 10th, 2010, and any time sheet turned in after Friday, February 12th, will not be honored or processed,” Sickinger wrote in the e-mail.

Many students were outraged when they learned of the additional changes. 
“I was extremely upset when I received the e-mail today because this job is my only source of income when I am at school, and finding a replacement job is going to be very difficult,” said Casey Doyle ’10. 

Doyle has been working at St. Patrick’s Academy on Smith Street for the past two and a half years, and noted that off-campus study serves as an invaluable resource for the community.

“It is really sad that our community has let us down when so many students depend on these jobs and may now face financial struggles,” said Doyle.     

Given the tough financial times, students relying on income from work study positions are frustrated that their paid positions have been taken away from them with little notice. 
“Realistically how many jobs do they think are left on campus?” asked a frustrated Doyle. “I know of very few off-campus businesses who would like to hire a student who will only be here for another three months,” she said. 

Not only have the students been let down, but the local community will also suffer a loss of the much needed help that PC off-campus work study students were able to provide them. 

“When I have to inform my boss about this, I know she is going to lose it, as they are a private Catholic school with very little money to pay their teachers, let alone hire the extra help they need that we have provided as student workers,” Doyle said.