In a world where everybody is working for the weekend, the workweek often seems monotonous. Daydreams start to encompass the mind, filling it with things, places and events far away from the office. Although this may be the case for a lot of people in the workforce, students at Elizabethtown College have a different approach.
“I wish I could work more,” first year Samuel Weaver said. “I typically work 15 to 20 hours a week in Dining Services, but that’s not as much as I would like.” Weaver and many other students are angered by the 20-hour limit enforced by the College. They do not think it is fair, especially with the financial pressure that comes with being a college student.
Senior Micah Aumen, having worked at the school in a variety of positions, is no stranger to the 20-hour limit. “I make sure to hit 20 hours every week,” Aumen said. He also explained that the College makes it very clear to new employees that they are not permitted to go over the allotted time.
Student employment coordinator Cheryl Way responded to some of the criticism by explaining why the limit is in place. “It was a senior staff decision,” Way said. “We want them to remember they are students first.” She also remarked that staff members are afraid that if they allow students to work too much it will interfere with their studies, which may not be so crazy. Even though students feel they are responsible adults capable of making their own decisions, there have been studies conducted by federal work surveys, which clearly indicate a drop in grades when work hours increase.
When asked about the issue of time management concerning more working hours. Aumen had a thought provoking idea. Instead of grouping everyone together and limiting all workers hours, maybe there could be opportunities for outstanding students to gain that coveted extra time on the clock. Promoting upperclassmen to management positions would seem ideal. Start with slowly increasing work hours, and once the students can prove that the increase will not affect their GPA, allow them to keep working. If the increased work starts to show a drop in grades, then simply bump them back to normal hours. This also provides incentives for entry-level employees, knowing that they could possibly be allotted more time if they work hard.
Etown’s limit is not much different from most other colleges. Boston University has the exact same limit for students. They even take it a step further and recommend that first years work no more than 12 hours a week. College is expensive, but why try to pay it off right now? It seems like a better idea to put those extra hours into studying and graduating with honors, so that a student’s future job, where most of their time will be spent, pays off.
The 20-hour limit is also a hidden preparation tool for when students get out into the work place. “It prepares us for the real world because not all employers pay overtime. It’s good practice to understand how to get work done in a limited amount of time,” Aumen said.
Although the student work limits are too harsh in some students’ opinions, the College is doing what is best for their future. It is no different than a student-athlete’s situation, where the student aspect is more important than the sport played. Grades come first and nothing that has the possibility of lowering a student’s full potential should be allowed.