Student Employee Orientation

We are delighted to have you join us as a student employee with Messiah College!  In accepting this position, you have assumed certain rights and responsibilities for which you will be held accountable. 

Please review the policies and procedures outlined below so that you may have a clear understanding of what is expected of you as a student-employee.

Student Employee Rights & Responsibilities

Your RIGHTS as a student employee:

• To be treated fairly and equitably by your supervisor and Messiah College.
• To know what is expected of you concerning your work schedule, duties, and other requirements made by the supervisor.
• To be informed about your work performance through verbal communication and performance evaluations.

Your RESPONSIBILITIES as a student employee:

As a student employee, you make a commitment to Messiah College and your hiring manager that you will perform your job duties assigned to you to the best of your abilities. Student employee positions are real jobs and should be treated as such. Consider your job an opportunity for professional development and an excellent occasion for you to build skills outside the classroom. In addition, your department supervisor can later serve as an employment reference.

ATTENDANCE and WORK SCHEDULES

Student are hired as part-time, temporary employees and should be scheduled as such.  We rely on the management skills of supervisors and the good judgment of student employees to take all factors into consideration when establishing work schedules.  Supervisors and students should insure that academic pursuits remain the top priority.

• No student employee can work during time scheduled for class or more than 20 hours per week during the academic year.
• Report to work on time when you are scheduled to work and let your supervisor know when you arrive for work.
• If you need to miss work for any reason, request permission from your supervisor in advance.
• In case of an emergency, contact your supervisor as soon as you know you will miss work.
• Making up time for excused absences is at the discretion of the supervisors.

ATTITUDE

• Supervisors count on student employees to work and need for you to act in a professional manner concerning all aspects of your work.
• Always perform your assigned duties to the best of your ability.
• Listen carefully to what others are saying.
• Give clear and polite responses to:
• Other students
• Messiah College employees
• Visitors
• Respond positively to constructive criticism.
• Make the effort to establish good working relationships with your supervisor and other co-workers, including other student employees.
• Always follow Messiah College and department policies and procedures.

COMPETENCY

• Follow instructions correctly and completely.
• If instructions are not clear, ask for clarification in order to complete each task accurately.
• If you are not able to complete an assignment because you don’t have the skills or training necessary, tell your supervisor immediately.

APPEARANCE & DRESS

You represent Messiah College and as such, it is important that you dress appropriately for your job. Your supervisor should provide you with specific guidelines regarding dressing for the job. If you are unsure about the appropriate attire for your job, please ask your supervisor for specific information.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Follow the policies of the college and the department in which you are working.
• Meet standards for academic progress as defined by the College. If necessary, you may need to adjust your work schedule to accommodate study time in order to continue working.
• To maintain your eligibility, you must be enrolled in at least six credits during the term, and must maintain satisfactory academic progress .
• Student employees are temporary, hourly employees who are hired on an as-needed basis.  Messiah College makes every effort to employ as many students as possible, but there is no guarantee that a student will find a position.
• Students, as at-will employees, may be terminated at any time during the term, academic year or summer.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Confidential information includes:

• Student Records (e.g. course grades, GPA, class schedules, cumulative academic records, transcripts)
• Financial information (e.g. student accounts, financial aid records, donor or parent financial data, bank and credit account numbers, credit histories, tax return data)
• Disciplinary information
• Social Security number or student number
• Address and phone numbers
• Other personal information

DO NOT release or share confidential information about other students, parents, employees, guests, donors or applicants with anyone, including family members, either by phone or in person.  Unauthorized release of confidential information is a serious violation of federal laws, including the Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.  Respect the records as if they contained your own personal information.

DO NOT discuss department issues with others.

DO NOT remove files or other materials from the work place. 

A breach of such confidentiality or any act of dishonesty may be just cause for your immediate dismissal.

ALCOHOL & DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

Messiah College is dedicated to providing a healthy, comfortable and productive work environment for our employees. In compliance with the Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act, Messiah College is committed to maintaining a healthy work environment. Accordingly, the College prohibits the manufacture, possession, use or distribution of illegal drugs by all employees.  Furthermore, student-employees are reminded of guidelines set forth in the Student Handbook and Community Covenant which expressly prohibit the use, possession, and/or manufacture of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs both on and off campus.

SMOKING

Messiah College is a tobacco-free environment. Smoking and the use of tobacco in any form is, therefore, prohibited in, on, or about all College-owned or leased buildings, grounds and property and College vehicles, whether or not on campus. In addition, those individuals who are issued College uniforms shall refrain from the use of tobacco products while wearing these uniforms.

All employees, including student employees, share in the responsibility for adhering to and enforcing the policy. Any problems should be brought to the attention of the appropriate supervisor and handled through the normal chain of command. Employees who violate this policy will be subject to the same disciplinary actions that accompany infractions of other College rules for which disciplinary actions may include termination of employment.

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

• Equipment and supplies are to be used only for official college business. This includes the computer.
• Use equipment only after receiving instructions and always keep safety in mind.
• Do not misuse equipment or supplies.

FOOD & DRINK

Generally, food and drinks are not permitted near computers and may not be permitted at all in some work settings.  Check with your supervisor for what is appropriate for your work setting.

PERSONAL BUSINESS & CELL PHONES

While at work you are expected to concentrate on your work. The following behaviors are not acceptable in the work place and do not reflect a strong and committed work ethic:

• Extended personal phone calls, accepting excessive personal calls (via a desk phone or your own cell phone), and/or use of instant messaging while working
• Having friends drop by for visits to the workplace  
• Conducting personal business such as paying bills during work I
• Reading/writing personal emails, blogging, texting or joining chat rooms while working

In addition, you need to check with your supervisor as to whether or not it is acceptable for you to have a cell phone in the work place. Due to matters of confidentiality, your supervisor has the right to determine that cell phones are not appropriate in the work place.

QUITTING & TERMINATION

It is recommended that you give your supervisor a two-week notice if you plan to quit your job.  This will allow your supervisor some time to find a replacement for you. 

Please note that in order to live on campus during the summer, you must be employed by the College. If you quit your job during the summer, you will lose your access to campus housing.

Student employees are considered at-will employees and may be terminated at any time.  Any student employee who consistently does not meet departmental work expectations may be terminated at the request of the employing department.

Below are examples of behaviors that will result in disciplinary action, including the possibility of immediate dismissal:

• Excessive tardiness or absences without a legitimate excuse
• Sloppy or unclean appearance
• Carelessness or lack of attention that results in injury to property, person, or public relations
• Inappropriate conduct including profanity, physical violence, sexual misconduct and harassment
• Discourtesy or failure to work harmoniously with fellow employees
• Failure to serve the public with courtesy
• Breach of confidentiality
• Theft
• Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Falsification of time reports

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REQUIRED READING

The following materials are available on-line and are required reading for all employees:

• Employee Communication Guidelines
• OSHA – Lockout/Tagout Policy
• OSHA – Material Safety Policy
• Messiah College Workers Compensation Notification

 

Materials for these guidelines have been adapted from student employment guidelines used by Laramie County Community College at www.lccc.cc.wy.us/cpes/SEPManuals/StudentExpect.htm and from materials used by Rogue Community College at www.roguecc.edu/ Messiah College extends its gratitude for their willingness to share their materials.