On Labor Day, the thought of a Student Employee Commission spawned recollections about working at Ohio University.
“How did you get your campus job?”
I was recently asked this question, and I explained the circumstances as a matter of luck.
During my first week in Athens before freshman year, I was surfing the Internet in the Learning Commons and found a listing of openings for Alden Library. I visited the floor with the job opening and was interviewed on the spot. I accepted and began the position within a week. To this day, I appreciate that I am employed at OU.
One thing that will create more chances of landing campus jobs will be the Student Employee Commission.
Not only will the commission be useful in representing employees on Student Senate, consolidating existing resources for prospective workers, notifying students of impending cuts, promoting awareness issues centered on employees and supplying reports to student officials, but the commission will work tirelessly with other bodies to help students locate good campus jobs, document instances of workplace disparities, advocate better conditions where needed and advertise openings like the one I accepted in 2007.
Being a part of Student Senate would not make the Student Employee Commission a labor union.
Members of both political parties in 2011 and independents have vocalized support for student employees, and they should begin to act by considering the Student Employee Commission as a way of consolidating existing entities at students’ disposal.
The great majority of campus employees want a voice in the decision-making process, and the minority who do not want this believe they already have one.
Without any representation aside from the Residence Life Commission, student employees’ voices have remained unheard during times of important changes.
In the past five years alone, college students at OU have held many jobs on campus.
These opportunities include federal work-study programs, the Program to Aid Career Exploration, hourly student employment and graduate-level assistantships.
Students who have not received generous financial aid through FAFSA or the university have found these programs very useful and beneficial.
However, there are myriad problems within the existing programs that have received neither attention from student government nor media coverage by campus sources.
A major drawback to the PACE program is the inability to monitor independent student work during the long term, resulting in instances of students’ making money without actually working.
Had this and other employment issues been brought to the attention of the Student Employee Commission, the university might have prevented abuse of the PACE program before it was too late.
Unfortunately, this alone has cost OU thousands of dollars and hours in judiciaries, not to mention the humiliating result on others affiliated with the program.
But the defining and central aspect of the Student Employee Commission will be providing students with accountable work positions on the Athens campus. Members of the commission would be responsible for linking prospective employees with resources such as Career Connections and Manpower.
Additionally, the commission will promote the university’s Career Services in Baker University Center to help locate work for graduating Bobcats.
Finally, the Student Employee Commission will help students with disabilities access jobs on campus that accommodate their needs through the Office for Institutional Equity.
Why hasn’t this idea garnered significant research and coverage from The Post?
That is a question that many students who work would like to know. Last year, the plan for the Student Employee Commission was formed by a committed group of various kinds of campus employees.
In November, 40 letters were mailed to the Student Senate office in Baker Center urging consideration for a commission dedicated to employees. During this time, the idea of reforming and expanding the Residence Life Commission to become the Student Employee Commission was actively reviewed.
The Post continued coverage of local, athletic and political news when more letters were published about the commission.
The plan received support from a senate member who asked to be the primary sponsor. All coverage then turned to the 2011 Student Senate election.
The Student Employee Commission resurfaced in late spring with another letter.
Now, with autumn beginning a new school year, support remains for the new commission.
With a new Student Senate and increased awareness for public employees coming to a forefront on the 2011 statewide ballot, hope remains for more interest in the lives and needs of student employees.
Please send your letter to The Post or the Student Senate to show support for the Student Employee Commission.
Christopher Myers is a senior studying
philosophy.
