University Business - December 2007 - (Page 56)

A WORKING education having a stake in the success of the institution as an organization and as a community.” Comprehensive in scope, work colleges are designed to incorporate education, work, and civic involvement into one setting. Practices and procedures vary from institution to institution, but active participation is the cornerstone of work colleges. Typically, students are required to work at least 140 hours per semester. Regardless of their assignment, students are taught that all work has value and all workers should be valued. While the work programs in place are ultimately devised to help students gain leadership and management skills, most initial assignments are based on the school’s needs, often in basic services. This allows students to gain experience in the service industry and develop appreciation for the contributions of others and the obstacles they face. As students advance to new jobs, they are expected to share the skills they have developed with others. Training is an essential element of the work experience. Nearly all faculty and staﬀ at work colleges are responsible for supervising and training students. Supervisors and work program administrators help ensure that work requirements don’t conﬂict with students’ academic expectations and that, over time, the experiences facilitate major-related job opportunities. Student work is a critical component of the educational process, and there are repercussions for poor performances or unexcused absences. Each of the work colleges has a multistep disciplinary system in place, which can ultimately lead to a student being suspended if his or her performance does not improve. Students can be compensated for their work in various ways. At some colleges, student accounts are credited with funds as their hours are completed. At other colleges, grants are credited to the students’ accounts upfront. In addition, depending on the institution, some students receive a paycheck. Primarily an American phenomenon, work colleges serve a niche for those who want to avoid debt while achieving work experience that can be applied to life after college. “Work colleges are part of the broad mosaic of colleges and universities that make the American system so appealing,” says Ekman. “Hard Work U” is a nickname for College of the Ozarks (Mo.), where students may find themselves helping out in banquet service. Got mail? Despite the proliferation of e-mail, plenty of students and staff still receive snail mail. At Warren Wilson, students help sort it out. 56 | December 2007 Evolution of a Work College The work program at Warren Wilson College has evolved signiﬁcantly since its foundation was ﬁrst laid over 100 years ago. In its earliest incarnation as Asheville Farm School, which opened in 1894, the entire student body consisted of 25 boys. The school was established by the Women’s Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church, a group concerned that many Americans in isolated areas were not receiving a proper education. Everyone, including the students, pitched in to ensure the success of the school. “There was a feeling if you were going to get the opportunity to receive an education, then the least you could do was work. Those were the realities of the time,” explains Ian Robertson, dean of the work program at Warren Wilson. Since morphing into a four-year college in 1967, the work program there has evolved considerably, but the basic tenet remains the same: students and supervisors work together to operate and maintain the institution. All resident students are required to work 480 hours per academic year, which is usually accomplished by working 15 hours a week. In all, there are more than 100 work crews with positions ranging from English research assistants to electricians. For the 2007-2008 academic year, students will receive for their labor a credit of $2,952 applied toward their tuition and room and board costs. While the job preferences of incoming students are taken into account, ultimately, responsibility for work assignments rests with the Work Program Oﬃce. Obtaining a particular position depends upon the existence of an opening, the number of students that apply, and the comparative qualiﬁcations of the applicants. Returning students, particularly upperclassmen, are given priority. If they have done well in their previous assignments and want the same job, or a diﬀerent job for which they are qualiﬁed, then they are usually awarded their choice. The idea is to simulate a realworld scenario—one in which seniority, competition, skills, and previous work experience all play important roles. Regardless of where a student is assigned, his or her best eﬀort is fully expected. The work program is designed to teach teamwork, responsibility, self-discipline, and the importance of serving others. “We expect our students to take on a sense of responsibility as individuals for something greater than themselves,” says Robertson. Students receive regular evaluations from their supervisor describing their work performance. The underlying mission of the work program is to provide stuuniversitybusiness.com http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of University Business - December 2007

University Business - December 2007 Contents College Index Company Index Advisory Board Editor's Note Behind the News Viewpoint Admissions On The Hill Marketing Future Stock Independent Outlook Technology Spending Survey '08 Conference Call A Working Education 30 Smart Business Ideas Educause in Emerald City What's New Calendar of Events End Note

University Business - December 2007

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