Work-study program faces budget cuts

Most college students with part-time jobs do not have to drive an hour to Greensboro to get to work.

But for sophomore Jorge Vargas, this is part of a typical weekend now the work-study job as a research assistant he held last year in the psychology department has been cut.

“Even if I make $100 a weekend, I’ll spend $40 in gas,” Vargas said.

Because of decreases in institutional funding, Vargas and nearly 500 other students have lost their work-study awards included in financial aid packages.

The number of work-study positions allocated has decreased by 25 percent since last year, said Shirley Ort, associate provost and director of scholarships and student aid.

She estimated there are 1,400 students currently participating in the work-study program.

This number has steadily declined throughout the past few years because of budget cuts.

Ort said the program receives $1.5 million in federal funding and $375,000 in state funding each year. The remaining funds are received from institutional financial aid sources, such as trademarks and licensing.

The 2010-11 year saw an extra $500,000 in funding due to the federal stimulus package, Ort said. But funding declined in the subsequent two years.

Ort said the decrease in funding has forced her to make cuts in the number of available jobs, though it could have been worse.

“If I would have brought the federal work study budget into balance this year, I would’ve have had to cut it by $2 million. I decided I couldn’t do that — it would be too dramatic,” she said.

“It put more students to work, but that money went away.”

Ort said that since not all students claim their work-study award, usually about 38 percent of the money awarded is utilized.

But Ort added she expects this number to increase to about 42 percent this year because of an increase in interest in the positions.

“Work-study is at a premium right now, and students really want it because it’s harder to get off-campus jobs,” Ort said.

Many departments have also seen a significant decrease in the number of students they can employ as a result of the work-study program cuts.

Intramural sports director Justin Ford said Campus Recreation currently employs about 80 work-study students, which is about 40 fewer than last year.

These students who lost their federal work-study awards have been able to keep their jobs but are now considered part-time employees and are being funded directly by the Campus Recreation budget.

Ford said there was money within the budget to absorb the student wages that no longer come from work-study, but there is a limit.

“If this trend continues, it could have an effect on the number employed and a reduction of services,” Ford said.

Lucy Lewis, assistant director of the Campus Y and director of the Bonner Leaders Program, said she had to seek supplemental funding for seven of the 25 students employed by the program whose positions are no longer funded through work-study.

“We’re still looking for funds so they can continue with the program,” Lewis said.

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