IUPUI
UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
NEWS Vol. 1, No. 5, 2014
Innovate Inspire Invigorate
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DEAN’S PERSPECTIVE WORKING THROUGH COLLEGE As a college student, I worked pretty continuously throughout my time at the University of Massachusetts. As a freshman, I logged as many hours as I could as a restaurant server on weekends and during semester breaks. In my sophomore year, I landed a job in a favorite professor’s laboratory—a job that ultimately helped to define what I would study in graduate school and who I would eventually become as an academic researcher. I also worked as an RA in my residence hall, a position that proved remarkably beneficial in helping me negotiate all kinds of challenging situations (once you’ve barged in on a raucous party for which the focus of attention—albeit inebriated attention—is a simulated gladiator ring involving a tarantula, a tiny white mouse, and an iguana—and broken the party up peacefully while saving the poor little creatures, you can handle just about any conflict). I also worked as an orientation leader and as a tour guide for campus visitors—positions that I still credit for helping me to speak comfortably in front of large groups (such as lecture halls full of undergraduates) and interacting with parents. Although at the time I would have told you that I worked only to help pay my bills and to keep gas in my aging car, in hindsight these experiences probably had at least as much impact on my overall career trajectory as did my undergraduate classes. The vast majority of students at IUPUI work while attending school. The majority of last year’s freshman class reported that they planned to work, and data from our continuing student survey in 2013 indicated that 75 percent of undergraduates actually worked on or off campus. Students who are younger than 25 years old were more apt to work on campus, while approximately 6 out of 10 students reported working more than 10 miles away from campus. It is clearly impractical to expect that students will be able to put their life on hold while attending IUPUI. Being a student is simply too expensive, and many students wisely seek out opportunities for part-time work to help defray the costs of attending school while accruing work experience. Rather than trying to minimize the time that students spend working, we would be wise to focus on ensuring that we can accommodate the majority of student workers in jobs on or near campus to reduce time spent commuting to work. Our Office of Student Employment invests a great deal of time in helping employers to articulate learning outcomes associated with positions held by students. On- or near-campus jobs broaden students’ support networks and help them to remain connected with our campus. Employers and co-workers become mentors that can help to buffer students from the impact of stressors, and they serve as important references when students later apply to postbaccalaureate positions or to graduate school. The Office of Student Employment’s Excellence in Professionalism workshop series helps students to develop those soft skills that employers value highly—things like being able to work effectively as part of a diverse team, to solve (or find) problems adaptively, and to communicate effectively. By expanding options for on- and near-campus employment and structuring jobs so that students can reflect upon their experiences and articulate their relevance to their career goals, we will further enhance the quality of the IUPUI experience and ensure that our students assimilate readily into a complex and rapidly evolving workforce.
KATHY E. JOHNSON, PH.D. DEAN, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
University College News is a monthly e-publication that brings readers in-depth stories about academic programs and successes of IUPUI University College. Its par tnerships with other IUPUI schools and depar tments help University College build stronger learning outcomes. The News is sent to the IUPUI campus community, friends of University College, and Indiana businesses. University College is the academic unit at IUPUI that provides a common gateway to the academic programs available to entering students. University College coordinates existing university resources and develops new initiatives to promote academic excellence and enhance student persistence. It provides a setting where faculty, staff, and students share in the responsibility for making IUPUI a suppor tive and challenging environment for learning. Hermes Creative Awards are given for projects that possess creative concepts, exceptional writing and design, and emerging technology.
CONTACT Email hbennett@iupui.edu Address IUPUI University College 815 West Michigan Street Suite 3140E Indianapolis, IN 46202 Telephone 317-274-5036
CONTENTS ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
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CHAMPIONS OF ACHIEVEMENT
06 – 09
STUDENTS AND SUPERVISORS CREATE A WINNING TEAM
10 –13
THE POWER OF PERCEPTION
14 –17
ACCOUNTABILITY NOW EQUALS SUCCESS LATER
18 – 21
THE WORKPLACE: MORE THAN JUST A JOB
22 – 25
THE HEART OF IUPUI
26 – 29
TOP TEN ESSENTIALS OF STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
30 – 33
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: HELP OR HINDRANCE?
34 – 35
2014 SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM REACHES RECORD ENROLLMENT
36 – 37
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSTS UPWARD BOUND INTERNS
38 – 39
PRESTIGIOUS AWARD RECEIVED BY DR. LISA ANGERMEIER
40 – 41
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE NEW EMPLOYEES + SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES
42 – 43
HEART HEALTHY
44
UPWARD BOUND 50 YEARS
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IUPUI
UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
NEWS Vol. 1, No. 5, 2014
DEAN, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE: KATHY E. JOHNSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: HARRIETT BENNETT COPY EDITOR: LYNN TRAPP WRITERS: ARIANA CASALE, HOPE MCGOWEN, JEREMY PRATHER, ADAM STATEN, LYNN TRAPP DESIGNERS: DEREK DALTON, JEREMY PRATHER PHOTOGRAPHERS: JEREMY PRATHER, ARIANA CASALE, HOPE MCGOWEN CONTRIBUTORS: WILL SMITHERMAN, RYAN KNAPP, NICOLE AMONETTE, CAROLYN KEY, RICHARD E. WARD, SARAH HELMS, LINDA WARDHAMMAR, SHERRY STEINGASS, P. MELANIE PRIDE, CHRISTY K. COLE, HEATHER BOWMAN, ROXANNE GREGG, LISA ANGERMEIER, CRAIG PELKA
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IUP MOV FORW 2
PUI VING WARD 3
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ALL IN A DAY’S WORK Ideally, for most of us, a perfect world would not include death, disease, or crime and violence. Another reality that would have a hard time making the cut in most people’s utopia would be the obligation to work. And probably no greater example of a group of people that would eliminate this obligation is the average college student. However, for most of them, having a job – or two, or several! – is a must in order to survive. Even with scholarships, grants, and loans, work is usually a reality for most college students. Statistics prove that students who work on campus have higher GPAs, a higher percentage of retention, and persistence to graduation than those who work off campus.* When considering student employment on college campuses, one rarely thinks of the supervisors hiring those students and the significant impact they can have on their collegiate hires. It is with gratitude to those who provide fruitful, worthwhile on-campus student employment opportunities that we have made them the central focus of the pages throughout this month’s issue of UC News. Like a doctor treating a patient with a deadly disease or a police officer working to rid the local neighborhood of crime and corruption, there are some fantastic supervisors on IUPUI’s campus who make the world significantly better for its college earners, not only giving them a paycheck, but also providing them with guidance, challenges, and skill development opportunities that increase their professional development for the world of work after graduation. *Source: “Profile of Undergraduate Student Employees, Fall 2010.” Information Management and Institutional Research, December 2012. http://tinyurl.com/mb6sh7f.
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Champions of Achievement
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BY JEREMY PRATHER Success is not always born from the efforts of an individual. In fact, sometimes the best and most satisfying successes often come from the ef for ts of more than one person. This mindset is the basis of thinking regarding student employment for IUPUI’s University Library student employers Will Smitherman and Ryan Knapp. Their work together forming connections between staff, students, library patrons, and opportunities has created a strong team and professional environment that has become an established culture of student employee success. Client Support Specialist Will Smitherman and Client Suppor t Analyst Ryan Knapp oversee almost 20 student employees within Universit y Librar y. Their unit ’s ser vices include event management and several levels of technology support, which are offered to a large campus community and beyond. It is apparent that a prime focus of these epic employers is the importance of staying in touch with their staff as well as with the patrons they are serving, IUPUI students. Knapp says, “[Student workers] bring a diverse set of skills with them, and they bring a lot of unique perspectives. They are familiar with what services [students] need, so they can help cater our services to the group of incoming freshmen. They allow us to keep in touch with what kinds of things they’re learning and what kinds of services we can add to cater to them.” This perspective allows for better service of ferings for patrons but also helps Smitherman and Knapp to keep up-to-date on technology and cultural trends. Student employees also gain valuable experience by working in a professional environment that can be more understanding of student needs than an off-campus position. Having an employer that understands the imp or t an ce of sch o ol-life-wor k balan ce i s i m p e r a ti ve fo r a s t u d e n t ’s s u c c e s s . Smitherman and Knapp ask themselves,
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“What can we do to assist [our student staf f ] and facilitate their grow th? We’re carving policies to get that perfect balance . . . meeting University Library’s needs and also balancing student needs as well.” This sort of care helps students to become better prepared for work af ter college but also improves their effectiveness as an employee more immediately. Smitherman says, “We try to incorporate their ideas into creating conditions for their success, and in that way, we are also successful.” These stalwart student supervisors also strive to support students by helping them build on the skills they gain working at University Library. Smitherman says, “What a great way to infuse learning in terms of their specific majors and classes, and sort of bring that and tie it into the professional job aspect. It gives them an opportunity to hone their skills in everything from technology to customer service, time management, and just what it means to have a strong work ethic.” Knapp adds, “They have experience on both sides. They know what it’s like to be the customer and to be the service providers. We learn so much from them, and they really bring unique skills and perspectives to our department.” Some may not think that student workers are as focused or capable as other staffing o ptio ns, b u t acco rdin g to Smith er ma n, “The way I choose to look at it is that if the prospective student employee has a positive outlook and attitude, and they really want to learn and want to make a difference, then . . . it’s something we can really work with and something we champion.” Thanks to this attitude and the teamwork between the two employers, Smitherman and Knapp have created a positive bond between themselves and their student employees, while also providing a stronger workplace for their collegiate hires to hone their skills. In this environment, there is opportunity for success and personal growth for both employer and student employee, making champions of all.
Will Smitherman and Ryan Knapp work with student employees.
Ryan Knapp, Client Support Analyst
Will Smitherman, Client Support Specialist
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Students and Super Create a Winning Te
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rvisors eam
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BY HOPE MCGOWEN easily because they are closer in age and know the types of experiences that would be relevant to those students. Amonet te is convinced that student employees are part of the backbone of the School of Science. “There’s no way we would be able to do half the things we do if we didn’t have student employees,” she says. “The professional staff might make sure that the operations are happening and that the office is running, but if we didn’t have students who were there—to bring their perspectives, be on student panels, lead tours, and come up with new ideas—then there’s no way that we could accomplish all that we do.”
Nicole Amonette, Associate Director of Undergraduate Recruitment for the School of Science
Holding a professional position on a campus like IUPUI means being in constant c o n t a c t w i t h u n d e r g r a d u a te s t u d e n t s . Nicole Amonet te, A ssociate Director of Undergraduate Recruitment for the School of Science, uses this to her advantage by involving students in office efforts to bring new undergraduates to the school. Am on et te is par t of th e marketing an d communications division within the dean’s of fice, which employs bet ween 8 and 13 students each school year. These employees include student ambassador leaders for the School of Science as well as marketing and events assistants. These students bring fresh ideas and a student perspective to the school’s events and recruitment efforts. “Our Science Ambassador Leadership Team (SALT) helps us to take a step back, see the bigger picture, and connect with the mission a little more,” Amonette says. She explains that the student ambassadors have the ability to connect with prospective students more
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While utilizing students to reach recruitment goals is a huge plus for the office, Amonette feels it is also necessary to give back to those students to help them reach their own goals. “They help our office to run more efficiently, but we also help them to grow, too....So, it’s a win-win for both of us!” Amonet te helps her student employees develop professionally in several areas. She focuses on helping them learn the technical skills that are important but also emphasizes the soft skills that will be expected of them while working in a professional environment in the future. Amonette says, “We help them to see how even just the little things they do now help down the road and how it all lines up.” Amonette and her team members always encourage their student employees to learn to use skills that will build their résumés. Amonette also actively works to give her student employees the experiences they need to be successful later in life. She says, “We want them to learn project management. We give them the freedom and autonomy to manage their own projects and see them from the beginning to the end.” Even if a student has a great idea, she likes for them to plan out what it will really take to see it through to completion.
One way the marketing and communications division helps all its student employees develop professionally is through personal connections and networking. “They c an net work with other s taf f members, professionals, and faculty,” says Amonette. In fact, she says that a lot of the students are on a first-name basis with the school’s dean, and they are constantly amazed by that. Amonette commented, “They’ll say, ‘The dean stopped me in the hall, and he knows my name, and he knows what’s going on!’” This n et working has even lan de d som e student employees full-time positions. This The Science Ambassador Leadership Team (SALT) collaborates on upcoming events. past spring, a senior work-study student who was getting ready to graduate from the School of Engineering and Technology had been brought in to work on some databases and manuals. “Within a few weeks,” Amonette says, “she had made connections with one of our professional staff and is now working fulltime with one of that staff member’s friends in human resources, doing exactly what she wanted to do.” In the process of applying for her new job after graduation, she had several phone interviews. “ We g u i d e d h e r t h r o u g h e v e r y t h i n g ,” Amonette describes. “Résumés. Interviewing. Nicole Amonette visiting the School We were there for her every step of the way. of Science greenhouse. She was just amazed at how everything fell into place.” This dual-sup p or t relationship b et we en supervisors in the division and their student employees is part of what makes Amonette’s efforts for the School of Science so successful. Her recruitment of new undergraduates cer tainly gets a boost through students serving as ambassadors and peer recruiters, but those same students get the experience and help they need to make it to life’s next big step. Together they most definitely create a winning team! SALT displaying their project management skills.
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The Po Perce 14
ower of eption Left: Carolyn Key, assistant to the executive director of the Center for Research and Learning Right: Dr. Richard E. Ward, executive director of the Center for Research and Learning
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BY JEREMY PRATHER + ARIANA CASALE
Presenter at Center for Research and Learning research fair.
Finding the right candidate for a job can be taxing, but having the ability to perceive the perfect person for a position creates an exact fit for both employee and employer. At the IUPUI Center for Research and Learning (CRL), this ability helps to garner the most from a diverse student workforce while also providing optimal opportunities for personal growth for student employees.
executive director of the Center for Research and Learning, gives an example. “Several years ago, when I first came to this office,” she says, “we had a tourism, convention, and event management major [working for us], and I would have her help make room reservations and other tasks like that. That gave her something to do that she enjoyed doing, and it was helping her get experience in her field.” Key says, “I believe in giving them the opportunity for growth as a person and am of the philosophy that it helps with their retention.”
Student employees bring unique perspectives and talents to the workplace. Because they are coming from a variety of majors and have differing experiences, they often have specialized knowledge and skills that are As stated before, making sure that a student helpful resources that other employees might is the right fit for a position is of paramount not have. importance, but it is also important that the student is challenged by his or her work. Key Also, by mindfully connecting office tasks to gives another example. “We have a worker specific individuals and their career goals, who is an actuarial science student, and I have the quality of work is higher, the experience had her help me with spreadsheets, charts, gained by the student is more appreciated, and graphs—something that will be a little and the level of personal development can more challenging to her and . . . that will give be very high. Carolyn Key, assistant to the her skills that she will need in her field.”
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Ac c o rd i n g to Key, s t u d e n t s c a n te a c h s u p e r v i s o r s j u s t a s s u p e r v i s o r s te a c h students, including specialized knowledge due to their diverse majors and experiences. Key tells of a student worker, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, who brings to the job his experience in consular and embassy security. Because of his background, he has helped her by serving as a sounding board on matters relating to Key’s duties as her department’s emergency coordinator. Additionally, he is an engineering major whose academic field will be a factor in helping CRL to build their CRM database. Dr. Richard E. Ward, executive director of the Center for Research and Learning, adds, “[Hiring students] is a good use of resources,” citing the Federal Work-Study option and the ability to fill an employment gap with talented individuals at a reasonable wage. Although student workers can be especially valuable additions to an office’s staff corps, there are certain limitations that exist with which employers must deal effectively if they are to be successful supervisors. One of these is the number of hours that can be offered to students. According to Ward, this is due to the laws surrounding the Affordable Care Act, which requires health insurance to be provided to employees working 30 or more hours per week. “This has been a major limitation. It is a considerable burden for [students] and
Students conducting research.
has had a detrimental effect on one of our federally funded student research programs.” The necessity for students to find the best work-school-life balance also is critical to the individual’s success. Ward states, “We do try to stay in tune with what’s going on in the students’ academic lives, and, of course, their studies come first.” To this end, Key and Ward work diligently to create student work schedules that balance CRL’s needs as a unit with the academic and personal needs of the students. According to Key, “One of the most challenging things about supervising students is creating the work schedules,” particularly because they change several times a year in keeping with the academic calendar and holidays, which naturally incur student time off, as well as students’ outside commitments. Having the ability to perceive the best match between employment position and candidate, as well as the ability to perceive and balance the needs of the students and the workplace are skills necessary for success as a student employer. This is executed with aplomb by Key and Ward, who provide their office with a talented, skillful, ever-developing workforce while helping their student employees to realize their full potential.
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Accountab Equals Suc 18
bility Now ccess Later 19
BY ADAM STATEN
Sarah Helms, Consultant Administrator for Technology Centers Consulting.
When you went to college, were you like thousands of other college students who had to work in order to afford school, rent, or other necessities? Odds are pretty good that you were. But was your job in the field you were studying, or even on campus? Probably not. Today’s college campus employment opportunities are quite evolved from what they were in years gone by, with dedicated s t a f f a n d p ro g r a m s fo c u si n g s o l e l y o n student employment. The focus is not only on finding on-campus jobs for students, but also on employment that is more relevant and more applicable to a student’s major. This holds true for University College’s Office of Student Employment. And one such student employee supervisor who provides real-world, practical experience to student employees is Sarah Helms, consultant administrator for Technolog y Centers Consulting (TCC) within the University Information Technology Services (UITS) department. Helms offers a unique employment protocol for her student employees based on the passfail standard of some college courses. Passing or failing a course rests solely upon the shoulders of the student sitting in the class. Professors may offer advice and other help
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with material, but the person who determines whether a student passes or fails is, ultimately, the student. Helms brings this same mentality to the student employment arena in the UITS department. O n e w ay H e l m s a n d TC C h e l p s t u d e n t employees establish good work habits before leaving IUPUI and entering the post-graduation workforce is through a scale of performance percentages as well as an attendance system. This system was implemented as a way to monitor student work at tendance and performance as well as instill proper work ethic and time management. The points and percentages track a consultant’s performance throughout the semester. These systems are used for a number of reasons such as being late to work, missing a shift, or displaying adequate and inadequate work performance. “We created a point policy called the 15-Point System, but you can only have 14 to continue employment,” said Helms. “If they get [15] points before the end of the semester, they would be terminated. We consider them terminating themselves because it’s really all up to them. We give them the opportunity, with the benefit of the doubt, to prove themselves to us. So really, it’s on their shoulders to show
other IT positions within the schools. They . . . use the experience they gained with us as they move up.” The department also takes the input of its student employees very seriously and, more times than not, actually implements their suggestions. “We use . . . the information they give us to adapt our policies, and we’ve adapted a lot of our policies recently,” said Helms. “We’ve completely done a facelif t on our handbooks—both our super visor handbook and our student consultant handbook.”
us they can do it; otherwise, we won’t offer employment for the following semester.” Helms believes this method of holding student employees accountable for their work and work habits (such as punctuality) will serve them well in future employment. Helms stated, “If you graduate, get a job, and still continue to have punctuality or other work performance issues, you will get fired. That’s not a precedent you want to set.” On the other hand, students who are able to adhere to the point system and perform their job admirably of ten find themselves advancing in the UITS department. “We’ve had many who start with us as students on a temporary, part-time basis and transition into more permanent positions with UITS or
UITS student staff assisting with computer problems.
It is not all work and no fun for the students employed in the UITS department according to Helms. They strive to recognize terrific work performance and make sure student employees feel comfortable talking to their super visors. “We want to make sure they know they can talk to us if they need anything at any time,” stated Helms. “Recognizing superior work performance is also important for us. One way we achieve this is with the reward system we’ve implemented. We have achievement badges and gold stars, which are awarded whenever student employees go above and beyond the call of duty.” Helms believes she and UITS are preparing their student employees for future success in the workplace. She says, “Utilizing the student body as our employees prepares them for the real world and any other positions they may have. It is essential to us that we help prepare students for whatever jobs they may get after they leave IUPUI.”
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The Workpla More than Just 22
ace: t a Job 23
BY ADAM STATEN O f te n , c o l l e g e i s t h e t i m e w h e n adolescent s are alone on their own for th e ver y f ir s t tim e. T h ey b egin makin g independent decisions. They question their ideas and preconceived notions. They engage in introspection and philosophical musings. And the IUPUI campus provides a multitude of opportunities for such personal growth – whether through exploring a variety of classes and career options, getting involved in service learning, or joining a club, sport team, or a sorority or fraternity. But what if a campus job offered the same opportunities? Accordin g to Cam p us C enter as so ciate director, Linda Wardhammar, a job at the Campus Center can satisfy most of the needs that someone would be looking for in any cocurricular activity. “We really believe – I can speak for myself and the rest of our staff – that the employment experience can be a great co-curricular activity, just like being the president of the USG [Undergraduate Student Government] or any other kind of academic-related club,” said Wardhammar. “We’ve done a lot of things to try to bolster that aspect of it, which helps students appreciate [working at the Campus Center]. You can get a lot out of it.” For most students, while going to school, co-curricular activities are normally the first things cut from their schedules when time is of the essence and performing well in class is of paramount concern. As they begin penciling in time for their studies and fulfilling other obligations, students have little to no time to connect to and explore the campus. This is a fact not lost upon Wardhammar. For many students who work at the Campus Center, working there is their way of getting involved at IUPUI. Wardhammar explained, “There aren’ t a lot of them in sororities, fraternities, or on an athletic team. Working at the Campus Center is how they are going to connect with the university, and that’s a really important responsibility for us.” For many of the student employees, their colleagues at
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the Campus Center become their student organization. For a number of students, this bond from working at the Campus Center has led to a foot in the door at major companies and a brighter career outlook in addition to becoming more connected with c ampus. One par ticular instance of this stands out to Wardhammar, in which an alumnus of the Campus Center staff landed a spot at a major pharmaceutical company through his connection with another former Campus Center staffer. “One former building manager graduated in December and works in a research role for Eli Lilly,” said Wardhammar. “He was able to help another former building manager get a job in a very similar position at Eli Lilly. That was a cool kind of connection.”
Wardhammar with student employees at the Campus Center information desk.
M u c h a s m e m b e r s of v a r i o u s s t u d e n t organizations bond and experience personal and professional growth together, student employees at the Campus Center go through th e s a m e tr a n s fo r m a ti o n to geth e r. Fo r Wardhammar, watching those changes firsthand is rewarding. “To see them advance into other roles within our department, and to hear and learn about what they are doing after graduation, is really neat,” Wardhammar stated. “It is fun to be a part of that experience. We have an exit survey that we do, and then I meet with them. . . .Reading some of the things they say about their experiences with us is very rewarding. I really like that part of being a supervisor.” Upon hearing the phrase “college family,” one often thinks of dorm life or a campus fraternity or sororit y. But for some IUPUI student employees, the Campus Center becomes their group, their college family where personal and professional growth mix with lasting bonds formed between “brothers and sisters.” Campus Center associate director, Linda Wardhammar
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Th Hea o IUP 26
he art of PUI 27
BY HOPE MCGOWEN would prefer to see another student sitting behind the front desk rather than an adult. “I think they feel a little more comfortable approaching another student,” she says. They make it easy for IUPUI students to walk in and get the information they need without feeling nervous or anxious. Her students are also always thinking creatively. “This is a dif ferent generation. Even though we’ve heard some bad things about them, their minds are continuously working,” Steingass says, defending them. “They’re in classes, their brains are constantly being stimulated, and they have a lot of energy. They’re always coming up with new ideas.” These new ideas are especially useful to the office team. She says that when staff need help on a project or even just need a second opinion on something, they will often bounce ideas off of student employees to see what they think. The students bring a new perspective to the work that is done. It is also nice to get to know student employees on a personal level, according to Steingass. “I think it’s important to get to know them as a person and not only as a student worker,” she says. Making personal connections with student employees helps supervisors remember that their workers are students first and foremost, and employees second.
Sherry Steingass, Administrative Specialist with the Office of Student Involvement. When asked about employing students on campus, most super visors would admit that there are definitely ups and downs. Each office surely has endured its share of pros and cons with student employees, having to correct problems that arise while building on the positives to create the most effective and productive work environment. For those campus employers who might be apprehensive about hiring students, though, Sherr y Steingass says to fear not, “The advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages!” As the administrative specialist in the Office of Student Involvement, Steingass works closely with five student employees. “Students are the heart of everything we do in our office,” she states. “This is the Office of Student Involvement, and we want to get students involved.” One important advantage these workers bring to the table is their approachability. According to Steingass, a lot of times when students walk into the office, they
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As employees, however, it is important for supervisors to focus on giving back to students to ensure they are gaining valuable skills while working. One way staff in the Office of Student Involvement guarantees their students are learning is through use of the Principles of Undergraduate Learning (PULs). These six principles “define a set of higher order abilities and skills that all undergraduates are expected to master” and are laid out on IUPUI’s Academic Affairs website (academicaffairs.iupui.edu). Steingass explains that for each task staff members ask a student to do, they fill out a form that maps the task to the PULs. Students are then able to look at these forms and easily understand what they are learning and how they are learning it through what they are assigned at work. She is especially proud of how much her student employees improve with their time management skills as well as overall responsibility. Students do not only develop professionally, however. They also improve academically. Simply put, students who work on campus are obviously going to be on campus more, allowing them to become more readily and more easily engaged in their academics. And statistics prove that students who are employed on campus have a higher retention rate than those who don’t. So, while students are wonderful for campus
staff to utilize as workers, being employed by IUPUI is also extremely beneficial for the students themselves. Employing students, however, does not come without its difficulties. “It’s always a challenge to hire a student employee,” Steingass admits. “In our office, there are a lot of different areas and a lot of different things to pick up on, so there’s a big learning curve to being a student employee here.” There is a lot of invested training for any student worker.
Student employee in the Office of Student Involvement.
It can also be dif ficult to work around students’ schedules. Creating a work schedule and making sure all shifts are covered is sometimes a challenge, but Steingass combats this by requiring students to switch shifts with each other if they aren’t able to make it into work. “But if they don’t get their shift covered and don’t show up, then I have to cover for them,” she says. “And when I have to cover, then I can’t get my own work done. Then there’s just a domino effect around the whole office.” Luckily, Steingass says she rarely encounters this problem because she has such a great group of students. The Affordable Care Act has also presented the Office of Student Involvement with some problems regarding student employment. “It’s pretty easy to keep each student below 29 hours a week. It’s been a little more dif ficult this summer,” Steingass explains. “For a couple of weeks, most of them were gone, and I only had one student working here.” The office is open 53 hours per week, so the hours the only student couldn’t work had to be covered by Steingass.
Students working at Office of Student Involvement fair.
Despite these minor challenges, Steingass thinks it is always a great idea to hire students on campus. “I would never think of not hiring a student!” she gladly exclaims. She is actually a student herself and will be finishing her bachelor’s degree after 12 years of hard work. “My coworkers and supervisor are very supportive of the classes I take . . . . Being on campus and being in an environment geared toward higher education has helped me throughout school.” Stein g as s’s co m m e nt s sh o ul d re min d eve r yo n e that student employment is all about the students. Supervisors must remember that academics come first; that ’s why the students are here. So while students may be an integral, indispensable part of an office, more importantly, it must be remembered that they are the heart of the university.
Student at Study Abroad Office fair.
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Craig Pelka, Assistant Director of Student Employment and Assessment in the Office of Student Employment, conducts professional development training for student employee supervision for faculty and staff on IUPUI’s campus. In his latest session, he focused on the fundamentals of supervision including policies, responsibilities, and expectations. Pelka narrowed down the fundamentals to 10 essentials to give staff a great foundation from which to work. To increase effectiveness, he divided these essentials into two sections: employing and supervising. Employing refers to the human resources aspect of managing student workers, and supervising refers to the actual interactions between supervisors and their student employees.
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Employing
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1 2 3 4 5
Learn, use, remain in compliance with the IU Policies for Temporary Positions... and find/create what’s missing.
Maintain or create an accurate and up-to-date job description for all student employee positions.
Establish competitive wage rates reflective of policies and tied to the level of responsibility.
Remain mindful of Replacement and Displacement.
Remain in compliance with Confidentiality & FERPA Policies.
6 7 8 9 10
Remain in compliance with hour limitations, work schedule guidelines, timesheet expectations, and break policies.
Orientation and Training functions lie with supervisor...but you don’t have to do it all alone!
Unleash the potential of day-to-day supervision, delegation, and conversations!
Monitor, evaluate, and guide student employee performance...make it about managing performance, not just performance management. Make student employment a holistic experience and learning opportunity both for the student and yourself!
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The Affordable Care Ac BY HOPE MCGOWEN
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed into law with the goal of expanding American citizens’ access to healthcare coverage. The ACA requires all US citizens and legal residents to have qualifying health coverage or else pay a fine. It also requires employers to offer affordable health insurance coverage to all employees considered full-time, or working 30 or more hours per week. This means employers would have to bear a greater percentage of health care coverage costs for lower-wage employees in order to make it affordable for them which could mean substantial costs for employers. To help manage budgets and funding, many businesses and institutions have placed a ceiling on the number of hours certain employees are allowed to work to ensure they do not reach full-time status. IUPUI is one such institution. Since the ACA was made law, student employees at IUPUI are limited to less than 29 total hours per week. Has this policy affected offices around campus? If so, how? Read the comments on the next page from some campus supervisors who have decided to join the discussion.
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ct: Help or Hindrance? “It’s been a major limitation. We have programs that pay students to do research on an hourly basis, and the ACA has had a huge impact on those programs. One is a federally funded program, and the students going into it count on having a full-time summer job for about 40 hours a week. But we had to tell them, ‘No, I cannot give you that amount of hours.’ Some of them had already quit jobs, and it was a considerable burden to them. It had a detrimental effect on the program itself because we lost students. We had a hard time getting the grant renewed because we didn’t stay in the number range of students that we said we would because of the Affordable Care Act. . . . I fully support the ACA. What has been problematic is the unforeseen consequence as institutions, including universities, have used the act to restrict hiring and increase the number of people on part-time appointments.” Richard E. Ward Executive Director Center for Research and Learning Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research “O u r s tu d e nt e m p loye e s a re t y pic ally s ch e d ule d fo r 10 h o u r s a we e k s o th at th ey h ave tim e to at te n d th eir clas se s a n d s tu d y as n e e de d . I wo uld ha p pily have th e m wo r k m o re h o ur s th ro u g h th e we ek if th eir M on day th ro u gh Friday an d 9:0 0 a .m.-5:0 0 p.m. tim e fram e s allowe d th em to. D u e to th e s c h o o l s c h e d ul e c o in ci d in g w i th th e t y p i c a l la b wo r k day h o u r s , th ey c a n n ot af fo rd much more time than that an d therefore, might look for a secon d job elsewhere, unfor tunately.” P. Melanie Pride Lab Manager and Research Analyst Wells Center for Pediatric Research Indiana University School of Medicine “During the school year, our office is open 53 hours a week, and I have four to five student employees, so it’s pretty easy to keep each student below 29 hours a week. I don’t have a problem doing that. It’s been a little more difficult this summer. For a couple weeks, most of them were gone, and I only had one student working here. And she couldn’t work over the 29 hours, so she worked 26-27, and I had to cover the front desk the rest of the time. And when I have to do that, it takes away from my job. But, that’s what we have to do!” Sherry Steingass Administrative Specialist Office of Student Involvement “The Affordable Care Act hasn’t really made an impact in how we conduct business with student employees. Because of the nature of our project, budgeting, and student schedules in general, our students only work a maximum of 20 hours per week in our office. The only time it’s really been an issue is if we have a student that has more than one position on campus. We have a PhD student working for us that it’s an issue for; however, his availability from one week to the next fluctuates enough that it naturally sorts itself out and isn’t an issue. . . .When I was hiring last year, we were looking at having students work about 20 hours [each]. What we found is that students were looking to work much less than that (10 to 15 hours a week average), which meant we needed to hire more students to have enough hours going into our project weekly. The majority of the students working for us are undergrads focused on their studies, just needing to earn some pocket money.” Christy K. Cole Assistant Director of Process Development Faculty Appointments and Advancement Academic Affairs/Executive Vice Chancellor’s Office
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2014 Summer Bridge Program Reaches Record Enrollment BY LYNN TRAPP The Summer Bridge Program at University College reached an all-time record high enrollment of 730 students this year, the most since the program began in 20 01 . As more of IUPUI’s schools have become involved in Summer Bridge, more and more students have rushed to par ticipate in this unique oppor tunity. In addition, word-of-mouth from past participants and siblings has had a positive impact on the number of interested students as after-program surveys indicate a 99% satisfaction and approval rate among attendees. T h e S u m m e r B r i d ge P ro g r a m is a u n i q u e t wo week program that helps incoming freshmen and international students “bridge” the gap bet ween high school and college. For two weeks before the fall semester begins, Summer Bridge students attend specialized classes to help them learn about academic expectations, prepare for their initial academic year, an d b e com e accus tom e d to th e IU PUI c am p us . Program director Heather Bowman remarked, “Each year, I look for ward to watching our par ticipants transform into confident, college-ready students over the two weeks of the program.” According to Bowman, “There has been significant g row th ” of th e p ro g ra m . “T h e re a re o nly a few schools lef t on campus that don’ t have Summer B r i d ge s e c ti o n s ,” sh e s a i d . A n d a n in c re a s e in school par ticipation means an increase in student par ticipation. In fact, in the past few years, “ the numbers have almost doubled,” Bowman stated. About 17 percent of entering IUPUI freshmen have attended the Summer Bridge Program each of the past four years. New to the Bridge program this year was the Herron School of Ar t and Design and the IU Depar tment of Journalism an d Public Relations at IUPUI. In addition, all freshmen international students were again required to attend Summer Bridge, which has contributed to the overall growth of the program. Bowman has high expectations for the future of the program: she hopes that someday every freshman will have the opportunity to engage in a Summer Bridge experience at IUPUI.
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University College Host Summer Academy PreBY LYNN TRAPP
Seventy-seven high school students participated in the IUPUI University College Upward Bound Summer Academy program during June and July. One component of the Upward Bound Summer Academy is the workstudy Pre-Professional Internship program in which qualified students are exposed to a professional work environment, gain work experience, and explore career interests and the opportunities that various professions offer. This past summer, 20 rising seniors in the Summer Academy program were selected to participate in the internship program. University College hosted five interns: Linda Van Pelt, Office of Development, Operations, and Employee Relations; Kendall Rogers, Office of Career Planning; Aerionna Yates-Moore, Office of Technology; Kristen Yarbrough, Office of Technology; and Nia Jefferson, 21st Century Scholars Success Program. Each student spent a total of 41.25 hours in their respective internships. Van Pelt attends Arsenal Technical High School and Yarbrough attends Warren Central High School, but both plan to study psychology in college. Rogers and Yates-Moore are students at Indianapolis Metropolitan High School who want to study hospitality/tourism and photography respectively. Jefferson, who attends Broad Ripple High School, is interested in pre-law. During their internship, the five interns enhanced professional skills such as punctuality, timesheet completion, workplace protocol and conduct, improving communication and research skills, teamwork, meeting deadlines, and creating a strong cover letter and resume. The Upward Bound program runs year-round with eight Indianapolis high schools participating in the program. During the Summer Academy, students spend six weeks on the IUPUI campus, living in residential housing, taking academic classes, participating in community events and much more. The program culminates with qualifying students taking a week-long out-of-state trip to universities and cultural venues.
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2014 University College Upward Bound interns, left side, front to back: Nia Jefferson, Linda Van Pelt, Aerionna Yates-Moore, Kristen Yarbrough, Kendall Rogers
ts Five Upward Bound -Professional Interns
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Prestigious Award Receive BY ADAM STATEN reviewer for teaching techniques to be included in the association’s publication, Journal of School Health. Angermeier also has given numerous presentations at the association’s national conferences over the years and written an article, “The Mating Game,” for the journal. Angermeier sees the association as an invaluable advocate in the fight for the health and well-being of our nation’s schools and campuses. “The organization advocates for quality school health,” she says. “It provides high-quality professional development and a way to connect with school health professionals from across the country” to share and discuss the newest trends in the battle for our schools’ health. What words of advice does this highly experienced health industry professional have about achieving and maintaining optimal health? “I believe it is important for everyone to take care of all of their dimensions of health—physical, emotional, social, mental, spiritual, and environmental. . . .Take care of yourself and care about those around you.” Angermeier believes that the biggest mistake we make when it comes to our health is forgetting to listen to our minds and bodies and seldom taking the proper amount of time to slow down and take care of ourselves. D r. L is a A n ge r m e i e r, a clin i c a l a s sis t a n t professor in the Department of Kinesiology at IUPUI, was recently named a Fellow of the American School Health Association (ASHA), a professional organization focused on school health, by the association’s awards commit tee and board of directors. A member of ASHA for over 10 years, Angermeier will be formally recognized this fall at the association’s annual national conference during a pinning ceremony on October 11, 2014 in Portland, Oregon. Her new appointment will mean new leadership positions, such as chairing committees, within the association. A n ge r m eie r’s le a d e r ship role s in ASHA in clu d e currently serving on the subcommittee of the awards committee and previously serving as vice-chair of the School Health Instruction and Curriculum Council. She is also currently involved in the Future Leaders Academy. In addition, she has served as a member on four other organization committees and has been a
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Angermeier thoroughly relishes the chance to teach and guide college students down the road to a healthy, happy professional and personal life. She enjoys sharing with and educating them about the importance of taking care of oneself and dispelling their perception that they “don’t need to worry about their health until later in life.” She also enjoys helping them “find their way around the university, their majors, their careers, and ultimately their lives.” Angermeier has been at IUPUI since 2001 and was appointed as a faculty member in University College in 2013. Her favorite course to teach is the Summer Bridge Academy course because “the impact on the students is so intense and immediate.” University College is proud to have Angermeier on its faculty and congratulates her on her many educational achievements in the classroom and ASHA which have garnered for her this well-deserved prestigious award.
ed by Dr. Lisa Angermeier PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OFFER CAREER BOOST Regardless of what career field you may currently be employed in or are looking to gain employment in, becoming active in professional organizations can be a step to a fuller, more satisfying career. Professional organizations offer camaraderie; professional development, training, and cer tifications; networking oppor tunities; new friendships; service and leadership opportunities; and fresh experiences. Like Angermeier, if you are willing to join a professional association focused on your career field and meet likeminded individuals who are driven by the same professional passions that propel you forward, you, too, can enjoy a more gratifying career.
Lisa Angermeier, Cliical Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology.
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UNIVERSITY COLLEGE NEW EMPLOYEES GLORIA DIAZ
NORMA
Student Success Advisor Academic and Career Development University College
Enrollment M Office of Stud Division of Un
KEELY FLOYD
SARAH
Career Consultant Health and Life Sciences Advising Center University College
Scholar Corp 21st Century S University Co
JO FOX
KAYLA
Coordinator of Administrative Affairs Office of Development, Operations, and Employee Relations Division of Undergraduate Education
Recorder Academic and University Co
ALPHA GARRETT
BETH H
Project Coordinator Office of Communications Division of Undergraduate Education
Director of Be Associate Dire Academic Sup University Co
HEATHER CARSON
ROBER
Administrative Assistant Division of Undergraduate Education
Student Empl Office of Stud Center for Co
MATTHEW RUST Director Campus Career and Advising Services Division of Undergraduate Education
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A FEWELL
anagement Data Analyst dent Data, Analysis, and Evaluation ndergraduate Education
H POPKIN
Member Scholars Success Program llege
A POLK
d Career Development llege
HAGGENJOS
epko Learning Center ector of Academic Support Programs pport Programs llege
SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES JANNA MCDONALD (5 YEARS) Director Office of Student Employment Center for Coordinated Undergraduate Initiatives
DAWN RODNEY (5 YEARS) Student Employment Consultant Office of Student Employment Center for Coordinated Undergraduate Initiatives
PHYLLIS WASHINGTON (10 YEARS) Director 21st Century Scholars Success Program Student Support Services University College
MARYETTA OVERTON (35 YEARS) Recorder (retired) Academic and Career Development University College
RT SMITH
loyment Consultant dent Employment ordinated Undergraduate Initiatives
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Being heart healthy is more than physical. It is also Emotional. Psychological. Intentional.
Please consider contributing to a scholarship for University College students. Many undergraduates
Scott E. Evenbeck Emergency Fund I38P021033 — Gifts will be used to support undergraduate students. The recipients are students in University College
de p e n d on scholar ships to ke e p their ac a de mic
who have demonstrated an unexpected financial hardship
journey thriving and healthy. They are counting on the
during the course of an academic year in which he or she is
generosity of donors like you to help them succeed in their pursuit of a higher education degree. Below is a list of the scholarships available to University College
enrolled in classes at IUPUI.
Emerging Generations Scholarship I38P021025 — This scholarship is for first-generation students in either their first or second year when they are first selected to receive the scholarship, have at least a 2.3
students to which you may contribute:
GPA, and write an essay as part of the application process.
Yale Pratt Mentoring Fund
After receiving the scholarship, students must participate
I37P021019 — This fund supports scholarships to freshman
in Universit y College–sanctioned retention ef for ts and
s tu de nt s e n rolle d in U nive r sit y C olle ge w h o a re of a
maintain a 2.7 GPA.
nontraditional age (25–35). Preference is given to recipients
The University College Moving Forward Scholarship
with an incurred handicap such as blindness, deafness, or
I32P021119 — This scholarship is open only to University
cerebral palsy, and who are African-American.
College students in good academic standing (cumulative
Wi l l ia m M. Plater a nd Pa r t ner s P r i nt i ng
GPA above 2.0) with 12–48 credit hours earned by the end of
International Scholars
the spring semester at IUPUI. Each applicant must submit a
I3 7P 02 10 3 5 — This fund suppor ts undergraduate
letter of recommendation, transcript, and completion of the
s ch o la r ships . T h e s ch o la r ship w ill b e give n to IU P UI
essay question (describe a substantial problem or adversity
students who are studying abroad. The use of this gift will
you have overcome).
be authorized by University College for the reasonable and customary requirements of authorized expenditures.
Please consider helping a University College student today! Giving is available through the University College donor website: http://uc.iupui.edu/Donors.aspx
Healthy Heart = Giving Heart = Happy Heart
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50 Years OF
UB.UC.IUPUI.EDU
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