With a weak economy and the newly passed stimulus package, the future of federal and institutional work study at Ball State University for next academic year is still blurry.
According to a report released by the Career Center in January 2009, the number of students working on campus increased by five percent, compared to January 2008. Larry Beck, associate director of the career center, said he was worried about the numbers in January but so far, the numbers do not look so bad.
According to the same report, the numbers of positions available on campus and applications received remained unchanged. Beck said it is important the amount of students working on campus does not change.
"Students are the largest number of employees," he said. "They are an important part of operating Ball State."
However, so far the budget received from the government for 2009-2010 federal work study has changed.
Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid Robert Zellers said the tentative funding level for the next academic year appears to be lower by almost $90,000.
"That is a tentative level," he said. "The official report may come out by the end of March or beginning of April."
According to the Wall Street Journal, the stimulus package passed by congress on Friday includes $200 million in extra funding for the federal work study programs, among other benefits in aid for students.
"I consider [the stimulus package] very important for lots of reasons," Zeller's said. "My expectation is that we will see some increase in our tentative funding for 2009-2010."
Zellers said that part of the stimulus package will help in some way, although he was not sure whether the amount will bring the budget up to where the current year budget was, or whether it will actually increase.
The July 24 minimum wage increase of 70 cents is another concern, Beck said. If the budget for federal work studies did not increase, with the increase in minimum wage some departments on campus would have to give up students, he said.
About 1,700 federal work study offers were sent to incoming freshmen and upperclassmen last year, however, the number of offers might stay the same of decrease, Zellers said.
"We have a limit based on the money we receive," he said. "We have to make our best determination of how much money we have and then how many offers we can make in terms of work study, but we certainly hope there will be no negative impact."
The institutional work study refers to university departments that hire students without the help of the federal work studies program. Zellers said institutional work studies may be more affected by the minimum wage increase.
"However many hours students work even with this increase in the minimum wage," he said. "It comes straight out of the department's budget. My guess is some departments may not hire as many students compared to the fed work study help."
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