Student Employment Guidelines
Student Employee Hiring
A student employee is defined as a person who is enrolled full-time in a degree or certificate program at The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at El Paso and is also employed part-time by the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é at any time during the period of enrollment. A person enrolled full-time as a student in a degree, certificate, or other course of study at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é may not also be employed full-time by the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é during the period of enrollment unless the supervising administrative official has certified that such enrollment will not conflict with the employee's assigned duties and the enrollment has been reviewed and approved by the Human Resource Services Office. The workload of a student employee may not exceed nineteen (19) or twenty (20) hours per week, depending on the student job code assigned. Student employees are not eligible for paid leaves or holidays and are not entitled to use the regular employee appeals and grievance procedures. Additional information relative to job code and title, rate of pay, type of pay rate, and maximum hours and time permitted to work for student employees is contained in the Student Job Code Table.
A full-time employee who is also enrolled part-time in credit classes at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é is not deemed to be a student employee and is subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to any other classified employee.
Source: Handbook of Operating Procedures: Section V, Human Resources, Chapter 1 – Employee Classification, 1.4
The following titles may be assigned to student employees based on their job duties:
Undergraduate Titles
- Work Study Student Employee
- OCSEO Program Student Assistant
- Undergraduate Assistant I
- Undergraduate Assistant II
- Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
- Undergraduate Research Assistant
Graduate (Masters) Titles
- Masters Assistant
- Masters Teaching Assistant
- Masters Research Assistant
- Masters Assistant Instructor
Graduate (Doctoral) Titles
- Doctoral Assistant
- Doctoral Teaching Assistant
- Doctoral Research Associate
- Doctoral Assistant Instructor
Refer to the Student job code table for job codes and salary guidelines.
The pay scale for a student employee is determined by the Provost's Office and the Human Resources Department. The Provost's Office also provides a list of approved salary rates per college. Reference the Student Job Code Table provided by the Provost's Office to review the approved salary rates for student employees.
Position Changes
Student employees moving through student employment levels may be eligible to receive an increase if moving to a higher pay range.
Salary Increases
In order for a student employee to receive a raise or a promotion, a salary increase form must be submitted for approval by the Department Head/ Chair to the Dean/ Vice President in accordance with the Employment Action Approval process and is only for salary increases outside the Merit Increase Policy as defined in the Compensation Plan. Salary increases involving a grant-related funding source will require ORSP approval.
Departmental Steps:
- Download the Student Salary Increase Request Form
- Complete all information requested on the Student Salary Increase form:
- Employee ID
- Employee Name
- Proposed Effective Date
- Requestor Name
- College or Division Name
- Department Name
- Complete the Current and Proposed Position Information:
- Position Title
- Job Code
- Pay Rate
- Hours/ % Time
- Cost Center/ Project Id
- Include a detailed justification of the salary increase.
- Include a list of students within the department with the same title, salary rate, and start date.
- Obtain approval from the following:
- Department Head/ Chair
- Dean/ Vice President
- Once approvals have been obtained, the department may forward the request to Human Resources.
- Upon receipt of HR approval, attach the form and submit the appointment actions request eform via Peoplesoft to appoint the student at the new salary rate.
Student Employment Guidelines
Purpose
Employment of graduate students contributes both to the operation of the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and to the professional development of our students. Student employment opportunities are intended to encourage and assist UTEP students to complete their degrees. The following Student Employment Guidelines outline requirements concerning graduate student employment.
Graduate students interested in employment should contact their departments and other UTEP units about available positions. Departments will provide information on the title, number of hours employed, duration of appointment, minimum eligibility standards, description of duties, procedure and timing of reappointment and deadlines for acceptance.
Eligibility Requirements
- All student employment positions are subject to criminal background check clearance and students must complete a criminal background check prior to being employed.
- Students must have a social security number (SSN) prior to starting employment. International students who do not have a U.S. SSN should work with the Office of International Programs (OIP) to apply for a SSN. SSN applications are made in-person at a Social Security Administration office. F-1 International students cannot complete the process before arriving in the U.S., so it is important that they plan to make this request upon arrival (up to 30 days before classes begin). Failure to obtain a SSN prior to census day may result in students being ineligible for certain employment benefits (e.g., waiver of non-TX resident tuition).
- During the semester of the student appointment, students must be admitted into a graduate program of study at UTEP and enrolled in course work that meets degree requirements for that program.
- Students must maintain good academic standing: overall GPA of 3.0 or better and be makingsatisfactory progress toward their degree based on master’s and doctoral time limit requirements and the doctoral milestone agreement (refer to ).
- For fall and spring semesters, students must be either (a) enrolled in 9 semester credit hours, (b) enrolled in credit hours of thesis/dissertation, or (c) enrolled in course(s) that will allow them to graduate that semester (i.e., in their final semester).
- Summer Employment:
- Graduate students do not need to be enrolled during the summer as long as they (a) were enrolled in either 9 credit hours of coursework or 3 credit hours of thesis/dissertation at UTEP during the preceding spring and (b) are enrolled for the upcoming fall. The department should utilize the appropriate graduate student title (e.g., Graduate Research Assistant). Graduate students who are not enrolled in the summer may have limited access to certain services. Students who have loans may receive notice that they are out of compliance due to non-enrollment.
- Graduate students who graduated in the spring semester may be allowed to work during the summer to complete projects started during the 9-month academic year, with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School. The employing department should utilize the appropriate graduate student job title (i.e. Graduate Research Assistant). Note that international students who recently graduated may not work after their graduation date unless they have been granted permission to work by the U.S. agency corresponding to their visa type, and the permission document must be physically in-hand and provided to Human Resources prior to commencing employment.
- Graduate students are eligible for employment at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é for up to 40 hours/week during the summer.
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Maximum weekly employment hour limits for graduate student employment (fall and spring semesters)
- A 19-hour per week limit applies to the Master’s Assistant job title. These positions are non-benefit eligible and paid on an hourly basis.
- A 20-hour per week limit applies to all other master’s and doctoral job titles. These positions are eligible for employee insurance coverage, in-state tuition and are paid on a salary basis.
Graduate student employees may work in excess of the hours noted above after prior approval has been secured from the Dean of the Graduate School. Except as noted above for the summer immediately following graduation, students are no longer eligible for graduate student employment after graduating.
International students may not work past the last day of their final semester or past the expiration date on their I-20 form, whichever is earlier. Exception applies for continuation of summer employment if the student obtains an extension on their visa/DS-2019 and graduation date has been extended or the student begins a new program.
Employment Limits
The number of years students may be employed using state funds is limited (state funds are typically used for teaching assistants and assistant instructors). Master’s students are limited to two years of state funding and doctoral students are limited to four years of state funding. Funding from student or faculty grants, fellowships, or contracts that is overseen by the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects does not count against these limits. Once a student meets the above limits, a department that wants to continue employing the student using state funding must submit a petition that routes to the Dean of the Academic College and the Dean of the Graduate School.
Monitoring
To determine whether students are meeting the eligibility requirements for continued employment:
- The hiring department will receive access to enrollment and GPA data to monitor their student employees’ academic success and progress.
- In the fall and spring semesters, reports will be run to compare a students' overall GPA and number of semester credit hours (SCH) enrolled to those required for employment. Those colleges employing students not meeting the required overall GPA and/or SCH enrollment will be notified.
- If students fail to meet the eligibility requirements, the hiring department may submit an to the Dean of the Graduate School for review and approval to allow the student to work for one semester with the understanding that overall GPA and/or enrollment requirements will be met in the following semester. Students who are not enrolled full-time in the spring semester must enroll for at least three (3) hours in the summer semester to be employed during the summer. The student’s supervisor is encouraged to contact the Graduate School for guidance in helping the student succeed at UTEP.
If appointed students find that their job responsibilities are not suitable for them, they can voluntarily resign from their position. In cases where poor performance may warrant the termination of a student employee, the hiring department may, but is not obligated to, provide an explanation of the reasons for the decision. The hiring department is encouraged to evaluate students on a semester or annual basis in order to support student professional development. Continued employment is dependent upon the availability of resources in the hiring department. Graduate students who have questions or concerns about employment issues may contact the Graduate School for assistance.
Special Situations – Student Employment Guidelines
Employment of Minors
The minimum age for employment at UTEP is 16 years. Due to federal restrictions on the type of work suitable for those under 18 years, Human Resources must be contacted for review and approval when the hiring department is considering the employment of a person under 18 years of age. Supervisors may require certification of the age in instances in which there is reasonable doubt regarding a minor's age. For additional information, contact Human Resources. Human Resources is located in the Administration Building, Room 216. They can be reached by calling 915-747-5202 or emailing hrs@utep.edu.
Work-Study Employment
Work-study is a need-based program designed to provide employment opportunities for students who are in need of earnings to help pay for their educational expenses. The work-study salary rate is at least the current federal minimum wage, but may be higher, depending on the type of work and skills required. UTEP employs work-study students in many areas on and off campus. It is required that all work-study positions be posted in . For additional information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid, located in the Mike Loya Academic Services Building, Room 204, They can be reached by calling 915-747-5204 or emailing financial@utep.edu.
Training Stipends and Fellowships
These programs provide support to students participating in research or other activities related to their degree programs. Stipend and fellowship recipients may receive financial support while performing independent educational activities, study or research.
These payments must be analyzed for the performance of services. If any amount of the stipend or fellowship requires the performance of services (i.e. teaching, student supervision, etc.) in exchange for the payment, then it constitutes an employee-employer relationship. The student recipient should be appointed as a student employee. For additional information, contact Human Resources, located in the Administration Building, Room 216. They can be reached by calling 915-747-5202 or emailing hrs@utep.edu.
If the stipend or fellowship does not constitute an employee-employer relationship and is solely intended to provide financial support to the individual in support of their research efforts and/or completion of their degree, then it should be treated as a scholarship. Stipends and fellowships are awarded through use of a Student Notice of Award each semester. For additional information on graduate stipends and fellowships, please contact the Graduate School. The Graduate School is located in the Mike Loya Academic Services Building, Room 223. They can be reached by calling 915-747-5491 or emailing gradschool@utep.edu.
Purpose
Employment of undergraduate students contributes both to the operation of the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and to the professional development of our students. Student employment opportunities are intended to encourage and assist UTEP students to complete their degrees. The following Student Employment Guidelines have been written in order to clarify requirements concerning expectations for undergraduate student employment.
Campus employment opportunities for UTEP undergraduate students are available at https://www.myinterfase.com/utep/student/ through the Job Mine portal on the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Career Center website. Job Mine is an online job-listing site exclusively for UTEP students.
Eligibility requirements
- Students must be accepted to a degree program at UTEP, enrolled in an undergraduate program and enrolled in the semester of the student appointment.
- Students must maintain good academic standing (overall GPA of 2.0 or better) at UTEP.
- Students must be enrolled on a full-time basis. This typically includes a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours during both the fall and spring semesters.
- Students may be enrolled for the minimum twelve (12) semester credit hours at UTEP or
- Students may be enrolled for a minimum of six (6) semester credit hours at UTEP and the remainder at EPCC. This does not apply to students hired through UTEP’s On Campus Student Employment Opportunity Program.
- Students hired through UTEP’s On-Campus Student Employment Opportunity Program must be enrolled in a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours at UTEP during the fall and spring semesters.
- A graduating senior may be enrolled for at least one course listed in their degree plan at UTEP during their final semester. Note: Graduating seniors receiving federal work-study must be enrolled in a minimum of six (6) semester credit hours at UTEP during their final semester.
- Students must complete a criminal background check form. All student employment positions are subject to criminal background check clearance.
- Summer Enrollment:
- Summer enrollment is not required if the student was enrolled for a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours, six (6) of which must have been at UTEP, during the previous spring semester or is enrolled in the upcoming fall semester for a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours, six (6) of which must be UTEP semester credit hours. This does not apply to Work-Study students.
- Work-Study students must be enrolled in at least three (3) semester credit hours at UTEP during any summer session (i.e.: Maymester, Summer 1, etc). Work-Study students do not need to be enrolled in each summer session to be eligible for employment the entire summer.
Maximum weekly employment hour limits for undergraduate student employment
- A 19-hour per week limit applies to work-study students, Undergraduate Student Assistants I and II and students hired through UTEP’s On-Campus Student Employment Opportunity Program. These positions are non-benefit eligible and paid on an hourly basis.
- A 20-hour per week limit applies to Undergraduate Teaching and Research Assistants. These positions are non-benefit eligible and paid on a salary basis.
On rare occasions, undergraduate student employees may work in excess of the hours noted above but only after prior approval has been secured from the Office of Undergraduate Studies. Students are no longer eligible for undergraduate student employment after graduating unless they are pursuing a second bachelor’s degree.
Undergraduate student employees may work up to 40 hours per week when school is not in session (i.e.: Spring Break, Winter Holiday, between summer sessions, etc). For additional information on work-student allocations, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid, located in the Mike Loya Academic Services Building, Room 204, They can be reached by calling 915-747-5204 or emailing financial@utep.edu.
International students may not work past the last day of their final semester (defined at UTEP as the day of their last final exam) or past the expiration date on their I-20 form, whichever is earlier.
Monitoring
To determine whether students are meeting the eligibility requirements for continued employment:
- To help ensure the student remains eligible for employment and provide assistance on how to speak to your student employee about academic success, the hiring department will receive access to enrollment and GPA data to monitor their student employees’ academic success and progress.
- The Office of the Provost/VPAA will run various reports throughout the fall and spring semesters to compare a students' overall GPA and number of semester credit hours (SCH) enrolled to those required for employment. Those colleges employing students not meeting the required overall GPA and/or SCH enrollment will be notified.
- If students fail to meet the eligibility requirements, the hiring department may submit an to the Dean of the Undergraduate Studies for review and approval to allow the student to work for one semester with the understanding that overall GPA and/or enrollment requirements will be met in the following semester. A student’s supervisor is encouraged to contact the Office for Undergraduate Studies for guidance in helping the student succeed at UTEP.
- If overall GPA and/or enrollment requirements are not met in the following semester, the hiring official may request approval for continued employment from the Academic Dean, Office for Undergraduate Studies and the Office of the Provost/VPAA. For non-academic areas, approval is required from the Office for Undergraduate Studies and the appropriate Vice President.
If appointed students find that their job responsibilities are not suitable for them, they can voluntarily resign from their position. In cases where poor performance may warrant the termination of a student employee, the hiring department may, but is not obligated to, provide an explanation of the reasons for the decision. The hiring department is encouraged to evaluate students on a semester or annual basis in order to support student professional development. Continued employment is dependent upon availability of resources in the hiring department.
Special Situations
Employment of Minors
The minimum age for employment at UTEP is 16 years. Due to federal restrictions on the type of work suitable for those under 18 years, Human Resources must be contacted for review and approval when the hiring department is considering the employment of a person under 18 years of age. Supervisors may require certification of the age in instances in which there is reasonable doubt regarding a minor's age. For additional information, contact Human Resources. Human Resources is located in the Administration Building, Room 216. They can be reached by calling 915-747-5202 or emailing hrs@utep.edu.
On-Campus Student Employment Opportunity Program
UTEP’s On-Campus Student Employment Opportunity Program provides an opportunity for UTEP departments to apply for funding to create undergraduate student positions. This competitive process is open to all university departments and undergraduate student positions are awarded based on how well the proposals meet the program criteria. Each proposal is reviewed by a committee composed of students, faculty and staff. For additional information, contact the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, located in the Union Building, East, Room 301. They can be reached calling 915-747-5076.
Work-Study Employment
Work-study is a need-based program designed to provide employment opportunities for students who are in need of earnings to help pay for their educational expenses. The work-study salary rate is at least the current federal minimum wage, but may be higher, depending on the type of work and skills required. UTEP employs work-study students in many areas on and off campus. It is required that all work-study positions be posted in Handshake. For additional information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid, located in the Mike Loya Academic Services Building, Room 204, They can be reached by calling 915-747-5204 or emailing financial@utep.edu.
Training Stipends and Fellowships
These programs provide support to students participating in research or other activities related to their degree programs. Stipend and fellowship recipients may receive financial support while performing independent educational activities, study or research.
These payments must be analyzed for the performance of services. If any amount of the stipend or fellowship requires the performance of services (i.e. teaching, student supervision, etc.) in exchange for the payment, then it constitutes an employee-employer relationship. The student recipient should be appointed as a student employee. For additional information, contact Human Resources, located in the Administration Building, Room 216. They can be reached by calling 915-747-5202 or emailing hrs@utep.edu.
If the stipend or fellowship does not constitute an employee-employer relationship and is solely intended to provide financial support to the individual in support of their research efforts and/or completion of their degree, then it should be treated as a scholarship. Stipends and fellowships are awarded through use of a Student Notice of Award each semester.