Departments across campus have been forced to cut student employee hires and hours in order to keep budgets within the ten percent campus-wide reduction.

This means fewer available job opportunities for students and less help from students in some departments. Across campus, these reductions have evoked mixed responses.

While cuts result in fewer student jobs on campus, some departments say these cuts have actually increased department efficiency and have reduced the amount of downtime that students have while on the clock.

The Office of Student Employment (OSE) reduced its own student staff. In addition to moving into a smaller space over the summer, the office trimmed its student crew from nine to seven this fall.

Laura Saucedo, Student Employment Assistant Coordinator, said this re-organization is a good thing, despite reducing hours overall. By reevaluating their needs, she said, departments have become more efficient in their processes, space, and the way they utilize workers.

“Departments have to use students wisely,” Saucedo said. “They can’t just hire a student to have a student.”

She added that a reduced number of job slots also creates competition.  “It ensures a higher caliber of student worker,” Saucedo said. “You don’t just sign up and get a job. You have to deserve it and earn it.”

The Admissions Department cut back their student workforce, but reported a streamlined office rather than a hard-pressed staff. Tami Gavaletz, Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, said that the cuts helped them prioritize.

“It was a great exercise for our office,” said Gavaletz. “This was a chance for fresh thinking, new ideas, and to know our true needs.”

Last spring, Admissions employed 15 assistant admissions counselors to make phone calls to prospective freshmen, a group that changed quarterly. This fall, a staff of nine will cover the calls through the entire year. The department is also looking at how to adjust the Admissions Ambassador program for college visiting weekends.

“We’ve just done our homework to evaluate what our needs are,” said Gavaletz.

Saucedo maintains that every department has the workers they need. “We haven’t lost services, because everybody still has workers in their departments.”

The Writing Center disagrees, having reduced its evening library tutor hours to adjust to the new cuts and preserve its new FYE tutor program.

Writing Center Director Lynn Horth said, “It’s ironic because these cutbacks happened at the same time we were increasing the Writing Center’s services and programs.”

The new FYE tutor program pairs a tutor with a freshman group, paying tutors to teach clinics or generally help their students. However, in order to maintain enough money in the budget to pay for the program, the Writing Center reduced hours for its library staff.

Sophomore Paul Sanderude, a relatively new addition to the Writing Center’s tutor staff, said he did not start off with many hours and doesn’t see them increasing in the future.  Although he said he understands why, he thinks students are getting shortchanged.

“It doesn’t just affect us, but it affects all the students,” Sanderude said.  ”People really love the eleven to midnight shift.”

The Writing Center recently launched an ad campaign, posting jaunty signs that advertise the new hours as well as their services.

Horth said, “We’ve got to make sure it’s clear our services are useful  everything’s being questioned in this kind of economy.”

Two weeks into the quarter, department staff lists have been finalized, and most people looking for work have some hours, although some students want more.

OSE keeps a waiting list to inform student jobseekers of opportunities, including new job openings, dropped shifts, and extra hours. Last fall, 56 people signed up on the waitlist, and all but one student found something. This year, 50 people signed up on the waitlist, but 14 people who signed up still have not found a job. Many are still looking for more hours, while others decline various departments or extra shifts in Dining Services. Students can still pick up odd jobs like ball running for athletic events and van driving, but there are no more scheduled jobs available.

Sophomore Gabby Alioto still hopes to pick up another job.

“I would prefer a constant two hours every day,” she said.  ”It’s easier just knowing I have a constant schedule.”

Alioto currently works four and a half hours a week in the Pub, but would prefer to work ten hours a week to cover various expenses.

A paycheck adds an expense for departments to juggle within their budget. Both college departments and students will have to find out how to work with less this year.