On-Campus Employers

Information for faculty/staff hiring students

1. Ensure you have funding and a clear job description. Determine if the position will be an undergraduate position or a graduate assistantship.

2. Seek applicants through Handshake, our online job and internship database. Follow the steps in our Employer Guide: Joining Handshake to create an account, then refer to our Employer Guide: Posting Jobs In Handshake for assistance posting your position. If you already know who you want to hire or you are re-hiring a returning student employee, skip to step 3.

3. Read the official College of Charleston policy governing employment eligibility for all employees of the College, including student employees. Students should not perform services for compensation who are not approved Student Employees. There are few exclusions! Check with Student Employment or the Grants Office if you have questions about using grant funding to pay a student employee prior to contracting with a student.

4. Once an offer is extended and accepted, complete a Student Employment Hire Approval Form or a Graduate Assistantship Employment Approval Form. Select a start date that allows 7-14 days for processing. Please allow additional processing time for international students who must apply for a U.S. Social Security Number before they may begin working. (New student employees will be sent an e-mail about attending a mandatory orientation.)

“The Student Employment Hire Approval Form (SEAF) (for undergraduate positions) is located on the Career Center Hub site, under “Student Employment Forms” or by following this link: Student Employment Hire Approval Form

  • You will receive a confirmation e-mail from careercenter@cofc.edu after you submit the SEAF. Save the e-mail or print a copy of the SEAF to keep track of your employees' start and end dates. 
  • Allow time for Student Employment to review registration and employment history, and send an e-mail if the student is required to complete New Student Employee Orientation.
  • Begin and end dates are subject to change by Student Employment*.

The Graduate Assistantship Employment Approval Form (GAEAF) is located on the Graduate School's website and must be submitted to olejniczakrl@cofc.edu in the Graduate Office for approval. (Some undergraduate positions are staffed with graduate students; discuss with the Graduate Office.) 

5.  If the student employee will be paid from a Foundation Account, submit a completed Hiring Approval Form for Foundation Accounts via e-mail to studentemployment@cofc.edu. 

6.  Wait to hear from us. Upon receipt of a SEAF or Graduate Assistantship Form, Student Employment will check the student's registration and employment history. Student Employment will e-mail the student and their supervisor if the student will be a new employee of the College and will be required to complete new hire paperwork and a digital New Student Employee Orientation (NSEO). The e-mail will be sent within 48 hours of receipt of the SEAF. 

NO email is sent to supervisor if student is a prior student employee.**

 *Upon completion of new hire paperwork and ID verification, an 'authorized to work' e-mail containing the student's authorized start date is sent to the student and their supervisor. 

**We will e-mail the student and supervisor if the student is will be a new campus employee.


The following items can be changed by submitting a 

End dates are important. Job assignments are allowable for one (1) full calendar year maximum or until the end date of a grant (if a grant index is used). If an assignment is requested for only one semester, it may be extended up to a full year if an Update SEAF form is submitted before the original assignment end date. After one full year of an assignment, a new SEAF form must be completed for a new year. *

The Federal Work Study assignment end date is on the last day of classes for the academic year (Example: April 25, 2022). Federal Work Study (FWS) assignments are not available for Summer terms. Graduating seniors’ assignment end dates are the day before the graduation (Example: May 5, 2022)

* End date on Non-Work Study assignments may be during or at the end of the summer if the student is registered for Summer terms and/or for the upcoming Fall term. Assignment should end when student enrollment ends.


The following items can be changed by submitting a 

The following items can be changed by submitting a Student Employment Update/Change/Termination Form including the following information: 

  • Index number
  • Timesheet approver name or location
  • End date of employment
  • Hourly rate of pay

Job assignments may only be one year (365 days) in duration, including extensions. Expired assignments may not be extended (a new Hire Form is required). Student Employment will notify you if position exceeds one year or if the position has expired. 

If a student's job assignment is ending prior to the end date of employment indicated on the Hire Form, a Student Employment Update/Change/Termination Form should be submitted to adjust their end date of employment. An "update" form is not required if the original end date of employment is correct. 

When a student leaves a job assignment, use this Termination Checklist as a guide. 

The following resources are for on-campus employers only.

Samples

On-campus employers are encouraged to recognize their student employees on a continuous basis. Below are some examples of ways you may recognize your employees:

  • Write a thank you card
  • Give them a token of your appreciation
  • Recognize them at a staff meeting
  • Reward them with their favorite snack
  • Host a potluck or pizza party 

National Student Employment Week (NSEW)

Each spring, colleges and universities from across the country participate in National Student Employment Week. NSEW is always celebrated the second full week of April. Throughout the week the Office of Student Employment hosts multiple events on-campus for student employees. Examples of past events include employer sponsored student employee appreciation stations, door decorating contests, and a family feud tournament. 

Student Employee of the Year Award (SEOTY)

The Student Employee of the Year Award is awarded annually to an outstanding student employee in recognition of their service and contributions to their department. The winner will receive a monetary award, plaque, and will be entered into the regional SEOTY competition. 

Eligibility Criteria:

In order to be eligible, the student must have worked a minimum of one (1) semester part-time during the selection period: July 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023 (anticipated). Graduate, Teaching, and Research Assistants are not eligible. Individuals currently classified as temporary employees are not eligible. Limit of one (1) nomination per supervisor. 

Nominations: 

Supervisors may nominate a student by completing the SEOTY Campus Nomination Form. Please answer each question thoroughly and provide detailed examples. Email completed forms to Chrystal Grant at cychapma@cofc.edu by March 17th. Late submissions will not be considered.

Selection Committee:

A committee comprised of faculty and staff will read and evaluate the nominations based on the eight career readiness competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. If you are interested in serving on the selection committee, please email Chrystal Grant at cychapma@cofc.edu for more information. 

Student employees come to the college with a wide range of experiences. Some of them have worked before, whereas others may be entering the workforce for the first time. As their employer it is our responsibility to help them develop the skills they need to become highly employable, career-ready individuals. When asked which career readiness skills they most look for in a job candidate, employers identified the 7 skills listed below:

  1. Communication
  2. Critical thinking & problem solving
  3. Leadership
  4. Teamwork & collaboration
  5. Professionalism & work ethic
  6. Digital technology
  7. Global & intercultural fluency

Visit our Skills for Success page to learn more about these skills and how you can help your student employees develop them. 

If you have questions, please contact us at 843.953.5692 or studentemployment@cofc.edu.