Since last term, student employment hours have decreased. Students reported a significant reduction in their working hours, particularly those working in dining services.
On April 9, a student forum was held in the Abolition Lab where Knox’s Senior Leadership Team addressed students’ questions and concerns about the survey. Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Heather Bumps said the school is not cutting the student employment budget, but instead enforcing its own policies after years of overspending.
Still, students report feeling the impact of the hour cuts, emotionally and financially.
Junior Ben McCabe works in the dish room in dining services. McCabe is currently limited to five hours per week due to his schedule’s changes and cafeteria reductions. Last term, he could work up to seven hours.
McCabe said that the reduction in his hours has caused him financial hardship.
“I’m not doing as much stuff as I would, or nearly driving around as much, because I’m like, okay, well, I have to fill up my car at some point,” said McCabe.
McCabe described the impact of the reduced hours not just financially, but also on his mental well-being.
“It almost feels like it’s more pressure, because it is, like, those—the idea of, hey, I really have to make those hours, or else there’s kind of that leaning sword over my head of, like, if I make a mistake,” said McGabe. “ The working conditions have just gotten rougher, and it’s become more stressful, and I feel my sanity just taking a mental nosedive.”
McCabe also pointed out how international students could have gained fewer hours than what they were initially promised.
“International students are guaranteed those hours, though, and they’re not getting supplied those hours,” said McCabe.
McCabe is referring to the financial aid package in students’ financial aid award letters. The graduating class of 2022, for example, was offered $3,500 per year as part of their financial aid package. Translating from the time’s $12-an-hour minimum wage before taxes, that is about 10 hours a week over a 30-week academic year.
The document did not clearly state that these hours were not guaranteed.
As a result of students bringing up concerns regarding this discrepancy, in a January 2025 student forum, Vice President for Admission and Dean of Enrollment Nathan Ament announced that the school will no longer put employment funds on admissions letters and I-20 documents.
International students have limited access to employment in the United States, under a law that prohibits them from working off-campus without Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Because of that, many international student workers depend on their campus employment to buy supplies, and, in some cases, assist with tuition.
Senior Luvina Vilapriño is an international student from Argentina who works at the C-Store. Luvina expressed frustration with her employment hours decreasing.
“Like, seven is so little. At least, let me get 10,” Vilapriño said.
Vilapriño also said that this had been affecting her and her friends financially.
“We can’t even, like, go to dinner together, because we can’t pay for it,” said Vilapriño.
Following her employment hours decreased, Vilapriño has attempted to find other campus jobs, but has not been successful.
“None will take me. I applied to, like, seven more jobs,” Vilapriño said. “ I know everyone, like, I was desperate to get another job, but I accepted my fate. I’m not gonna find another job. Especially if I’m a senior, no one wants to take me.”
McCabe noted that the only students in dining services who did not have their hours reduced were student captains. Junior Chris Landon, student captain in the Gizmo, confirmed that student captains’ hours have not been reduced.
“And even that, it’s still kind of up in the air, where they might still cut our hours as well,” said Landon.
Though not experiencing financial hardship related to the employment hours cut, Landon worries that this change has created rivalry in relationships within the job.
“It’s just students who can’t get their hours in. There’s a lot of competitiveness, and honestly, it’s kind of some hostility,” Landon said. “There have been some student workers who have been very hostile towards the student captains when they found out that we still have 15 hours,” said Landon.
Landon also mentioned other changes in dining services, including that students’ autonomy in using the fryers is now limited.
“Students are now no longer allowed to use the fryers out of fear for safety. Most of us who work here have worked fast food jobs before so we’re very familiar with like how to be safe around fryers,” said Landon.
Human Resources launched a survey to gather feedback from student workers and supervisors. The survey included questions about potential policy changes, such as limiting student work hours to 10 hours per week during the academic year, and counting stipend jobs over $750 toward the two-job limit. A second forum will happen on May 18th.
An email sent on May 4th by Chief Financial Officer & Vice President for Finance Scott Jones states that both the 10-hour limit and the new stipend policy will be put in effect starting July 1, 2026.
