Affect of strike on work-study program of little concern to most

Students receiving financial and student-workers at SIUC may be affected by an extended faculty walkout.

If faculty strike forces student course loads to drop below half-time enrollment, or six hours, they will not be eligible to continue their federal work-study programs, said Larry Dietz, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.

Advertisement

But full-time students should not expect their enrollment to drop below six hours with the plans the University administration is putting in place, Dietz said.

“It’s unlikely that a full time student’s course load will drop below six hours because of a faculty strike,” he said. “You would have to be really unlucky.”

And for those who aren’t student workers, canceled classes will result in a refund for those classes, Dietz said.

But a monetary refund would not be given to students receiving financial aid since the money would return to the government, Deitz said. He said students would not be affected by a course load reduced from 15 hours to 12 hours, since that would still be full-time status.

As of 2002, 80 percent of students were receiving some type of financial aid. As a requirement, these students must maintain six credit hours in order to continue receiving work-study.

With some members of the faculty having expressed intention to strike if negotiations are not reached, there is some concern that canceled classes will cause some students to fall below the amount of hours necessary to receive work-study.

“I’ve heard that certain professors plan to cancel classes,” said Bridget McBride, a junior in rehabilitation services from Carbondale who receives work-study. “I’m not really worried about it though because a bunch of my professors have said they won’t strike because they have a commitment to their students.

Advertisement*

“I understand what the teachers are trying to do, I also understand how it’s bad for students with work study, but there’s really nothing we can do.”

McBride is not alone in her lack of concern over a possible strike affecting her work-study. Students such as Whitney Banning, a junior in zoology from Cowden said she was concerned for students in programs such as liberal arts, where a number of teachers expressed intention to strike, but like McBride, said she was not in a position where the strike would affect her work-study.

According to Provost and Vice Chancellor John Dunn, there are not many students concerned with the possibility of losing classes. Even with the possibility in the air, Dunn said there is little reason for concern.

Although some students said that few, if any, of their instructors plan to strike, Dunn said he recognizes the possibility that some students will be greatly affected by the strike.

“I don’t believe many people will make the decision whether or not to strike until the time comes,” said Dunn. “We want to make sure that, in any event, students have options before facing this problem.

“We have other faculty who has chosen to show their support and fill the positions of teachers that strike. We also have emeritus who have offered to step in.”

Dunn also mentioned the possibility of combining sections, as well as picking up other classes for students who feel that they need to replace classes they cannot attend.

University spokeswoman Sue Davis said that, while the effect of the strike on work-study is a concern that has only been presented to her twice, she is fully prepared to address the problem if it were to arise.

“Although it is premature to speculate, I don’t think this will be much of a problem,” Davis said. “We’ve got advisers willing to work with students and make sure they don’t fall below the necessary amount of hours.”

Davis emphasized the importance of attending classes, as well as the fact that work done with substitute instructors will still count toward students’ final grades.

“The Financial Aid Office will work out all of the details, but we’re trying to be as flexible as possible,” Davis said. “We’re definitely keeping students’ concerns at the forefront and we’ll look for answers to individual problems as they develop.”

Reporter Ben Botkin contributed to this story.

Reporter Jessica Yorama can be reached at [email protected]