Provost Espy informs university on managing student employees

MARCH 12, 2020 — Editor’s note: The following message was sent via email today from Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy to faculty and staff student supvervisors:

Following the university’s announcements yesterday on new preventive measures related to the coronavirus, we are reaching out to UTSA staff and faculty who supervise student employees. With campus operations continuing as usual, it is important that you reach out to your student employees to discuss work assignments and identify a plan of action for the coming weeks. Please keep in the mind the following considerations:

For All Student Employees

• If student employees are able to complete their assigned tasks remotely, consider having them telecommute, when possible.
• If a student employee’s role requires them to be physically present on campus to maintain normal operations, prepare them with necessary information for staying healthy. More information can be found on the university’s Coronavirus Updates website.
• If a student employee is sick, they should stay home. If they need to work due to financial dependency, consider arrangements for them to complete tasks from home.
• If a student employee is on campus and begins to feel sick or is displaying symptoms, please instruct them to go home.

For Students on Work-Study

• Be prepared for work-study employees to ask questions about their financial aid in the event they are unable to come to campus or choose to stay off campus.
• Work-study students can be paid for hours worked, regardless of work location. Current time-keeping practices should be adhered to.
• During extended spring break, any student worker can work up to 40 hours. When classes resume on March 23, 19 hours per week is the maximum. Note: A work-study student will exhaust their work-study allocation earlier if they work the increased hours. They should be consulting with their supervisor related to this.
• All work-study student questions need to be directed to onestop@utsa.edu. All supervisor-related questions for work-study students should be directed to work.study@utsa.edu.

For Student Interns

• Consider assigning student interns work that can be completed remotely.
• Please advise them to contact their academic adviser or intern program adviser for specific instructions on completing their internship.

Please visit the university’s Coronavirus Updates website, which has been updated with a FAQ specifically related to student employees. All student employees will be receiving a similar email today from One Stop to help clarify their questions. That said, please make sure to touch base with them right away to determine a plan of action for the coming weeks.