Perceived judgments of immediate supervisors toward student employees and the student employment program at Ball State University

• Main Author: Sullivan, Stephen Edward
• Other Authors: Strom, Merle T.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Student employment.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/181286; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/250848

The purpose of the study was to secure perceived judgments of immediate supervisors toward student employees and the student employment program at Ball State University. A secondary purpose was to compare perceived judgments of immediate supervisors relative to ten selected characteristics of college work-study student employees and regular student employees.A Student Employment Questionnaire was developed to supervisors of student employees. Two hundred and ninety-five individuals participated in the study.Response data from study participants indicated general satisfaction with the performance of student employees supervised. Supervisors expressed agreement that a training program for student employees was desirable while responses were about evenly divided on whether supervisors have adequate input into the evaluation of the student employment program. Supervisors expressed disagreement that a training program for supervisors is needed. No significant differences were discovered in judgments of immediate supervisors when comparing college work-study student employees gather data from the 513 individuals identified as immediate and regular student employees relative to ten hypotheses statements.It was concluded that good supervisory practices are essential to the success of student employment programs, student employment is a justified way of helping students attend college, and periodic evaluation of student employment programs should be made, involving student employees, immediate supervisors and administrators in the process. To insure dollars are effectively spent, screening of students for particular jobs, having written job descriptions, providing orientation to the job and evaluation and feedback to student employees must be accomplished.It was recommended that the study be replicated in other collegiate settings to compare findings and secure additional data. It was recommended that a study be conducted to secure judgments of student employees relative to supervisory practices and the total student employment program. It was further suggested that a supervisory handbook be developed by institutional personnel, incorporating the philosophy of the institution, the role of work in the educational setting and the shared judgments of supervisors of student employees. State and national organizations were urged to focus attention on the duties and responsibilities, role and importance of immediate supervisors during meetings and in journals and newsletters.