Supervisor Guide

This guide is intended to provide guidelines only, which are informed by student employment, human resources and financial aid. These may be modified or supplemented at any time.

Introduction & Student Employment Calendar 4D Experience  Student Employees The Supervisory Relationship Pay Rates and Position Classifications Job Postings & Application Process Interviewing Hiring & Onboarding

Timekeeping & Payroll Work Hours & Holidays Break Periods, Sick Leave & Overtime Learning & Development Rewards & Recognition Employee Relations Separation Process Well-Being in the Workplace

Introduction

Welcome to Student Employment at DU! Working part-time in a meaningful on-campus position has a positive effect on retention, feelings of connection and prepares students for internships and careers after graduation. Our goal is to provide students with quality employment experiences and equip them with career-readiness competencies. 

The Office of Student Employment provides: 

• Student training in identifying and applying to on-campus positions, orientation to and development in career competencies, goal setting for positions, and employment lifecycle phases. 
• Supervisor training in creating high impact learning experiences, writing and posting job descriptions, student development, coaching, and the employment lifecycle phases. 
• Advertisement opportunities in our Student Employment Newsletter and our annual Student Employment Job Fair each fall. 
• Human resources support for the employment lifecycle, work guidelines, equity and compliance, and employee relations management. 

The purpose of this guide is to provide supervisors with guidance on policies and procedures related to work including eligibility, responsibilities and expectations, and employment and pay practices. In some areas, this guide overlaps with the Student Employee Handbook, but in most areas the guidance is specific to supervisors. This in-depth guidance is to support supervisors to be the most effective in their roles. Please contact Student Employment at stuemp@du.edu with any questions. 

Please check the student employment calendar for important dates and deadlines as it relates to international students and students eligible for federal work-study funding.

4D Experience

Student Employment supports the 4D Experience, providing holistic student development through work on-campus. The program encourages career development as students build professional skills, character exploration as they discover their values and who they want to be in the workplace, intellectual growth as they connect their work experiences to their coursework and well-being as they learn to balance their social, financial, and personal needs. 

Student Employees  

Student Employees are students who work and their primary association with the University of Denver is as a student. Their academics come first. Student Employees include undergraduate and graduate students who are funded through a variety of sources. Funding sources can include department, work-study, external grants and/or donations, and graduate assistantships. Regardless of funding source, all student employees have access to the Office of Student Employment, training, and resources.  

Terms Used
You will notice throughout this guide we use the term “student employee” to describe students who work on-campus. The term student employee encompasses all funding sources and employment classes. When students are referred to as “work-study” formally and publicly, their financial need is revealed.   We encourage supervisors to begin using “student employee” when referring to their employees. Where policies differ based on funding sources, this resource will state this difference.  

Eligibility
Any employment with the University of Denver is related to students’ educational program and students who are currently enrolled in the University of Denver are eligible to apply. Some student employee positions on campus have qualification requirements such as: work-study eligibility, credit hours, or being enrolled in a particular program. These requirements must be clearly stated in the job description.  

Employment Types and Funding Sources
There are 4 employment types of student employees: hourly, work-study, graduate assistants (GXA), and F1 and J1 International.  And there are several funding sources for these employment classes: department, work-study, external funding, and stipends. As you hire student employees, it’s important to be aware of these employment types, funding sources, and the rules and regulations associated. This guide is a first step in familiarizing yourself with all facets of student employment.

Hourly
Departments who are using departmental funds or external grants to pay their student employees may hire these employees as hourly student employees. The Colorado Healthy Families & Workplaces Act included a provision that designates sick leave accruals for hourly employees. Hourly student employees are not eligible for university employee medical plan benefits. Please see the Sick Time section of this handbook for more details.

Work-Study  
The work-study program provides job opportunities for students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. On and off campus employers may open work-study positions for students, with federally sourced funding, rather than employer sourced funding. Off-campus employers must be approved private, nonprofit organizations or public agencies. The work performed must be in the public interest. 

Students interested in federal work-study funding, must:    

• Demonstrate financial need.  
• Complete and file a FAFSA (if a student’s FAFSA is selected for Verification, additional documents must   be submitted).   
• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or be an otherwise eligible non-citizen (as determined by FAFSA).  F-1 and J-1 international students are not eligible for Federal Work-Study positions.  
• Be enrolled in at least a half time class status (UG: 6 credit hours, GR: 4 credit hours).   
• Use work-study funding for only one position on-campus. Work-study awards may not be utilized in combination with a GTA or GRA waiver within the same quarter or semester.  

In addition:  

• Students who applied for federal financial aid, but work-study was not included in the financial aid offer may request to be added to the waitlist by sending an email to workstudy@du.edu (does not include F1 and J1 international students).  
• Work-study awards may be prorated for students that do not attend the University for the full academic year.  

Although many students qualify, a work-study award is not offered to all eligible students due to limited funding. We make a conscious attempt to support employment needs of all University of Denver students to the greatest extent possible. Priority awarding will be given to students who meet the priority application deadline.  

On-campus employers can view work study awards using RZIWork in Banner. Once students are hired, students can see their work-study information on the bottom right-hand corner in their student tab in PioneerWeb. The hours remaining in student awards are updated after every pay period.  We recommend reviewing the Work-Study Policy Guide, an in-depth guide on the work-study program. For more information on Work-Study, please check out work-study information for undergraduate and graduate students on the Financial Aid website. Contact workstudy@du.edu with any questions.  

Graduate Assistants (GXAs)  
Graduate Assistantships provide graduate students with experience to pursue a career in their field of study. Regardless of terminology a unit or department may use to describe these positions (GXA, GSA, GA, GTI, RSA, etc.,) the University recognizes only three official assistantship types: Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), Graduate Service Assistantship (GSA) and Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA).  

Assistantships can be in support of teaching assignments, general administrative duties, or research. Please refer to the Graduate Assistant website for more information. Policies and guidelines found on the website apply to GTAs, GSAs and GRAs except where specified and must be adhered to by all graduate colleges, schools, departments, and recipients. Graduate Assistantships recognized by the University are coordinated through the Office of Graduate Education. Contact gradservices@du.edu with any questions.  

F1 and J1 International
Federal regulations for F-1 and J-1 international students limit employment in the U.S. such as the kind of employment, the number of hours per week and the periods of employment. F-1 and J-1 international students are eligible for on-campus employment (this includes F-1 students enrolled at the English Language Center).  The on-campus employment limits apply to the total number of hours worked in a workweek (Monday through Sunday) among all on-campus positions: hourly student employment, Graduate Assistantships, Residents Advisors, Adjunct teaching, etc. See the ISSS website for details.  

Working without authorization or working more than the number of hours allowed is a violation of legal status and can result in the termination of legal status in the U.S. or the loss of future immigration benefits. If an ISSS advisor has knowledge of the violation, they are obligated by federal regulation to terminate the F-1 or J-1 student’s SEVIS record and legal status in the U.S. If you have concerns about a violation of status, consult an immigration attorney (www.aila.org).  

Campus Partners

Financial Aid & Work-Study Awards 

• Work Study Policy Guide
• Undergraduates: Work-Study Information 
• Graduates/Law Students: Work-Study Information 
• Email: workstudy@du.edu  

Human Resources & Inclusive Community (HRIC) 

• Financial Services Knowledge Base
• Timecards (required for all positions except GXAs): PioneerTime 
• HR Partners (available to all DU employees) Email: AskHRPartners@du.edu  
• Timecard & General Questions Email: ContactUFS@du.edu

International Student & Scholar Services 

• Employment information for F-1 and J-1 students 
• Email: isss@du.edu  

Office of Graduate Education 

• Graduate Assistantships (GXAs) 

The Supervisory Relationship

The Supervisory Relationship is the connection of an individual with expertise with an individual who is looking to build experience. These individuals work together to achieve common goals. Supervisors commit to student employees’ professional growth and career readiness. Supervisees commit to participating in the work and priorities, with a willingness to develop. 

Student employees wear many hats, including one as a student and one as an employee. Given these various modes of operation, supervisors should anticipate experiencing challenges in areas such as recruitment, training, motivation, and retention. The Office of Student Employment is here to support you in these challenges, which we see as opportunities. Students can learn to navigate work life integration or balance early, making them more prepared for their careers and lives of purpose. Supervisors can learn supervision practices as they take this journey with their student employees.  

To be the most successful we recommend supervisors and student employees take the steps in the Student Employee Handbook. This guide goes into further detail as it relates to supervisor responsibilities.  

Pay Rates and Position Classifications

Pay Rates and Position Classification Information

Job Postings & Application Process  

PCO is the job platform students utilize to search and apply for on-campus employment, including summer and short-term assignments. All on-campus positions should be posted on PCO to ensure fair access to opportunities for all students. 

Posting and re-applying is not necessary for students who are returning to the same position after a break (ex: winter/summer breaks). Students can reach out to the Office of Student Employment at stuemp@du.edu if they need help identifying and applying for positions in PCO. 

Special considerations may be made for students who are separated due to unexpected loss of work or department funding (ex. budget constraints during COVID). Students experiencing separation due to these issues should contact the Office of Student Employment at stuemp@du.edu for support in applying and transitioning to new positions on-campus as available. 

• How to Write a Job Description 
• Sample Job Descriptions 
• How to Post Positions to PCO (blog) 
• How to Post Positions to PCO (video) 

Equal Pay for Equal Work Act  

• As of January 1, 2021, employers posting internships or jobs within the State of Colorado must comply with the  Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The University of Denver reserves the right to remove any postings that do not meet those requirements.  
• If you have any questions, reference The University of Denver Equal Pay for Equal Work Act FAQs.  

Resume Requirement for Students 

Please note all resumes submitted through PCO go through an automatic review process by the Career & Professional Development staff. While this may take extra time if revisions are needed, it is to support students in submitting the most competitive application possible. A quality resume will help students now and in the future. Please allow at least 3 days before the application deadline for this step. Students will not be able to submit their full application until the resume has been reviewed and approved. Due to the expected volume of applications, students should not wait until right before the deadline to apply as their resume could be delayed in the review process.  

Advertising   

Posting jobs to PCO is the first way supervisors can advertise their positions. Registering for the Fall Student Employee Career Fair will also increase position visibility, regardless of your recruiting timeline. Supervisors who recruit in Winter and Spring quarters are welcome to advertise their positions early if the recruiting time is clear to students. Lastly, supervisors should consider advertising their positions in the Student Employment Newsletter, which goes out every other month. To advertise, please contact stuemp@du.edu with the position link.   

Interviewing 

We recommend supervisors interview at least 3 candidates, although larger on-campus employment programs will interview between 50-100. Supervisors should prepare the interview process prior to reaching out to candidates. Preparation includes deciding on the interview format, time duration, and individuals involved. It is permitted for only one person, most likely the supervisor, to interview candidates.  

It is highly recommended that drafted interview questions be aligned with the career-readiness competencies (templates below) and crafted into a rubric for equitable evaluation.  

• • Sample Interview Questions 
  • Sample Interview Rubric 

Hiring & Onboarding

The Hiring Checklist guides you through the hiring process. If you are completing this process for the first time, check with your division’s business officer as there may be a process in place for this checklist.

All newly hired student employees who have not worked on-campus in the past year are auto-enrolled in Student Employee Orientation through Canvas. Given the often hectic and varied schedule of our student employees, we designed a course suited to their needs. They can take this training anytime, anywhere.  

This course is highly interactive with short videos, readings, and reflection questions. It takes 1 hour to 1.5 hours to complete. Campus-wide orientation provides consistent framing, structure, and procedures for all student employees. Campus-wide orientation topics include:  

University Structure and Student Employees in the Campus Experience 

• Responsibilities & Expectations 
• Values and the 4D Student 

Professional Development & Career Skills 

• Student Employees Achieve Training Series 
• Policies & Procedures 

Hours & Time Training (PioneerTime) 

• Money Matters (Payroll & Taxes) 
• Required Paperwork (I9s and more) 
• Important Partners like Equal Opportunity & Title IX, Human Resources, & Financial Aid 

Below are action items as you prepare on-boarding for your student employees:  

• Review the On-Boarding Checklist. Please note the Supervisory Relationship Questionnaire resource.  
• Include Student Employee Orientation in Canvas in your on-boarding plan for your newly hired Templates are available from the Office of Student Employment.  
• Ensure your student employee completes Student Employee Orientation training within 30 days of their hire. They may begin this training on their official hire date, no sooner, and this should be paid time. 
• If your newly hired student employee does not see the course on their Canvas dashboard within 48 hours of their hire, contact stuemp@du.edu. 
• Use the topic list above as a branching off point for area-specific training (referenced in the On-Boarding Checklist). Consider using Canvas to deliver portions of your training.  
• Would you like to check out this course for yourself? Reach out to stuemp@du.edu. 

Timekeeping & Payroll

On-Campus Employers 

Student employees utilize the PioneerTime system to record their time worked and/or sick leave taken. Please encourage your student employees to view the PioneerTime Video Series for guidance on using the system. Students can enter their time in PioneerTime in two different ways depending on convenience for the student: 1. PioneerTime Terminal Locations 2. Through the Web Based Application. 

Off-Campus Employers (Work-Study) 

Time approval emails should be emailed to workstudy@du.edu for all off campus work-study students. We request these on a bi-weekly basis to verify the time entered in PioneerTime by the student. 

Direct Deposit and Paychecks 

Student employees have two options for receiving their earned wages: 1. Direct Deposit, or 2. Paychecks mailed to the address the University has on file for the student (often the student’s home address, not local address). It is highly recommended that all student employees enroll for Direct Deposit. To enroll in Direct Deposit a student must complete the online form “Paycheck Direct Deposit” available under the Employee tab on the student’s PioneerWeb. 

2024 Payroll Calendar 

Tax Information 

Money earned as a student employee is subject to state and federal taxation. W-4: Federal and state tax withholding is calculated from information provided on the student’s W-4. W-2: Students can view, and print University issued W-2’s under the Employee tab on the student’s PioneerWeb. All University employees contribute to Social Security as a requirement of the Federal Insurance Compensation Act. For additional information, contact ContactUFS@du.edu. 

Work Hours & Holidays

Period of Employment and Important Dates 

Students may work during the summer and after graduation if it is approved by their supervisor and is funded through the department. 

• Graduate Assistantship funds may not be used during the summer. Departmental funds may be used. 
• F-1 and J-1 international students may not work on-campus after graduation unless they have received additional employment authorization from ISSS or the US government. Please see the ISSS website for more information. 
• Work-study funds may not be used during certain parts of the summer or after graduation. Departmental funds may be used. 

Students with work-study funding must follow specific guidelines related to the period of employment: 

• Students should be registered for the fall quarter before beginning to earn wages from their work-study award. 
• A student with a work-study award is not permitted to work using work study funds after they have graduated. The last day for a student to use their work-study award is the last day of finals for the student’s last term. 

View the DU Academic Calendar. 

Hours Worked 

The University of Denver is committed to the philosophy that academic pursuits come before all else. To support students, we strongly advise student employees with a full-time course load to work no more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session. Generally, student employees may work 10-15 hours per week. Hours may vary depending on departmental and student scheduling needs. 

F-1 and J-1 international students are limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session. Please see the ISSS website for more information. 

A graduate student cannot hold more than the equivalent of one full-time assistantship (GTA, GSA and/or GRA). Full-time is normally defined as 20 hours per week (1.0 FTE). Depending on the position and type, graduate student employees may be expected to work more hours as the position is connected to their academic studies and department. Please see the GTA website for more information. 

The shift length per day for student employees varies, but the average is 2-4 hours. There may be times when the student employee is needed to work more hours in a day. Please refer to the next section in this handbook regarding breaks and meal period. Research shows undergraduate students working 10-19 hours per week show greater academic performance and have a more optimal work-college balance. It also allows student to be involved in other developmental activities like student organizations and community service. 

Holidays 

During University holidays, students may work 37.5 hours per week. We ask that student employees do not work on official University holidays. However, if an office must remain open during an official University holiday, students are permitted to work if a supervisor is present. 

Break Periods, Sick Leave & Overtime

Meal Periods 

Employees shall be entitled to an uninterrupted and duty-free meal period of at least a 30-minute duration when the shift exceeds five consecutive hours of work. Such meal periods, to the extent practical, shall be at least one hour after the start, and one hour before the end, of the shift. Employees must be completely relieved of all duties and permitted to pursue personal activities for a period to qualify as non-work, uncompensated time. 

When the nature of the business activity or other circumstances make an uninterrupted meal period impractical, the employee shall be permitted to consume an on-duty meal while performing duties. Employees shall be permitted to fully consume a meal of choice on the job and be fully compensated for the on-duty meal period without any loss of time or compensation. 

Deductions for Meals 

The reasonable cost or fair market value of meals provided to the employee may be used as part of the minimum hourly wage. No profits to the employer may be included in the reasonable cost or fair market value of such meals furnished. Employees’ acceptance of a meal must be voluntary and uncoerced. 

Rest Periods 

Every employer shall authorize and permit a compensated 10-minute rest period for each 4 hours of work. 

Sick Leave 

Hourly student employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked. GXAs accrue a flat amount of four hours of paid sick leave each month. Resident Assistants do not accrue leave for their RA role due to receiving compensation in the form of housing. Resident Assistants that perform hourly Desk Assistant duties earn one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked as a Desk Assistant. 

The maximum number of paid sick hours student employees can accrue is forty-eight hours. Student employees should provide as much notice as possible to their supervisor if they need to use sick leave. If an employee is absent for more than four days, they will be required to provide documentation to support the use of sick leave. For more information on sick leave, go here (requires DU login). 

Overtime 

We strongly recommend student employees DO NOT work more than 37.5 hours per week while enrolled full-time. However, if a student employee works more than 40 hours in a work week (Monday– Sunday) or 12 hours in a single day, then the student must be compensated at a time and half pay rate. In accordance with the Federal work-study rules and regulations, work-study funds cannot be used to compensate a student for overtime hours. Therefore, departments are responsible for any overtime paid to student employees. 

Volunteering at Work 

If a student is participating in a “service learning” course and the community service work-study program, they may not volunteer and work at the same agency. If you have additional questions, please contact workstudy@du.edu. 

Learning & Development

As you on-board your student employees, it is best practice to collaboratively set at least 3 goals. We recommend setting goals that map up to one or more of the career competencies. If this sounds challenging, have no fear! Most goals will map up to one of these competencies, you’ll just need to be specific with the language used and helping your student see the connection.  

Once you establish 3 goals with your student employee, use SMARTIE (Strategic, Measurable, Ambitious, Realistic, Time-bound, Inclusive, and Equitable) framework to write them with specific detail. This worksheet from the Management Center will walk you through the process.  

Example Goals:

• Respond to office email inquires within 24-48 hours of receipt to promote departmental reliability for the 2021-22 academic year.
• Lead 2-4 campus tours per week for 15-20 prospective students and parents for fall quarter 2022.
• Coordinate a career program on resume writing for 10-15 undergraduates to increase education.

Professional Development 

The Office of Student Employment offers professional development training and resources for your student employee staff. We are happy to come to your staff meetings to deliver a topic of your choice or to offer training at a time that works best with your schedule. A menu of offerings can be found here. If you do not see a topic you would like delivered, we will work with you to create one that fits your needs. 

Performance Evaluation 

The Office of Student Employment recommends that student employees are evaluated on their work. This is a best practice that prepares students for future employment where their work will be evaluated. We recommend utilizing SkillSurvey for Career Readiness as a performance evaluation tool. The cost and duties of survey administration are covered by the Office of Student Employment. On-campus employers with 10+ student employees have the option of selecting a departmental point of contact to administer the survey.

Rewards & Recognition

The guidelines for rewards, recognition and meals for student employees differs for that of professional staff due to financial aid implications. Our guiding principles include: 

• Recognizing the important contributions of our student employees 
• Ensuring consistency across campus and ethical stewardship financial resources 
• Compliance with federal financial aid policy 

Gifts of Appreciation 

Gifts to student employees are extremely limited due to financial aid policy. In general, gifts and awards need to be reported to financial aid to ensure compliance with federal financial aid laws, especially if those gifts are related to cost of attendance (computer equipment, books, school supplies etc.) or notable in expense. For more information on reporting gifts read A Practical Guide to the Student Award Request Form and contact DU Financial Aid at finaid@du.edu with further questions. 

Modest gifts that can be consumed (food/drink), worn (t-shirts/hats), or small promotional swag items distributed broadly do not need to be reported to financial aid and are a best practice. 

With both financial aid rules and budget stewardship in mind, we recommend that you keep any rewards or thank you gifts to students small in nature not to exceed $10.00 such as modest swag items, candy/cookies, or certificates. Students should receive small gifts no more than once per quarter. 

Because student employees typically work in-person hours, gifts should be hand delivered. It’s possible mailing costs may only be covered under extenuating circumstances. If mailing is an option you must explore, please check with your division for guidance. 

For no cost and low cost ideas on showing appreciation to student employees, check out the recent article on 10 Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Student Employees. 

Student Employee & Supervisor of the Year 

It’s highly recommended that you leverage the Student Employee & Supervisor of the Year program to further celebrate high performing undergraduate and graduate student employees. Students can nominate their supervisors as well. All nominated students receive a certificate, small gift, and acknowledgement from the Chancellor during a spring event. Selected undergrad/grad student employees and supervisors of the year winners also receive an approved cash prize.

You Rock Awards 

Student employees are also eligible for the DU Community + Values “You Rock!” award. Consider acknowledging those that are going above and beyond in their job. Learn more. 

Graduation Gifts 

When a student ends employment with your team due to graduation, you may purchase them a graduation gift. We recommend up to $25.00 along with a card up to $5.00. 

Student Employee Meals 

For supervisors who provide group meals to student employees, we recommend offering these meals once per fiscal year quarter for activities such as training, year-end celebrations, or similar activities. Food provided should be light in nature such as pizza, sandwiches, ice-cream socials, coffee/donuts or similar with a limit of $5.00-$10.00 per person. 

Other considerations and recommendations: 

• Do not gift or serve alcohol to student employees regardless of student employee age or location of gathering. 
• Off-site gatherings should be free of charge and should consider the comfort of employees meeting at an off-site location as well as transportation needs of participants. 

Employee Relations 

Academic Probation  

As student employees’ priority should remain academics, supervisors and departments are encouraged to work with students who are struggling to balance their student and employee roles. Student employees who are placed on academic probation may remain in their position unless the specific position or department has rules or guidelines that do not allow work to be performed while on probation. 

For example, Federal Work-Study and Graduate Assistantships are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and meet other conditions to maintain employment eligibility. See links below for information on each – 

• Work Study Satisfactory Academic Progress 
• Graduate Assistantship Academic Requirements 

If a student employee or supervisor is unsure if a student can or should continue working while on probation, please reach out to your HR Partner. 

Addressing Performance Issues  

Student Employment is committed to a work environment in which employees receive clear messages when their performance needs to improve. We provide guidance to address these performance concerns. For employees who are not performing at the level they need to, we encourage an informal verbal discussion, followed by a formal warning and written improvement plan, followed by separation where sufficient improvement has not been made. Action taken by management in an individual case does not establish a precedent in other circumstances. 

The University of Denver is an at-will employer, and it reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to decide what disciplinary action will be taken in each situation, including termination without prior warnings. 

Possible Behaviors for Immediate Termination 

Employment at DU is at will, meaning that the employee or DU may terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any or no reason, with or without advance notice. 

It is impossible to provide an exhaustive list that identifies every type of conduct or performance problem that may result in some form of discipline. However, in some instances, circumstances may warrant immediate disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. 

Examples of egregious conduct that may warrant immediate action up to termination of employment include, but are not limited to: 

• Theft 
• Working under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs 
• Fighting or threatening violence in the workplace 
• Publicly disclosing another’s private information. (Breaking confidentiality) 
• Possession of dangerous or unauthorized materials, such as explosives or firearms, in the workplace 
• Falsifying company records or reports, including one’s time records or the time records of another employee. 

Any employee who was involuntarily released by the University, and whose record of prior employment was unsatisfactory, as determined by the University in its sole judgment, is ineligible for reemployment. 

The Office of Student Employment encourages the rehire of former student employees unless the separation reason was due to illegal or egregious misconduct. If the hiring manager has questions about the rehire eligibility of a former student employee, they can contact their HR Partner. 

Separation Process  

For all separations, voluntary and involuntary, we ask student employees to complete an exit survey with their HR Partner. 

Involuntary 

Separation from employment can be stressful and impact students’ ability to meet costs associated with housing, food, and other expenses. Should involuntary separation occur, students are encouraged to review the resources in the section below if they need support or assistance. Students who are separated may contact the Student Employment Office at stuemp@du.edu for support in applying and transitioning to new positions on-campus. 

Voluntary 

For students voluntarily resigning we request student employees give their supervisors advance notice to transition their position duties and hire a replacement. As a common business practice, we suggest at least two weeks’ notice. 

On-Campus Resources 

• Center for Advocacy, Prevention, & Empowerment (CAPE) – Supports survivor healing by providing advocacy and support for survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and sexual harassment. Only Confidential Resource. 
• Disability Services Program (DSP) – Ensures students with disabilities receive the support and accommodations they need to fully participate and succeed at the University of Denver. 
• DU Employee Handbook – Includes important additional guidance on DU policies and/or procedures, with the stipulation that some information does not apply to student employee positions. In the event of any conflicts or inconsistencies between Student Employee Handbook and DU Employee Handbook, the guidance in the DU Employee Handbook takes precedence. 
• DU Food Pantry – Free and open resource for anyone with a DU ID number to supplement their weekly food supply in times of need. 
• Health and Counseling Office – Enhance overall student well-being and success through inclusive physical and mental healthcare, prevention, education, advocacy, and recovery support services. 
• Housing and Residential Education (HRE) – Assists students with on-campus housing process, including housing extensions for students already living in the residence halls. 
• Financial Aid Office – Provides resources and assistance to students navigating the financial aid process. 
• Human Resources Partners – Assists employees in addressing a variety of work and performance related matters. 
• Learning Effectiveness Program (LEP) – Offers individualized support for neurodiverse learners, students with diagnosed learning differences, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and students on the autism spectrum. 
• Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX (EOIX) – Investigates claims of discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, age (40 and over in employment context), religion, creed, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status and military enlistment. 
• Student Assistance Fund – Provides limited financial assistance to currently enrolled University of Denver students who are unable to meet immediate, essential expenses because of temporary hardship related to an unexpected situation. 
• Student Outreach and Support (SOS) – Helps students succeed by connecting them to resources, developing a plan of action to meet their goals, and navigating challenging situations. 

Off-Campus Housing or Food Insecurity Resources 

• Denver Housing Resources 
• Urban Peak 
• Sunshine Home Share Colorado 
• United Way Denver 
• Student Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
• Double Up Food Bucks Colorado    

Encouraging Well-Being in the Workplace

The 6 actions below can encourage well-being in the workplace and include modeling behaviors, connection, campus resources, communication, celebration, and flexibility. While this list is not exhaustive, these actions will give you a starting point for infusing well-being into your work and the work of your students.  

Model Behaviors. Individuals learn things that they see or have experienced in a hands-on way. Modeling behavior can show students how to complete certain tasks and respond ethically as well as have wider implications for department or organizational culture. Some modeled behaviors include supporting transparency and treatment of others.  

Connection. Create connections thorough regularly scheduled one-on-one meetings with your student employees. While scheduling these meetings can be challenging given short work time frames or the number of student employees who report to you, we encourage you to seek creative ways to make connection happen. Fostering the connection between you and your student employee is one of the main well-being generators.  

Campus Resources. When students need support beyond what you can provide as a supervisor, it’s important to know what the campus has available. We have drafted a support list for you located in the Student Employee Handbook. Please take the time to understand these resources and when you should suggest each resource to the student. Knowing and being guided by a community of support ready for them can contribute to students’ well-being. 

There are additional resources for employee well-being that are available to employees through Human Resources and Inclusive Community. Resources include discounts, an employee assistance program, a Cigna incentive program, and health and family resources.

Communicate. Student employees are expected to notify supervisors if they are going to miss work or will not be returning to work. Supervisors should set expectations regarding how soon a student employee should respond to an attempt to contact them. Student employees that do not report to work and/or do not respond to supervisor’s attempts to reach them could be reported as missing to Campus Safety. Campus Safety will conduct a wellness check to locate the student and determine they are safe. If a student employee lives off-campus, Campus Safety will contact the appropriate police department to conduct the wellness check.  

Celebrate Wins. Students are part of the work team and their contributions often go unnoticed. Fostering well-being includes celebrating wins, no matter how small. We encourage supervisors to utilize the rewards and recognition section of this guide to generate ideas.  

Flexibility. Allowing flexibility of work schedules encourages students to navigate the multiple priorities they have as students. Work with students to communicate which areas of work can allow for this flexibility and which areas cannot.