Student workers terminated without prior notice
A once full learning center had several student workers terminated- Photo by Andrew Valenzuela
All Mt. SAC student workers taking less than six units were terminated as of Fri, Sept. 25, according to a memo released by the Mt. SAC Human Resources Department on Sept. 23.
“The category of student worker does not require prior notice before termination,” the memo stated.
According to Dr. Jack Miyamoto, interim vice president of human resources, the decision was made to bring the school into compliance with California Educational Code 8803.
“When we realized this was an issue, we needed to comply as quickly as possible,” Miyamoto said.
Miyamoto said students should focus their efforts on education first and work secondly.
“Student work is incidental to your studies,” Miyamoto said. “The student worker position is not meant as a full-time job.”
Miyamoto said the decision affected all student workers without distinction but some, like tutors, were being considered for reclassification.
The Writing Center, which hosts many of the tutorial services on campus, is one of the departments trying to reclassify its workers so they can continue working.
“Everything possible is being done to maintain services for students,” David Charbonneau, writing center director said. “No one has lost their jobs in the Writing Center.”
Charbonneau added: “No one has been reclassified as of yet. Reclassification is expected but not guaranteed.”
A cabinet meeting with Mt. SAC President John Nixon will be held on Oct. 6 to discuss the reclassification of certain student workers.
There are still questions about how student workers employed as tutors will be paid if they have not yet been reclassified.
“They will definitely be paid,” Charbonneau said, and directed further questions to Miyamoto.
Frank Cardenas
News Editor
Original Story – Sept. 29, 2009
Student workers terminated without prior notice
All student workers on campus taking less than six units were terminated Friday without prior notice.
Ariel Carmona, a student worker in the writing center and full time student at Cal Poly Pomona, was one of the students affected.
Carmona was told of his termination at a staff meeting last week.
“They said basically if you wanted to work on campus, you had to have six units or more and it would be implemented immediately,” he said.
He said rumors of the impending layoffs circulated last week but concrete information was not available until Friday when workers were notified of termination.
Michael Gregoryk, vice president of administrative services, said there are legal issues associated with student workers taking less than six units and options are being explored to rehire workers.
There is an executive meeting planned for Oct. 6 to address these recent layoffs.
“Why did they wait so long?” Carmona asked. “That’s way too late for people to try to add classes.”
Frank Cardenas
News Editor
