First-Year Students (freshmen, International, exchange and transfer students)
All incoming freshmen, International, transfer and exchange students are considered "first-year" students as they are new to Berea College. First-year students are assigned centrally by the Labor Program and Student Payments Office using the Labor Assignment Resume (LAR) submitted through the registration process for Summer Connections (orientation) via SOAR. The LAR provides an employment history and summary of skills that assist in matching students to available positions. Once LARs are collected and organized, labor supervisors are invited to review them and request a placement in their department. They may also conduct phone interviews with incoming students to determine if they are qualified for more specialized assignments (e.g., accompanist, lifeguard).
All incoming freshmen, International, transfer and exchange students are assigned Work-Learning-Service (WLS) level 1, ten-hour positions, which they will hold until the end of the first academic year (August - May). However, a higher WLS may be assigned to transfer students dependent on their prior work experience. The practice of placing first year Berea College students ensures equity in a situation where students are not able to freely promote themselves to prospective supervisors. While many of these positions are in service areas, students are assigned in departments all over campus- it depends entirely on availability. A student’s first position emphasizes transferable skills such as punctuality, accountability, initiative, communication, etc., while providing time to acclimate to college life and explore future interests. Students are not normally permitted to have an overload their first year (see Policies and Guidelines for specifics on policy). If a transfer student arrives during the fall term, the student may request a release and reassignment for the spring term. However, the labor supervisor is under no obligation to grant a release as first year labor assignments are typically viewed as essential entry level positions where workers are needed.
Incoming students (freshmen, International, exchange, and transfer) are not allowed to work more than a 10-11 hour position for the first term. After completing the first term the student can work up to 15 hours in their primary position or a 10 hour primary and 0-5 hour secondary.