AwardYear: 1996-1997 EnterChapterNo: 7 EnterChapterTitle: Federal Work-Study Program SectionNumber: SectionTitle: Introduction PageNumbers: 1-3 PROGRAM PURPOSE The Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program gives part-time employment to undergraduate and graduate students who need the income to help meet the costs of postsecondary education, and it encourages FWS recipients to participate in community service activities. Since the beginning of the 1994-95 award year, schools have been required to utilize money from their FWS Program funds to compensate students employed in community service jobs. (See below.) RECENT CHANGES TO THE FWS PROGRAM [[NEW]] The following changes affect the FWS Program: - Prior to the 1996-97 award year, a school was allowed to keep the required FWS Program records on microforms or in computer format. Beginning with 1996-97, a school may keep the records in one of those formats or on optical disk or other comparable imaging technology. Also beginning with the 1996-97 award year, if a school keeps its records in computer format, the school must maintain the source documents supporting the computer input in hard copy, microforms, optical disk, or other comparable imaging technology. [[Model Agreement]] - The FWS Program Model Agreement was removed from Appendix B of 34CFR 675 and is now included in this chapter. [[Reporting community service expenditures]] - FWS community service expenditures for the 1995-96 award year will be reported on the Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP) instead of on the Campus-Based Reallocation Form (Form E40-4P) as in previous award years. This change will take effect on the FISAP a school receives in July 1996, as that FISAP is the one the school will use to report its 1995-96 fiscal operations. WORK-COLLEGES PROGRAM [[34CFR 675.41 through 675.50]] The Higher Education Amendments of 1992 authorized the Work- Colleges Program. Schools that satisfy the definition of "work- college" may apply with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to participate in the program. A work-college may transfer funds from its allocation for the FWS Program and/or Federal Perkins Loan Program to fund the schools Work-Colleges Program. The Work-Colleges Program recognizes, encourages, and promotes the use of comprehensive work-learning programs as a valuable educational approach when used as an integral part of the schools educational program and as a part of a financial plan that decreases reliance on grants and loans. The program also encourages students to participate in community service activities. The term "work-college" is defined as an eligible institution*1* that - is a public or private nonprofit school with a commitment to community service; - has operated a COMPREHENSIVE WORK-LEARNING PROGRAM for at least two years; - provides students participating in the comprehensive work- learning program with the opportunity to contribute to their education and to the welfare of the community as a whole; - requires all students who reside on campus to participate in a comprehensive work-learning program; and - requires providing services as an integral part of the schools educational program and as part of the schools educational philosophy. A "comprehensive student work-learning program" is defined as a student work/service program that - is an integral and stated part of the institutions educational philosophy and program; - requires participation of all resident students for enrollment, participation, and graduation; - includes learning objectives, evaluation, and a record of work performance as part of the students college record; - provides programmatic leadership by college personnel at levels comparable to traditional academic programs; - recognizes the educational role of work-learning supervisors; and - includes consequences for nonperformance or failure in the work- learning program similar to the consequences for failure in the regular academic program. Additional requirements for the Work-Colleges Program are found in 34CFR 675. *1* See Chapter 3, Section 1 for the definition of an eligible institution. |