Educational Stipend Policy

The Educational Stipend Program (ESP) is intended to provide financial support for students who assume paraprofessional positions of responsibility.  Often these positions are within student incidental fee-funded programs, co-curricular programs, academic programs, and a number of student organizations that have established a history with the University and provide an inherent contribution to the student life experience at PSU.

The ESP was developed to enhance access to student leadership positions, to provide an additional mechanism for recognizing the valuable contributions student leaders make to co-curricular life, to provide a more stable infrastructure for a core group of student co-curricular programs and organizations, and to adequately compensate students who are working to provide a student-initiated and -funded University service.  The ESP is not intended to fully compensate student leaders for all of their contributions.  The nature of these opportunities is such that they provide paraprofessional experiences that have significant educational benefits.  Student Stipends are not wages.  Students receiving stipends are not employees of Portland State University for any purpose, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, minimum wage law or any other law or policy.  The relationship between the University and students receiving a stipend is that of school and student and not of employer and employee.  The purpose of stipends is to support students' educational experiences. 

Application of Program and Policy

The policy applies to all departments utilizing educational stipends to support students as well as the students receiving stipends. This policy follows University policies regarding student compensation.

Student Positions

The Dean of Students determines if a position may receive support via the Educational Stipend Program.  Positions that warrant a stipend meet some or all of the following criteria:

• Management of a service.
• Leadership of a student organization.
• Supervision or guidance of employees, volunteers, members.
• Responsibilities may be executed at various times and locations.
• Responsibilities involve longer term projects.
• Positions may be earned through an election or affirmative search process.
• Position serves as a liaison between the University and the organization.
• Position is best served by an individual who can provide continuity and stability.
• Position is considered paraprofessional and attends trainings and meetings with professional staff.
• Position is responsible for support of a major program or service of the staff-led organization.
• Position has access to professional development opportunities.
• Position may assume some risk or responsibility.
• Reports directly to professional staff.

Expectations and Responsibilities

The following expectations and responsibilities provide general guidelines for both students and supervisors/advisors.  Departments or student organizations may have higher requirements and expectations (for example: GPA or training).  Limited waivers of the requirements may be granted at the discretion of the Dean of Students for good cause through the appeal process provided below. 

Advisor or Supervisor of Stipend Positions

• Student Stipend Pay Form needs to be turned in to and approved by the Office of the Dean of Students by the deadline designated by that office.
• Current job description must be on file with the Office of the Dean of Students that includes: expectation of time, duties, qualifications, and to which professional staff the position reports. Job description must be approved by the supervisor or advisor.
• Responsible for meeting with the student receiving the stipend to determine that they are meeting the minimum expectations.
• May terminate receipt of stipend for not meeting minimum expectations. Only a professional staff person may terminate a student position.
• The staff person supporting any student position is expected to provide feedback on performance and assist the student in reflecting on what has been learned in the position. Individual departments and/or advisors/supervisors are responsible for checking the eligibility of students.

      Student Recipient of Stipend

• Must sign a statement that the student understands the job responsibilities, average hours of commitment, and minimum expectations before receiving stipend.
• Must be a student in good academic standing (2.0 undergraduate or 3.0 graduate cumulative GPA)
• Need to complete six undergraduate or, five graduate credits, or to be completing thesis work each term that the student is receiving a stipend. Stipends will be stopped pending an appeal process, however, students may be paid retroactively if the appeal is granted.
• May not hold multiple on-campus positions that add up to more than 40 hours per week. Average required hours provided in the matrices below are used for this computation.

Stipend Amounts and Types

The amount of each type of stipend was generated with consideration for the University hourly wages for student employees, the educational cost to attend PSU for a full-time resident of Oregon, and the responsibility level of positions.  The stipend amount is not intended to fully compensate students for all of their contributions to a position.  The nature of these opportunities is such that they provide paraprofessional experiences that have significant educational benefits as well. 

Stipend Amounts and Types for Student Organizations in Campus Recreation and Student Activities and Leadership Programs

A group's stipend budget and maximum amount any one student can receive is based on the group's categorization.  Refer to the Student Activities and Leadership Program Policy Manual and/or Campus Recreation Policy Manual to determine a group's current categorization and the appeal process for categorization.

Student groups and advisors must use the following stipend levels to create budgets and position descriptions.  The funding for student group stipends is allocated by the Student Fee Committee at its discretion; however, the general guidelines of this Policy are honored in requests and allocations.

A student organization may distribute their stipend allocation at their discretion as long as no one student receives a stipend that is more than the designated amount for the group categorization (see table below).