Center for Community Partnerships logo
  • Office of Community Service Header
  • Office of Community Service Header
  • Office of Community Service Header
  • Office of Community Service Header
  • Office of Community Service Header

OCS Employment Guidelines

OCS employs nearly 150 Wesleyan University students each semester.  To manage this volume of students, it is critical to make clear the responsibilities of this office and the individual student.  All of this information is covered during the mandatory OCS Employment Information Session.

Qualifying Work

There are three types of jobs through the Office of Community Service and Volunteerism:  literacy, community-based (non-literacy), and OCS Staff (coordinator, office support or van).

Literacy (only federal work study students are eligible):
Work submitted under the literacy category must be direct instruction time or training.  Preparation time does qualify as literacy work.  See Tutoring Programs for list of approved programs.

Community -based/non-literacy:
Non-literacy work is any other type of work in the service of the community.  This can include: administrative work in agencies, artistic support, and programmatic support, provided it has been approved as a work-study job. 

OCS Office Staff:
OCS supports program coordinators to run volunteer programs and van drivers to transport students to and from their volunteer and work study sites.All time submitted for work study funds must be in direct assistance to a community agency or individual, or in the work supporting such efforts (as in the case of OCS staff).  No monies can be paid for work not directly benefiting the community. 

Procedure for applying:

1) Attend a mandatory OCS Employment Info Session
2) Fill out on-line employment questionnaire

OCS will verify your eligibility

Then, if you want to be a tutor (i.e. literacy position):
     3) Contact the respective program coordinators about placement with their program
     4) Let OCS know when you secure a position with a program

Or, if you are interested in a community-based position or office staff:
     3) Set up a meeting with Cathy Lechowicz (clechowicz@wesleyan.edu)

Time sheets:

Time sheets must be electronically submitted weekly at the end of the respective work week.  All the time will be verified and approved by your on-site supervisor.  If you submit time late, you will receive a warning. If you submit late time more than twice, you will be terminated from your position.  Depending on the supervisor, you may be able to continue on a voluntary basis, but you will no longer be compensated by OCS.

Individual Work-Study Limits:

As a work-study student, you are granted a certain allocation each semester.  OCS will pay you up until you utilize your allotment.  We will try to inform you if you are coming close to your reaching your allocation but ultimately it is your responsibility to track your earnings.

The Role of the Office of Community Service and Volunteerism (OCS)

OCS primarily serves as a resource to connect students interested in volunteering in a community service position with agencies or programs in need of assistance.  Through a government initiative, OCS is able to offer community based jobs. For those jobs providing literacy assistance, the government will reimburse 100% of the funds paid to students who have federal work study (assuming the time is submitted timely).  For all other jobs (non-literacy or OCS staff), the OCS pays: 25% of your salary and is reimbursed 75% for federal work study students or it is 50%/50% split for term-time/WesWork students.  As a result, we are limited in the number of positions we can support. 

If you have program specific questions, please start by going to the program supervisor.  If you have questions that remain unanswered or a concern, you are encouraged to set up an appointment with the OCS director.