Petition to Increase Allotted Work Hours for the 2020 Fall Semester at Pomona College for Students on Financial Aid

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Dear President Starr, Dean Hinkson, Seth Allen, and Robin Thompson:  

As we move forward into a fall virtual semester, the uncertainty of what lies ahead in the coming semester is a growing concern for students on financial aid.

Dean Hinkson released an email stating that Pomona students will be limited to working one job for four to six hours a week.  While the housing refund is expected to cover most off-campus expenses, students find themselves in multifarious and inconsistent situations.  The reality is that for many students, especially those with greater financial need, working multiple student jobs is necessary to survive.  It is not uncommon for students on financial aid to reach the 20-hour weekly allotment to make ends meet.   For many, these biweekly paychecks are also expected by families too, even more so as many have become the sole breadwinners for their families as a result of the pandemic.  Furthermore, expenses have increased as result of the loss of on campus housing and food security. In short, a remote fall semester presents a challenge to low-income students.  

President Starr, Dean Hinkson, Seth Allen, and Robin Thompson, we ask you to reconsider the allotted 6-8 hours of work study a week to accommodate the needs of students on financial aid during a pandemic, allowing students who need the extra income to have the full 16-20 hours of weekly work study. Financial security is a constant concern for many low-income students. In addition to the increasing financial pressures amid these precarious times, online classes, health concerns, increased family obligations in some cases, and social unrest are all added hardships for low-income students. Many of the students in these positions are also unable to take a leave of absence due to the financial security provided by the college -- both from a housing refund and work study jobs.

In conversation with Dean Hinkson , the reasoning for the decreased hour allotment is to ensure everyone can have an equal chance to work one job. Nevertheless, equality is not equity.  Considering that about 60% of students are on financial aid, making sure that all students are able to have a work study job lacks to acknowledge the wide range of income levels of students on financial aid. Equity versus equality is the question, and the answer is that 6-8 hours a week of work study will not be the same for a student in the lowest socioeconomic bracket as opposed to someone in a higher socioeconomic bracket. The priority should lie in being equitable to the best of Pomona’s abilities.

Many returning students expected to return to campus to work their same multiple jobs. Students should not have to be put in the position of explaining why more work study is needed -- for many students, the pandemic has meant more than just a dangerous virus; it has meant loss of family members, income, security, therapy, general wellbeing, and the list continues. Asking students to explain to supervisors or administrators why more hours are needed, places students in a vulnerable position and may easily trigger trauma.  

In conclusion, we ask that Pomona approves requests made by students asking for the full 16-20 hours a week of work study to ensure equity in the coming semester. While we understand that at this time it is difficult to determine the amount of hours a job is able to provide due to the nature of remote jobs, we ask you to support some of your most vulnerable students during this time through equitable actions.