TSU CO-OP Student Handbook

Dear Student:

This co-op handbook will provide an overview of the TSU Cooperative Education program. It has been written to assist you in understanding the responsibilities assumed by co-op students and employers, and for identifying the people on campus who can provide information and guidance.

The co-op program is an exciting and enriching educational concept. The many benefits to students include: (1) better identification of career choices; (2) career related experience prior to graduation; (3) motivation to learn more from academic studies as a result of applying classroom theory to "real world" work situations; (4) enhanced employability for a full-time job upon graduation; (5) earnings which may be used to finance a substantial portion of your college education; (6) academic credit for the co-op experience.

As a co-op student, you will be traveling representative of Tennessee State University. Your job performance and general behavior will be observed by your co-workers. Let that TSU pride shine through! The co-op office will provide any personal help we can to make your co-op experience rewarding and challenging.

Please read the entire handbook carefully. The co-op program calls for an "extra dimensional commitment"on the part of the student, employer, and the university. We hope you will be as committed as we are to making the program work for you.

Sincerely,

Bill Gittens
Director, Cooperative Education

HANDBOOK INSTRUCTIONS

This Cooperative Education Student Handbook is one of the resources provided to outline detailed information you will need through your participation in the cooperative education program. When you have been officially employed as a co-op student and registered for the appropriate co-op course, you will receive a three-ring binder which we call the Cooperative Education Source Book. You should insert this Student Handbook in the first section of the Source Book. The source book is divided into five sections, one of which relates more directly to employers specific information needs:

I. Information (Student Handbook)
II. Employer
III. Exhibits
IV. Reports
V. Readings

Section I (Information) has been provided to you at the co- op orientation. This was done to provide you with advance information so that you could make a decision regarding participation. After you have enrolled in the program, the handout information should be inserted in the loose leaf style Co-op Source Book under the "Information" Section. Possession of a complete Co-op Source Book is a requirement for program participation. Should the Source Book be lost,THE STUDENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER AT REPLACEMENT COST.

Section (Employer) of the Source Book should contain a letter from our office staff to your direct co-op supervisor. The letter expresses appreciation to the supervisor for employing you, discusses the importance of the role of the direct supervisor, and refers him to the Cooperative Education Employer Handbook which is included in Section II. The Employer's Handbook describes the program in detail from the university's and employer's point of view and offers suggestions to employers for providing quality experience for you, the co-op student. It is your responsibility to assure that your direct supervisor has an opportunity to read the information in Section II of the Source Book.

Section III (Exhibits) contains a copy of the co-op student journal that will help you prepare your co-op technical report. Also included are the co-op employer evaluation and student evaluation forms. Specific instructions for these reports can be obtained from academic major faculty advisor or the co-op office. The loose leaf format will enable us to tailor the Source Book for your specific needs. We suggest that you retain one copy of all your completed written reports and evaluations and insert them in the back of this section for reference.

Section V (Readings) should be reserved for copies of the Co-op Newsletter and other reading materials or instructions sent to you from the co-op Office.

In the following sections, specific requirements for participation are discussed. Information about housing, taking courses while working, how co-op affects financial aid, and other relevant topics are included. The process of selecting co-op jobs is presented, but specific information about individuals jobs, locations, pay and other details is learned from the co-op office or faculty coordinator. The names of these co-op coordinators and other people who can answer your questions are provided as a separate addendum to this Source Book.

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION DEFINED

Tennessee State University has a well-defined program in Cooperative Education. It is a planned learning process that integrates classroom studies with supervised work experiences. Undergraduate students are employed by industry, business and government organizations for specific periods of time in positions related to their major field of study and/or career choice. Work assignments are in professional settings that augment and supplement academic studies leading to a baccalaureate degree. The process alternates work and study starting in the sophomore or junior year. Cooperative Education blends theory and practice in partnership between you, the employer, and the university. It is an academic support program.

Cooperative Education is NOT "SUMMER WORK", nor is it a short-term professional internship. The program is designed to provide you with increasing responsibility on the job, commensurate with your increased academic skills and experience gained from your previous school and work coincide with the semester schedule of the university.

STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1. Students must be full-time students the semester prior to enrolling in a co-op course.

2. Students must have earned at least 30 credit hours including any necessary prerequisite courses. The number of prerequisite courses may vary from academic discipline. Check with your academic department. (i.e. - All engineering students must have completed ENGR 200, 212 or 213 to be eligible for Co-op)

3. Students must have an overall grade point average of 2.50 or better. A up-to-date transcript and resume will be provided by the student as well as completed co-op enrollment card and typed application.

4. Students are required to attend a Co-op orientation seminar, view selected college interview videotapes prior to on campus interview. Students usually interview with Co-op employers on Co-op Interview Days which are held during Fall and Spring semesters.

COMMITMENT TO CO-OP EXPERIENCE

To enter the Cooperative Education Program, you should be committed to completing the number of work terms proposed through the Co-op Degree Plan in cooperation with the co-op office and faculty co-op advisor. Students who have less than junior classification should plan work terms totaling approximately one year. Students who have junior classification or higher may enter the program and plan only two alternating semester work terms (One of which must be in Fall or Spring Semester), but they will not receive the Cooperative Education Certificate unless they complete work terms totaling approximately one year.

The university recognizes unforeseen circumstances may necessitate that students drop out of the co-op program prior to completing the planned number of work terms. However, students should keep both the employer (including the employer personnel office) and the co-op coordinator informed of any intention not to complete the program. Students not completing work terms approximating one year will not receive the Cooperative Education Certificate.

COMMITMENT TO YOUR CO-OP EMPLOYER

Most employers expect co-op students to remain with them through their co-op program. There are many reasons for this arrangement.

First, many employers participate in co-op in order to facilitate recruitment of well-trained graduates. Therefore, the employer plans a program which provides increasing responsibility with successive work terms. Leaving the employer just as one begins to "learn the ropes" may not only be unfair to the employer, but may be unfair to the student as well. By changing employers every work term, the student may fail to gain increased responsibility. Instead, the student may be continually serving a trial period with each new employer. There is no obligation on the part of the employer to extend a permanent job offer to the student after graduation, and there is no obligation on the student's part to accept a permanent job offer if one is extended by the employer.

Second, the employer makes a major investment in the co-op student. Therefore, the employer is entitled to expect that the student will remain in order to provide productive services to the organization. However, the student must earn his or her invitation to return for successive work terms with the employer based on job performance, academic performance in the classroom, and the economic climate of the employer.

Third, the co-op students benefits by establishing a record of consistency in experience. This is extremely important when seeking permanent employment. Increasingly, employers are aware co-op and the commitment it requires.

The University recognizes that under certain circumstances it may be desirable for students to change co-op job assignments. A change in co-op employers may be approved after consultation with the co-op coordinator. However, the student should first submit a letter of resignation to the original employer, and a copy to the co-op office, before applying to another employer through the co-op coordinator. Generally, a student will be required to complete at least two (2) additional work terms with a new employer if he or she changes.

SELECTING CO-OP JOB OPPORTUNITIES

To choose the appropriate job opportunity, the students should carefully research potential employers based on the following considerations:

(1) Career-related experience

(2) Adequate pay.

(3) Reasonable location.

Every effort will be made to help students locate a co-op assignment which fulfills all three criteria. However, former co-op students report they benefitted most from the program when they selected co-op jobs on the basis of career-related experience, rather than pay or location.

CO-OP JOB SELECTION PROCESS

To locate a co-op job assignment, students should work through the co-op office or faculty advisor. A review of student's transcript to match employer academic requirements and course prerequisites is mandatory. Counseling will be received from the co-op coordinator to determine needs with respect to career goals, geographical preferences, and monetary needs. The co-op coordinator will provide information about details of particular co-op job openings, and will work with students to refer them to the most compatible job assignment through one of the following means:

(1) After completion of a resume, application, and other appropriate forms, the coordinator will refer the student co-op "package" to the employer. The employer may then invite the student to the job site for an interview, come to the campus for an interview, or simply interview the student over the telephone. Employers sometimes hire students based on the application and the coordinator's recommendation.

(2) Invite employers to campus interview several prospective students. Again, all students should work
through the co-op coordinator.

(3) Occasionally, students have identified employers who can provide them with quality co-op assignments. If proper
arrangements are made through the co-op coordinator in advance, he can work the employer to establish a formal
Cooperative Education Program with the University for any interested student.

Students can receive assistance in interview preparation and resume preparation in the Career Planning and Placement Center, Floyd-Payne Center, Suite 304 or Co-op office, Suite 306. In addition, the Co-op office offers mock interview sessions where a videotape of students during the interview process is made and reviewed for improving techniques.

The employer should notify both the student and the coordinator about the acceptance or rejection of a student's application for a co-op job. Once this student received an offer rejection, he or she should immediately report to the co-op coordinator to learn what to do about registration in the appropriate co-op course and for other detailed instruction.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE UNIVERSITY DURING SCHOOL TERMS

Grade Point Average Requirement

Participating in the co-op program requires a minimum grade point average of 2.5. If at any time student's grade point average falls below 2.5, he or she needs to notify the co-op coordinator to discuss further participation in the co-op program.

Transfer students are subject to the same credit hour requirements as are regular students. Additionally, if a transfer student plans to start a first work term after their first semester at Tennessee State University, they must have at least 2.5 grade point average on all college credits transferred to Tennessee State University.

Co-op Degree Plan

Before a coordinator will send the application to an employer, the student must complete a Co-op Degree Plan and have it approved by an academic advisor. Sample degree plans are shown in the Exhibits Section. The Co-op Degree Plan will show which courses have been completed or are in progress, the grades of all completed courses, when the student plans to be in school or at work, and the courses planned by the student. This Co-op Degree Plan also allows the determination of the probable graduation date.

The Co-op Degree Plan is usually sent to the employer along with the application or resume for co-op employment. The employer can clearly see a student's academic preparation and how many works terms he or she plans to complete. Student must keep this degree plan up-to-date by working with faculty advisors and the co-op coordinator.

Registration for Co-op Courses

When a student gets the co-op job assignment, he or she is required to enroll in the appropriate co-op course. The cost of a co-op class is the same as any three (3) hour course. This registration and payment of fees is required each time the student returns to his or her co-op employer, even if the academic credit obtained is or becomes "additive" to degree requirements. According to University policy, failure to pay required fees can prevent students from registering for subsequent classroom semester until fees are paid and academic obligations are met. The co-op coordinator will inform students about co-op registration dates by posting notices on Co-op Bulletin Boards and in the Co-op Newsletter.

Senior Co-op Questionnaire

To assist Tennessee State University in evaluating the effectiveness of the Cooperative Education Program, graduating co-op students will be sent a questionnaire. This information will help answer questions frequently asked of us by faculty members, employers, and students.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE UNIVERSITY DURING CO-OP WORK TERMS

Submitting Co-op Report Associated with Co-op Courses

To earn academic credit associated with the co-op course, students are required to submit a report detailing their learning objectives. The text for your co-op course is "Learning From Working", by Joseph Barbeau and Bill Stull. Check with the University bookstore for proce and availability. ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE TEXT. Due dates are established by the advisor so students should check with him or her prior to leaving for a work term. In addition, the student is required to evaluate their co-op work experience. These evaluation forms must be submitted two weeks prior to the end of the co-op work semester. Also, the employer is required to complete an evaluation form based upon the student's job performance.

Reporting Address and Salary Information

A co-op work verification form is provided by the co-op office for the student to submit current co-op address and telephone number each co-op work semester. the co-op coordinator and the Registrar need up-to-date addresses to send newsletter, registration materials, evaluation forms, housing forms, grades, fee slips, and other appropriate information. Otherwise, all correspondence will sent to a student's permanent home address as listed in the Registrar's Office.

When students are out on co-op work terms, they may pre-register for classes back on campus. They will get detailed instructions on how to pre-register from the co-op office prior to leaving campus for a work term. If students do not pre-register, they can register during the regular registration dates as shown in the university catalog.

The above pre-registration procedures apply to co-op students at work in the Fall, Spring, or Summer work term. Summer School registration is normally conducted the day prior to the opening of Summer School classes.

Dealing with Problems While on Co-op Job

Should student have difficulties of any kind while on a co- op assignment, they are encouraged to contact the co-op office. However, problems related to the co-op job should first be discussed with the direct supervisor. If the problem cannot be resolved at this level, the student should discuss the problem with the organizations personnel representative. Students are encouraged to communicate feelings in a tactful way through the chain-of-command and resolve their own work related problems. However, if a student believes he/she has done all that can be done, and is still unsatisfied, he or she should contact the university co-op office.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES TO CO-OP EMPLOYERS

Researching Potential Employers

Students should research the prospective co-op employer in terms of work assignment, location and rate of pay. This can be accomplished by reading employer, reading co-op student reports, and seeking advice and information from co-op office personnel. Since the co-op program is designed for a student to work all work terms with the same employer, this is a very important procedure.

Accepting Employer's Co-op Offer

Once the co-op office has submitted a student's application to a prospective employer that has been researched by the student, the student is expected to accept a reasonable co-op job offer from that employer. However, when employers interview a number of students for a job, and an individual interviews a number of different employers, the individual may obviously have to make a choice between offers.

Employers need "ON CAMPUS" addresses and telephone numbers of their students who are at school between work terms. Students should notify both the co-op office and the employer personnel office of their addresses between each work term.

Reporting Grades to Employer

Some employers require students to provide them with a current copy of a transcript or grade report each time they return for an additional work term. Students should be prepared to provide this information for the employer upon request.

Reporting to and Remaining On your Co-op Job

Students should report to an remain on the co-op assignment for the entire length of the University-specified work term dates, unless specific approval is granted by both the employer and the university co-op coordinator.

Following Co-op Degree Plan

Student should follow the Co-op Degree Plan schedule of work terms, unless approval is granted by both the employer and the co-op coordinator. Many employers maintain students who alternate working at the co-op position within the organization so that the co-op job "slot" is filled on a year-round, continuous basis.

Abiding by Employer Personnel Policies and Procedures

Students should follow all employer personnel policies and procedures an maintain high professional standards, including assuming responsibility for safeguarding proprietary information.

Evaluating Co-op Experience for Employers

Student should provide their employer with honest feedback concerning the co-op experience to help them continuously improve their co-op program. This can be done at the end of the work term when the employer completes and discusses the Co-op Student Evaluation Form.

Discussing Future Work Assignments

Students should discuss their next work term assignment and pay rate with the employer at the end of each work term. Students would also reaffirm their intention to return for the next work term as soon as possible, but in no case later than the mid-point in the next school semester following the work term. Regardless of verbal commitment, a letter of verification should be sent to the employer.

Resigning from Co-op Work Assignments

Resignation from a co-op position must include sending a letter of resignation to the employer, and a copy to the coordinator. this must be done even if the student has completed three or more work terms. The employer needs to now the student's intention to return for succeeding work terms to plan work load and personnel requirements. The resignation letter should also state a projected graduation date so that the employer may plan for making a job offer to the student at the appropriate time.

EFFECT OF CO-OP UPON OTHER ASPECTS OF COLLEGE LIFE

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Co-op students are encouraged to participate in student activities and organizations while on campus. However, leadership-level participation in extra-curricular activities, such as student government, athletics, or student clubs, may be restricted by the alternating semester co-op work sequence. It should be pointed out, however, that co-op students often assume leadership positions in campus organizations after completing their work terms. Opportunities for personal and professional development gained on co-op job assignments often compensate co- op students for what they may sacrifice in participating in on- campus student activities.

FINANCIAL AID

Pell Grant

Students eligible for Pell Grants may receive their entitlement as long as they are undergraduates with no previous bachelor's degree. To receive full payment, students must be enrolled for 12 hours minimum during a Fall or Spring semester, and 6 hours minimum for each summer session. Students may receive partial payment of Pell Grants if they are enrolled in more than 6 but less than the 12 hours minimum in a Fall or Spring, or if they are enrolled in more than 3 hours but less than 6 hours in a summer session. The Financial Aid Office Pell Grant Section, must be kept informed of the semesters the student will be in school and the semesters he or she will be on a co-op job assignment. Note that in order to receive a Pell Grant payment for a Summer, an application and approval for the next school year must be received and approved.

Scholarships

Scholarships are normally paid only the semesters that a co-op student is a full-time student. For example, if the student received a $1,000 scholarship which is normally paid $500 in the Fall and $500 in the Spring, co-op would normally affect when the student receives the scholarship. If the student were in school in the Fall, he or she would receive $500. When the student goes out to co-op in the Spring he or she would receive zero dollars. Then, when he or she returns to TSU and enrolls as a full-time student in the Summer, he or she receives the remaining $500. Students should keep the appropriate scholarship contact personnel informed each semester about work term or school semester status.

Short-term Loans for Tuition, Fees and Moving Expenses

Co-op students, who do not have enough money to pay tuition and fees for the co-op credit course or who need to pay moving expenses to the job location, may ask the Co-op Office for assistance. Loans up to $300 are available. Loans are also made to cover the cost of tuition for one co-op course. These loans become part of the student balance and must be paid back before the next academic semester or they will not be allowed to register for classes.

VA Benefits

Student should notify the Veteran's Affairs Office, Floyd-Payne Campus Center, Suite 311, if they are receiving VA Benefits. There are several options which students can choose regarding receipt of veteran's educational benefits while on the co-op program. These will be explained.

Social Security Benefits

Students receiving Social Security Benefits will be affected by earnings received while on co-op work assignments. Co-op students receiving Social Security Benefits should check with their local or regional Social Security Office for detailed counseling.

TRANSPORTATION

Participation in the co-op program may present some problems to students with respect to transportation. Many students find the access to a car is needed on a full-time basis during co-op work terms. Other students ride a bus, bicycle, walk, or join car pools.

OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

To help students find housing at the co-op job site, the following resources are available:

1. Dormitories at some other colleges may be used as a place to live while co-oping during summer terms.

2. Private home-owners sometimes rent out part of their homes to students. Also, company personnel may rent out living quarters at the co-op job location.

3. Ministers of local churches frequently know of places to live.

4. The Personnel office of many employers often provides list of local apartment complexes and other information pertaining to co-op housing.

5. Apartment locators will help find suitable housing, usually free of charge.

6. Local boarding houses and local YMCA/YWCA chapters may have housing available.

7. A bulletin board specifically for co-op students seeking housing or roommates is located in the Co-op Office.

8. Communities with TSU alumni chapters are also helpful in assisting students with housing needs.

NOTE: IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT OFFICIALS AT TSU CANNOT GUARANTEE HOUSING AT A CO-OP LOCATION, A ROOMMATE, OR SOMEONE TO SUBLEASE AN APARTMENT. HOWEVER, WE WILL ASSIST IN ANY WAY WE CAN.