Supervisor Responsibilities

For many students, a college job is their first work experience. What seems obvious to you may not be so to your new student employee. We recommend the following for new employee orientation:

• Let other employees in the department know who the student is and when they will start work.
• Meet briefly with the student on their first day to:
  • review job responsibilities.
  • explain department layout.
  • outline basic office policies and procedures.
  • show the locations of fax, photocopier, restroom, etc.
  • introduce department staff.
• Create a “workplace guide” or other written resources about the department/college/unit. It should include:
  • a description of offices in your building.
  • general expectations for students, especially department-specific expectations.
  • dress code.
  • timesheet procedure.
  • commonly used phone numbers.
  • other important policies and procedures.
• Offer a group orientation or training session, if you have more than one student in the department.
• Review RISD’s emergency procedures with the student.

Here are a few tips for preparing to train a new student employee:

• Identify the best procedure(s) for performing the tasks you will hand off to them.
• Analyze their task: identify steps involved, key points, areas of difficulty.
• Define performance standards to which you will hold them accountable.
• Prepare the workplace for their arrival.

Ten steps of training:

1. Explain the task to the student, as well as its purpose and how it fits into the “big picture.”
2. Find out what the student already knows about the task.
3. Demonstrate the task step by step and identify performance standards for the task. (Sometimes a written procedure is can be helpful.)
4. Emphasize any key points.
5. Demonstrate the task a second time.
6. Ask the student questions about their understanding of the task.
7. Allow the student to practice the task.
8. Give frequent, specific and accurate feedback on the student’s performance of the task.
9. Have the student continue to practice until the task is done according to the standards you’ve communicated to the student.
10. Allow the student to do the task independently but encourage further questions. Check their procedure and results periodically, and less frequently as they proceed in the job.

Part of your role will be to provide on-job supervision, such as:

• ensuring adequate supervision of student work.
• keeping lines of communication between you and the employee open, clear and constructive.
• establishing student work schedules. In doing so, please ensure that your student employee(s):
  • do not work during scheduled class times.
  • take a half-hour (minimum) unpaid break if working for six or more continuous hours.

Treat students in accordance with their rights, which are the same as those of all RISD employees as defined by applicable state, federal and RISD regulations. You are required to provide a work space that is free from hazards and follow your department's student worker accident procedures if a student incurs an injury while working. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of a student’s educational records.

Notice of student rights with respect to education records (FERPA)

Statement of FERPA understanding

Confidentiality agreement

If you are supervising a FWS student, you will need to monitor their award balances to make sure they keep within their allotted award. If you want to find out if a student has FWS and/or their award balance, email our office.