δΈ€ THE UNIVERSITY OF JALYA KANSAN THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2009 NEWS 3A EMPLOYMENT Students find fierce competition for campus jobs Working on campus is ideal but some are forced to look elsewhere Zack Borth, Arlington junior, works at the Art and Design Gallery Tuesday afternoon. He is a full-time student who has two jobs and volunteers ten hours a week. BY MICOLE ARONOWITZ maronowitz@kansan.com Matt Bristow/XANSAN "I have to work," Borth, Arlington junior, said. "I have to pay the bills." He is triple maloring in art history, African-American studies and humanities, with a minor in peace and conflict studies. He works two jobs, one at the Bursar's Office and the other at the Art and Design Gallery. Plus, he volunteers 10 hours each week. Zack Borth is busy. According to the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, as of fall 2008, the number of student employees on campus, including graduate teaching assistants, was 4,807. That number has increased each year since 2006. Ann Hartley, associate director of the University Career Center, said there was a demand for on-campus jobs. In January, there were 127 campus job openings and 3,193 applicants. "I fairly competitive to get a job on campus." Hartley said. Hartley said the benefit for students working on campus was the convenience. She said on-campus employers could be more flexible with students' schedules than off-campus employers. Borth recommended finding a job on campus because of that flexibility. "If you can, an on-campus job is best because they really do work with you." Borth said. "They understand you are a student. So if you have to work, work on campus." But because competition for campus jobs is high, some students are forced to find work elsewhere. Others prefer off-campus employment. "If you can, an on-campus job is best because they really do work with you." Junior Navarro, Belle Plaine junior, has worked at Applebees, 2520 Iowa St., as a server for a year and a half. to juggling his hectic schedule. He said his typical day, split between work and class, began at 7 a.m. and ended around midnight. He said managing his time was key "It's a lot of willpower," Navarro said. "I get up early so that I can do my homework, I really have to take advantage of that time." Navarro said he didn't have to work, but he chose to work between ZACK BORTH Arlington junior 20 to 30 hours each week Navarro's advice to other students looking to work while in school is to practice effective time management. balance of work, school and fun," Navarro said. "If you don't have that balance you're just going to be overwhelmed, always stressed and eventually it is going to catch up with you. You need something to look forward to." "You definitely have to have that Borth said work provided an escape from class and vice versa. "I feel that working balances out my stress from school and school balances out stress from work," Borth said. "Truly, each has its own outlet." Hartley said students were able to work as many as 30 hours a week without being classified as full-time employees. She said the main reason for students to work while in college was driven by financial need. But she said there were other influences, such as gaining specific experience. "A lot of time students take a job during college to help build their resume and get some additional skills other than what they are doing in the classroom." Hartley said. Aside from work, Borth volunteers at the Douglas County Dental Clinic, Douglas County AIDS Project and the Spencer Museum of Art. He said his reason for volunteering was that it served as a release from the other stressors in his life. "That's where my motivation comes from," Borth said. "Once I get done with work, I get to go volunteer. I love helping people." Edited by Andrew Wiebe ENVIRONMENT (CONTINUED FROM 1A) students currently enrolled with environmental studies BS, BGS and BA degrees. This number has increased about 33 percent from the spring 2008 semester, when there were 133 environmental studies majors. Courtney Brennaman, Kansas City, Kan., senior majoring in environmental studies, said that although many people thought buying greener food products from stores such as the Merc was expensive, she disagreed that students must buy specific products in order to be environmentally friendly. "The less you buy, the greener you are," Brennaman said. "In a way, the economy has made me more earth-friendly because I won't buy excessively packaged products for convenience anymore." Heather Putnam, Los Angeles graduate research assistant, said the survey results sounded too simplistic to her, and questioned the method with which the Pew Research Center survey was conducted. "I'm convinced that the relationship with people and the environment is more complicated than that," Putnam said. Putnam said economic struggles could bring about different responses from different people. "In a place like Lawrence where people are tightening their belts, you have two different reactions to that," Putnam said. "Some people will install solar panels to try to lessen their energy consumption in the long run, and some will stop driving their cars, and won't take their recycling in to Wal-Mart anymore." Putnam also questioned the way in which questions were phrased in the survey. "When you're asked to rank something, you don't think about it in ways like I'm three times less concerned with the environment than the war," Putnam said. "It all really depends on what's going on in your life." top 20 priorities Here are the top 20 priorities for Americans in 2009 according to the Pew Research Center, along with their percentage ratings for top priority votes. Edited by Chris Horn 1) Economy- 85 % 2) Jobs- 82 % 3) Terrorism- 76 % 4) Social Security- 63 % 5) Education- 61 % 6) Energy- 60 % 7) Medicare- 60 % 8) Health Care- 59 % 9) Deficit Reduction- 53 % 10) Health Insurance- 52 % 11) Helping the Poor- 50 % 12) Crime- 46 % 13) Moral Decline- 45 % 14) Military- 44 % 15) Tax Cuts- 43 % 16) Environment- 41 % 17) Immigration- 41 % 18) Lobbyists- 36 % 19) Trade Policy- 31 % 20) Global Warming- 30 % Allison Richardson/KANSAN Matt Bristow/KANSAN Zack Borth, Arlington junior, sits with Nicci Equels, Kansas City, Kan., junior, before his art history class on Wednesday afternoon. Borth works anywhere from 26 to 29 hours a week. Junior Navarro, Belle Plaine junior, lifts weights at Robinson Center on Monday afternoon. Besides his physical fitness class, Junior must balance his time between a full class schedule and working almost thirty hours a week. THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS PAID FOR BY KU Student Senate KU SPENCER MUSEUM OF ART The University of Kansas SUBMISSIONS DUE MARCH 1, 5 PM Details and application online at: http://www.techmarch.com/admissions/due-march-1-5-pm.html Join AIESEC on Thursday, February 19th, 2009 for a night of Middle-Eastern and North African culture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Learn about opportunities to work abroad through AIESEM, and then you are welcome to participate in a "Global Village" where KU students from countries in these regions will have boots displaying their country ... You will be able to ask questions and give attentive comments. The foundation height is 7.5m and the EUR occupancy team is 20%. New Orleans Alternative Spring Break "Solidarity, Not Charity" . Informational Meeting Informational Meeting Thursday, February 26th 5:30 PM ECM 1204 Oread Ave. One block north of the Kansas Union .