Student Employee Performance

Performance appraisal

Some departments may provide regular performance appraisals. The purpose of a student employment performance appraisal is to evaluate and assess the job performance, skills, achievements, and growth of student employees. 

Performance appraisals serve several important objectives:

• Feedback and improvement
• Goal setting
• Recognition
• Development and learning
• Decision-making
• Communication
• Documentation
• Accountability

Disciplinary action

Some departments have specific disciplinary action processes. These will be related to you upon hire.  If no specific disciplinary action process is communicated to you the following process will most likely be followed.

Progressive discipline for Augustana College student employees 

Violation of any of the policies, procedures, or guidelines outlined in this handbook could lead to disciplinary action and/or immediate termination. In cases of severe misconduct or policy violations, immediate termination might be justified without following the full disciplinary process.

The Progressive Disciplinary Process is as follows:

1. Verbal Warning

An informal verbal warning is often all that is needed to improve conduct or performance.

• Purpose: Your supervisor will address the issue as early as possible with an informal conversation, clearly explaining the behavior or performance that needs improvement.
• What to Expect: A verbal warning will include your supervisor:
  • Telling you what you need to improve (timekeeping, communication, attitude, etc.).
  • Giving you a chance to explain why your work or conduct has been subpar
  • Giving you a plan to make improvements
  • Communicating that this discussion constitutes a Verbal Warning
• Documentation: Although this is a verbal warning, your supervisor will document the date and content of the discussion for future reference.
• Examples of behavior requiring a verbal warning may be:
  • Poor standards of work, such as too many mistakes
  • Struggling to handle the workload but not communicating that to the supervisor
  • Lack of effort or ambition
  • Habitually late to work or leaving early, missing work without a reason
  • Poor customer service
  • Other reasons not listed above

2. Written Warning

• Purpose: Your supervisor will formally address the continued issue by providing a written warning that outlines the problem, the necessary corrective actions, and a timeline for improvement.
• What to Expect: When the issue is directly related to job performance and the supervisor believes that you have the potential to improve upon your quality of work or expectations, a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) will be given. A PIP includes:
  • Performance in need of improvements such as a list of goals and activities you will initiate to improve performance including skill development and changes needed to meet expectations
  • The targeted date for improvement
  • Expected results: list measurements, where possible
  • Dates to review progress by the employee and supervisor
  • Progress expected at review dates
• Documentation: Your supervisor will document this warning and will place any documentation in your employee file with the Student Employment Coordinator. You will be asked to acknowledge your receipt of the written warning by signing the documentation.

3. Final Written Warning

• Purpose: This step is typically a more serious and final attempt to correct your behavior or performance before termination is considered. Your supervisor will provide documentation that includes a short-term timeline for improvement and state that failure to improve will result in termination.
• Documentation: Your supervisor will document this warning.  It will be signed by both you and your supervisor, and placed in your employee file.

4. Termination

• Purpose: If your employee fails to meet the expectations outlined in the final written warning, termination is the next step.
• Documentation: A termination letter will be provided, summarizing the reasons for termination and the steps that led to this decision.

5. Steps Following Termination

• You will be removed from the employing office’s TimeClock code
• You will be placed on a private, campus-wide list that other campus employers will have access to.  The list will include your name, the office from which you were let go, and one or more of the following reasons for termination.
  • Job Mismatch
  • Poor performance
  • Attendance
  • Theft/Time Theft
  • Sharing confidential information
  • Sexual harassment
  • Threats/Violence
  • Misconduct
  • Substance abuse
  • Damaging property
  • Falsifying records
• This could affect future employment on campus.