When Rosty Chen’s campus ID office at Michigan State University lost its manager during a hiring freeze, the remaining staff had to absorb the work. The situation became even more difficult when another full-time employee left, further reducing the team from four people to three. Instead of relying only on the remaining staff to carry the extra workload, Chen began looking at additional responsibilities that could be trusted to student employees.

The office expanded its student workforce from five or six students to eight and increased student coverage from 60 hours per week to as many as 90 during the academic year. That made it possible to consistently staff both front desks while also assigning a more experienced student to administrative work that had traditionally been handled by full-time employees.

Giving students more responsibility

Chen’s own experience as a former student employee shapes his approach. He focuses on making sure students feel supported, listening to their feedback, and involving them in decisions that affect their work.

He looked to his student employees to help redesign the onboarding process, giving them more ownership and helping the office create a stronger training experience.

Trust your students. They may have less professional experience, but they often bring valuable perspectives. In our office, they handle all our card production, so they often know that process better than anyone else.

The office also introduced a senior student role with greater responsibility and higher pay. That role rewards experienced employees, creates an incentive for students to return, and gives full-time staff more time to focus on meetings, projects, and other operational priorities.

Building a model that can last by empowering student employees

With no immediate plans to replace the vacant full-time positions, the expanded student staffing model is becoming the office’s new normal. A planned rate increase should help fund continued student coverage, including up to 120 student work hours per week during the summer.

Chen’s advice to other campus card offices is to trust their student employees. Students may have less professional experience, but they often become the most knowledgeable people in the office’s daily processes. Involving them in decisions, listening to their ideas, and recognizing their contributions can improve both the student experience and the office’s overall operation.

To listen to the full interview, click the image at the top of this page.

TRANSCRIPT: 

In January 2025, our manager retired. Shortly after that, while we were going through the hiring process, our institution implemented a hiring freeze. Because of that, we couldn’t replace the manager, and we've now been operating without one for about 15 months.

Just because the manager position went away didn't mean the work disappeared. Those responsibilities were redistributed among the full-time staff, which meant more meetings, more project work, and more responsibilities that normally wouldn't have been part of our day-to-day roles.

Then, later that year, another full-time staff member left. We went from four full-time staff members down to three, which is where we still are today.

With all those challenges, I started looking at what responsibilities could be successfully handled by student employees. I wanted to expand what our student team could accomplish and rethink how we approached staffing altogether.

I approach supervising students from the perspective of someone who was once a student employee myself. I understand what worked and what was missing, so I try to fill those gaps.

Traditionally, we employed five or six student workers during the academic year, which provided roughly 50 to 60 student work hours each week. We operate two front desks, and typically only one would be staffed by a student. If things became busy, one of the full-time staff members would step in to cover the second desk.

Today, we employ about eight student workers and have increased student coverage to approximately 80 to 90 hours each week during the academic year. Both front desks are now consistently staffed, and we often schedule a third student in a senior role. That student is able to step away from the front desk and perform many of the administrative tasks that were traditionally handled by full-time staff.

I approach supervising students from the perspective of someone who was once a student employee myself. I understand what worked and what was missing, so I try to fill those gaps.

When redesigning our onboarding process, I relied heavily on input from our student employees. Their feedback helped shape the process, gave them ownership, and reinforced that their opinions matter.

The most important thing for me is making sure students feel supported. I regularly ask whether they have the resources and guidance they need to succeed. While I still manage performance and accountability when necessary, I also work to build trust, so students feel comfortable sharing feedback. That's where real improvement happens.

When redesigning our onboarding process, I relied heavily on input from our student employees. Their feedback helped shape the process, gave them ownership, and reinforced that their opinions matter.

We also introduced a senior student position with additional responsibilities and increased pay. That creates an incentive for experienced students to stay with us while rewarding those who take on more responsibility.

At this point, this staffing model appears to be our new normal. We haven't received any updates about adding additional full-time staff or replacing the manager. However, we recently completed a rate study that should increase the fees our office charges. Those additional funds directly support our student staffing model.

We also introduced a senior student position with additional responsibilities and increased pay. That creates an incentive for experienced students to stay with us while rewarding those who take on more responsibility.

With those changes, we expect to continue supporting approximately eight student employees during the academic year. During the summer, we'll increase coverage even further to approximately 120 student work hours each week, allowing three students to work simultaneously. We believe this model will continue to be sustainable.

My biggest piece of advice is to trust your students. They may have less professional experience, but they often bring valuable perspectives and develop significant expertise in the work they perform every day. In our office, student employees handle all our card production, so they often know that process better than anyone else.

When you're considering changes, include your student employees in those conversations because their feedback is valuable. And when you have students who consistently contribute and go above and beyond, let them know they're appreciated. Whether it's a thank-you, a small reward, or additional opportunities, showing that you value their contributions goes a long way.