University of Rhode Island Dining Services employed nearly 300 student workers this year, making students the majority of its workforce despite a recent decline in student applications and concerns that the department may be shifting positions toward state employees.
Dining Services employs approximately 296 student workers and 201 state employees, with students representing about 60% of its employee headcount, according to Pierre St-Germain, director of URI Dining Services.
Although students made up the larger group, the department said its staffing needs went beyond simply counting employees. Student workers averaged about 10 hours per week and primarily worked during the academic year, while full-time state employees generally worked 40 hours per week, with many working year-round.
Student employment had declined slightly in recent years, while the number of state employees had remained roughly the same, St-Germain. The department had received fewer student applications since the COVID-19 pandemic, although this year brought the highest number of student applications since 2020.
“Campus Dining is one of the largest employers of student workers at URI,” St-Germain said. “We recognize the important role that employment plays in helping our students meet their financial needs while also pursuing their education.”
Students typically need to work around classes and other commitments, which could limit the length of their shifts. Dining Services needed employees who could provide consistent coverage throughout its operating hours, including shifts that might not fit into a student’s schedule.
The department was also limited in how it could fill certain positions because of its union agreement.
“Our union agreement does not allow us to replace a union position with a student employee,” St-Germain said. That meant Dining Services could not simply turn a state position into a student position when it needed to hire someone. State employees worked under contracts negotiated at the state level that also governed the type of work they performed.
There was a difference in compensation as well. Student employees earned between $16 and $18 per hour, while state employees started at $21.01 per hour and received additional fringe benefits, according to St-Germain.
“Many state employees also bring years of culinary and customer service experience, helping to train and support our student employees while maintaining consistency in service,” St-Germain said.
Dining Services did not have a specific goal for the percentage of its workforce that should be made up of students. Instead, staffing depended on the number of applicants, their availability and the department’s operational needs.
The department continued to recruit student employees and participate in recruiting events each year. St-Germain said the increase in applications this year was encouraging and that Dining Services continued working to fill available student positions.
Students remained the majority by headcount, while state employees provided the consistent hours and experience needed to keep dining facilities running.
With student applications increasing after several years of decline, Dining Services said it would continue looking for ways to bring students into its workforce while balancing their academic schedules with the department’s staffing needs.
