Each semester, many students scramble to come up with class schedules compatible with complicated work schedules. This trend is increasing as more students than ever before are employed, and they̢۪re working longer hours to boot.

Sai Vongsa, a senior health sciences major, has successfully juggled being a full-time student while working at Kaiser Hospital, a job he’s had for eight years. “And I have a 4-month-old to take care of,� Vongsa said of his third big responsibility — family.

Vongsa̢۪s story is becoming more and more common on campuses nationwide as college students look increasingly like the older population with more bills to pay. Many students are already well along in their chosen career paths, and even those who aren̢۪t are likely to be holding down a job on top of their school work.

The number of students who also have a job has steadily increased over the years — 57 percent of all students, according to a study by Sebago Associates, an economic consulting firm. While this percentage is an all-time high, an even more dramatic increase over the last two decades occurred with full-time students who also work full-time, from 5.6 percent in 1985 to 10.4 percent in 2000.

All of this additional workload has many instructors concerned. Jean Ritter, a professor in the psychology department, was adamant that students not overload themselves on both school and work. “Full-time school is a full-time job,� Ritter said. “So it’s like two full-time jobs if you’re doing both.� She said employment seriously compromises students’ ability to do their best academically.

“Traditionally, younger college students didn’t have jobs,� Ritter said. “They were supported by parents and financial aid.� She said since the student body has become increasingly diverse with many students who are older, returning or rearing families, certain adjustments have to be made — and that often includes full-time work.

Ritter, an instructor at Fresno State since 1990, said work-related absences and tardiness among students has noticeably increased since the start of her tenure.

“I recommend that students who have to work take longer to complete their degree,� Ritter said. “You gotta have a life.�

Sophomore Belen Perez agreed and said she even changed jobs so she wouldn̢۪t get too stressed. She quit her job at Albertson̢۪s and now works part-time at the Key Control office on campus. Although she lives in an apartment, Perez said she is able to afford the living expenses because she has a couple of roommates who help pay the bills.

And the best part about Perez’s job? “It works around my school schedule,� Perez said. She said she was broke most of the time, although financial aid and not owning a vehicle help to cut down on expenses.

Maria Aldana, an open university student going into an education program, works part-time as a substitute teacher and also attends school part time. She said she could put in more hours at both since she now has “a lot of time� on her hands. But she’s saving her energy for graduate school, which she expects to start up next fall.

“Once I start grad school, it’ll be very different,� Aldana said. “I’m going to have to work full-time and go to school full-time.�

Aldana suggested that many students work not out of necessity, but out of a desire to live it up while in college. “Maybe more students want to work more to get that nice car,� Aldana said. “We’re in a ‘give-it-to-me-now’ generation. But at the same time, tuition did go up. I can see why many students do have to work longer.�

One reason cited for more students having to work is the rising cost of college. According to the College Board, tuition and other college costs have risen up five times higher than family income since 1981. This amounted to about $9,000 a year for a public university in 2002. At Fresno State, the cost is about $1,650 in tuition and fees per semester for a state resident taking 12 units.

One possibility for students is work-study, the only financial aid that puts money directly into students̢۪ pockets in the form of a paycheck. Work-study is usually community-oriented and often allows the student to gain experience in his or her field. At Fresno State, only about 3 percent of financial aid recipients are involved with a work-study program, said Lisa McReynolds, the financial aid office̢۪s work study coordinator.

In addition, many studies have found that on-campus jobs work better for many students. They show that on-campus workers were the most likely to work less than 20 hours per week, the least likely to drop out of college and the most likely to report a positive correlation between work and study.

Vongsa and Aldana reported having off-campus jobs, which is the norm. Only 15 percent of student workers are employed on campus, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

But do students who work off-campus miss out on an important function of campus life — interacting with fellow students and faculty? Nicole Engle thinks so. Engle, former president of the campus anthropology club, said that conflicting schedules make it difficult for club members to meet and plan activities.

“Club members go to school full-time, and everyone also works and volunteers,� Engle said. “I do think a lot of people are hesitant to join because of busy schedules. I know I was.�