Working on campus is an ideal job. It’s close to class and the environment is a fresh and exciting one. And in many cases, the job position may relate to a student’s major or interest.

Especially for international students — who typically don’t have a vehicle to drive to work — a campus job is a sensible situation.

But if students expect to pay for tuition or rent while going to school, working on campus may not be the best option.

Student employees at Wichita State are at a disadvantage in terms of hours allotted to work during the week. According to WSU Policy and Procedure 8.02, students should work no more than 30 hours per week while classes are in session.

This is not a realistic number, though, for students trying to pay for school tuition and rent. According to a CBS Money Watch article, a U.S. Census report determined that 71 percent of college undergraduates were working in 2011. In recent years, it’d be easy to determine that number has increased given the increased cost of living and tuition.

Of this percentage, the report states that one in five undergrads work at least 35 hours each week.

Clearly, 30 hours a week isn’t enough. The university should consider adding more hours to a student employee’s schedule. Otherwise, they may be forced to find employment elsewhere, ridding themselves of the benefits of campus employment.

Student employment is a win-win for both the university and the students. Universities gain great employees, and WSU makes for a good résumé builder for the students. But the 30-hours-a-week limit may prevent this relationship.

— For the editorial board, Shelby Reynolds