The College Fix

Work-study job uses ‘taxpayer funds to advance the Democrats’ agenda’: congresswoman

A work-study job advertised at Penn State University wants students committed to “anti-racism practices” to help a left-leaning political organization register and educate voters.

The job has renewed concerns by a leading Republican lawmaker about the Biden administration turning the financial aid program into a “vote-buying sweepstakes.”

The position is offered through Penn State’s Community Service Federal Work Study Program, and it is posted on the university’s careers website and DEJobs.org. It invites Penn State students to work as “civic engagement ambassadors” with a local chapter of the League of Women Voters.

Students “will work to support the registration and education of community voters,” according to the job description.

The job lists desired skill sets, including “equity and inclusion,” which it describes as “expanding awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills to engage equitably and include people from different local and global cultures and engage in anti-racism practices.”

The job is open to undergraduate and graduate students. They are required to work 8 to 10 hours per week at a rate of $14 per hour, the description states.

According to the post, students will work with the Centre County chapter of the League of Women Voters, a grassroots organization that encourages “informed and active participation” in the government.

The national organization is non-partisan and it does not endorse candidates. However, its positions align more with the Democratic Party, including on abortion, guns, climate change, and male athletes who identify as female competing in women’s sports.

The university media relations did not respond to multiple requests for comment via email and phone from The College Fix over the past week.

Pennsylvania League of Women Voters Executive Director Amy Widestrom declined to comment, telling The Fix the internship is not through her organization and she did “not have any information about it.”

However, a spokesperson for U.S. House Education Committee Chair Virginia Foxx told The Fix the job is “another attempt by the Biden-Harris administration to federalize elections and use taxpayer funds to advance the Democrats’ agenda.”

Spokesperson AnnMarie Graham-Barnes also referred The Fix to Foxx’s earlier comments on the U.S. House floor, criticizing the Biden administration’s directive allowing work-study jobs to include registering voters.

“Here’s the truth: the Biden administration is turning the Federal Work-Study program into a vote-buying sweepstakes,” Foxx said in March. “Enough with the smoke and mirrors already – the American people are not fooled.”

Student’s political views can’t be ‘taken into account in hiring’

The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance on the change in late February, stating work-study jobs may include registering voters.

The positions must be non-partisan and “not associated with a particular interest or group.” Additionally, a “student’s political support or party affiliation” can not be “taken into account in hiring,” according to the department.

A department official told The Fix in an emailed statement the work-study funds cannot be used by private non-profit organizations to hire students for partisan or nonpartisan political work.

However, the funds may “be used for voter registration activities when students are employed directly by the postsecondary institution, and allows federal work study funds to be used for employment by a federal, [state], local or Tribal public agency for civic engagement work that is not performed to benefit a particular interest or group,” the official stated.

The department did not respond to a follow up email asking if it plans to look into the Penn State position to determine if it is in compliance with the guidelines.

Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration also has been promoting work-study voter registration jobs.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said in an April news release that counties are always searching for poll workers, and they need roughly 45,000 to assist in every election.

“It’s especially important to have more young people filling in these roles because the future of our representative democracy depends on their engagement.” Schmidt said.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Education declined to comment to The Fix when contacted about the work-study position at Penn State.

Biden administration leaders have said higher education is a critical area to target in supporting civic engagement and the democratic process. The voter participation rate among college students is lower than other age groups.

“The Department is committed to supporting institutions in their efforts to raise civic awareness and involvement among students through the appropriate employment of FWS recipients in positions involving voter registration activities,” department official Nasser Paydar said in the February memo.

Many universities, including Penn State, provide voting resources to encourage their students to register in upcoming elections. Lawmakers also have been working to increase civic knowledge and engagement among college students.

However, Congressional Republican leaders like Foxx say the changes to the work-study program by the Biden-Harris administration will be misused for Democrats’ gain.

“It’s about as crooked as it gets,” Foxx told The Fix in March. “Every time I think this administration can’t stoop any lower, I’m proven wrong.”

MORE: Republican AGs accuse Ed Dept. of partisan vote harvesting for Democrats

IMAGE: Andrey Popov/Shutterstock, Penn State University Careers

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