Editorial : SU should make summer internships as accessible as possible

The results of research into drafting a university-wide internship policy could affect every Syracuse University student in every major.

An ad hoc committee is looking into the various summer internship policies and trends across campus to gauge whether the campus needs an overarching policy, which may allow tuition to cover for-credit summer internships, place restrictions on taking unpaid internships and pay faculty members for working with interning students.

Regular tuition, at more than $40,000, should absolutely cover for-credit summer internships. In most cases, regular tuition allows students to take up to 18 credits a semester. With an average course load of 15 or 16 credits, students already pay for more credits than they typically use. These unused credits should carry over into the summer to pay for internship credits.

Tuition covers the credits for internships in Syracuse or at SU-sponsored centers in other cities during the academic year. Most SU schools streamline the process for interning during the spring or fall. But the most prestigious internships are offered in the summer, normally in large metropolitan areas. Interning during the academic year isn’t optimal, or even possible, for every student.

If the committee decides to recommend a university-wide policy, it should leave unpaid internships untouched. Many students rely on uncompensated internships to build a resume, especially in this economy. Internships in all forms provide real-world experience that can impress future employers more than any class or GPA.

Even an internship opportunity doing secretarial work or running errands for a company executive allows students to cultivate invaluable connections.

Voluntarily working for slave wages at a distinguished organization provides more opportunities for professional growth than accepting, for instance, a minimum-wage job at a hometown mall for the summer.

If the committee devises a university-wide policy that would compensate faculty members who mentor summer interns, there should be clear and stricter guidelines about how much work professors and their students are required to do.

Making summer internships more accessible to SU students by covering the credits with yearly tuition and continuing to allow unpaid internships will inevitably increase chances for post-graduation employment and relevant networking, as well as increasing SU’s reputation and attractiveness to prospective students.