General
Who are the sponsors of the Summer on the Cuyahoga (SOTC) program?
The Summer on the Cuyahoga program is a collaborative effort among local alumni of several schools, which for 2008 are Case, Colgate, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, Smith and Yale. Summer on the Cuyahoga and affiliated organizations are all 501(c)3 nonprofit entities. The programs are supported primarily by volunteer time and monetary contributions from alumni of the respective schools. Additional support comes from family, community and corporate foundations as well as participating employers.

Who is eligible to participate in the SOTC program?
Undergraduate students of the participating schools (Case, Colgate, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, Smith and Yale) in good standing who have completed their sophomore year are eligible to participate. Graduating seniors are also eligible.

Because this organization depends on the volunteer commitments of the participating local alumni groups, students of other undergraduate colleges or graduate schools are not eligible for this program, but they should visit www.Cleveland.com/Jobs or www.ClevelandIntern.net regarding permanent employment opportunities. They should also contact their Cleveland-area alumni club to encourage them to contact Summer on the Cuyahoga for participation in the future.

What are the key program dates?
November-December: Employers post Job Descriptions.
January-March: Students apply for positions, employers review applications and arrange for phone interviews with students. Employers may extend offers at any time through the first weekend in April.
Memorial Day weekend: Students arrive.
Tuesday, May 27 – Friday, August 1, 2008: Students work and participate in program for 10 weeks.
Students must be available to work the entire ten weeks to be eligible to apply for any position.


Employers
When and how do I post a Job Description?
SOTC collects Job Descriptions in the late fall (November-December) so that the students may apply in January and February. Go to SummerOnTheCuyahoga.com/Employers to create a password-protected account and complete the SOTC Job Description Form. We have found that using a standard form across all employers allows students to be more effective in their job search.

If I post a Job Description, do I have to hire an intern?
No. Simply posting the Job Description allows you to receive applications from students of the participating schools. If you do not find one that meets the criteria you have set in the Job Description, you are under no obligation to hire one.

Can I advertise this internship position elsewhere, or does it have to be exclusive to the SOTC program?
You may advertise the internship position through any and all sources available to you—it does not have to be unique for the SOTC program. SOTC is simply providing another mechanism for you to reach students at schools that you might not otherwise pursue.

When and how do the students apply?
The website “opens” for student applications in January. They go through their school-specific website to view the Job Descriptions and apply to the positions. While they use our site for the application process, their application is e-mailed directly to the employer for evaluation. Again, it is the employer—not SOTC—who makes the hiring decision. When you log in to your password-protected account at SummerOnTheCuyahoga.com, you will be able to view a summary of the applicants, review their applications online and update their status (i.e., In Review, Offer Extended, Declined). When the student logs in to his or her password-protected account, they will also be able to see the status that you set.

How do I evaluate or interview the applicants?
You are encouraged to review applications as they come in throughout January and February rather than holding them all to the end of the application process. In our experience, there is a large influx of applications that are submitted in the final week or two. We also encourage you to respond to all applicants, as any positive personal contact they have with a Cleveland employer will contribute to their perception of Cleveland as a place of potential employment opportunities. As explained above, you may change the status of each student’s application by logging in to the SOTC website. Clicking on "save status" will enable you to send a rejection or acceptance letter to a student.

How do I extend an offer to a student?
When you are ready to extend an offer to a student, you will log in to the SOTC website and issue a Commitment Letter for that student. When you submit the information through the website, it will be emailed to the Program Coordinator who will then forward it to the student. The student is expected to reply within 48 hours, and their position in the SOTC program is not reserved until they complete and submit their portion of the Commitment Letter. We have learned that this is the most effective means of tracking employer offers, student acceptances and therefore positions in the SOTC program. Of course, you may verbally discuss the offer with the student, but both parties must also complete this Commitment Letter process.

Is there a cost to participate?
There is only a cost for employers who hire a student that participates in the SOTC program. If you post a Job Description but don’t hire a student, there is no cost to you.

All Employers are to pay a minimum stipend/salary of $3,200 directly to the student.

Most Employers (i.e., corporate, private) will be invoiced for an additional commitment of $1000 to cover the cost of housing at Case and programmatic costs for critical civic, social and educational components. The $4,200 sum translates to approximately $10 per hour.

For qualified nonprofits/public sector Employers, SOTC will subsidize the interns' housing and programmatic costs at a total of $1000 subsidy per intern. These qualified Employers are then paying only the intern's wages, a minimum of $3,200, which translates to about $8 per hour.

What is the students’ program and work schedule?
The program runs 10 weeks: May 27 – August 1, 2007. The students will be working regular work weeks (or per whatever is stated in the Job Description) and participating in several SOTC program activities each week. There will be no more than a few instances in which important events may require the student to be absent from work for a couple of hours. (For example, in past years students had breakfast and discussion with the Mayor, which ended at 9 am.)