ISU students in different colleges pay different amounts for similar job-finding help — but for a reason, said the ISU official in charge of career services.

Students in three of Iowa State’s colleges are required to pay a fee for the use of Web-based employment recruiting technology offered by ISU Career Services, while students in other colleges are allowed to use this type of service for free.

Beverly Madden, director of Iowa State’s career services, said the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Business Career Services both charge students $20 to access their versions of a Web-based employment recruiting technology.

However, the College of Veterinary Medicine charges its students $10 to use similar services. She said the College of Education also charges students $20 for a system allowing students to have their credentials mailed to employers.

She said the other four colleges allow their students to use Web-based systems free of charge.

Madden said the difference in fees for the online service arises because of the different ways college budgets handle their own career services offices.

“Each college provides similar services to students, but each college decides differently whether this service is based on student fees or otherwise,” Madden said.

She said each college posts job and internship openings online, but that the colleges use different systems that offer different tools for students to use. She said some Web-based systems are more expensive than others.

Madden said student fees within Career Services go toward covering on-campus interviews with employers and students, resume referrals, mailings of position listings, automatic messaging, career service office manuals and Web-based services.

Kathy Wieland, director of career services for the College of Business, said her office charges students $20 per academic year to use the system. This fee goes to its own career services operating budget. She said only a few students within the College of Business have raised concerns about the fee.

“Very rarely have students been angry over this … and I’ve always said if people feel they didn’t get their $20 worth of service, they can come see me personally,” Wieland said. “I think it’s the best $20 you’ll spend on campus.”

Michael Gaul, director of career services for the College of Agriculture, said students within the College of Agriculture have never been charged for using the online system. Barring extreme budget changes, they never will be, he said, because the college’s administration budget provides funding for career services.

“We’ve had pretty good support from different groups and organizations out there, and we also have a smaller career services system. We only have two full-time people on staff with the career services for the College of Agriculture, as opposed to five to seven with others,” Gaul said.

Madden said Career Services offers many useful things to students free of charge as well.

“Services such as career exploration and job search counseling, workshops, the Career Resource Center, job/internship listings, career days, company literature and videos and mock interviews are all provided without charge,” Madden said.

Concerning the difference in fees for the online services across the colleges, Madden said she thinks students understand.

“Sure, students ask what the $20 is for, and after they are shown the services that money provides, they understand,” she said.

Wieland said ISU Career Services fees are low compared to the other Big 12 universities.