By Ally Morthberg
If you didn’t already know, Knack is the brand-new tutoring platform implemented this year to replace the old program run through the Center for Student Success (CSS). Because of this shift, tutoring now operates under a different structure. Instead of being treated as school employees, tutors are now classified as independent contractors.
According to Heidi Rogers, who works in the CSS and helped coordinate the move to Knack, the change came from necessity. “There were some changes in staffing and budget within the CSS that made it important for us to find a more sustainable way to coordinate tutoring,” Rogers explained. “Knack helps us continue supporting students effectively, even as those resources have shifted over time.”
Under the old system, tutors were considered on-campus employees, paid through FAFSA or work-study and issued W-2 forms during tax season. But with the adoption of Knack and the reclassification of tutors as contractors, that structure has changed. Tutors are no longer eligible for work-study funding, leaving some students unable to use thousands of dollars in potential aid.
Parker Webster, a student who has been a tutor under both the old system and Knack, described how the change has affected tutors financially and practically. “Knack classifies its tutors as 1099 contractors. This doubles the tax burden of tutors, as they pay both halves of the Social Security and Medicare taxes,” Webster said. “It also takes away Federal Work-Study opportunities, which can decrease the likelihood of receiving grants and loans later.”
However, tutors are now paid $15 an hour as opposed to Minnesota state minimum wage ($10.85 in 2024 and $11.13 in 2025).
Rogers noted that Knack still offers benefits despite these challenges. “In many ways, Knack makes tutoring more flexible,” she said. “Students can now schedule or request on-demand appointments, either in person or online. Tutoring is also available year-round, which means students taking summer courses can still get peer support.”
Still, others feel that convenience has come at a cost. Webster described losing what he considered one of the best parts of the old program: “The previous system had the best study group in campus history: walk-in tutoring. It was low-pressure and cheaper for students, but now everything is appointment-based and more stressful to schedule.”
The shift has also had major consequences for international students. Under the prior system, international students could legally work as on-campus tutors, but because Knack classifies tutors as independent contractors, that same work is now considered off-campus employment—something most F-1 visas prohibit.
“It’s not a simple issue,” Rogers said. “We’re actively exploring ways for students to tutor either through Knack or via other resources. Knack has added flexibility and expanded access for many students, though we recognize it still has limits for some international students and those without employment documents.”
For many, the overall picture is mixed. Knack may have streamlined scheduling and extended availability, but it’s also introduced new tax burdens, reduced financial aid access, and excluded a group of capable tutors entirely. As Webster put it, “The college should not outsource its own employees as contractors, especially not its most vulnerable—its student workers.”
Knack may represent progress in some ways, but its growing pains make clear that convenience and equity don’t always align.
