How not to stimulate an economy

I just got this email about a state program to subsidize employment from the College's Office of Financial Aid:

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From: XXX

Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 11:53 AM

To: WSCOOR@gettysburg.edu

Subject: PHEAA State Work-Study Program for the Summer

PLEASE SHARE WITH ALL SUPERVISORS IN YOUR AREA

As you make plans for student employment this summer, please keep in mind that the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) helps to subsidize wages for qualified employers in order to encourage them to hire college students.

Gettysburg College (and any office or department within the College) is an approved job location, and as such PHEAA will reimburse 40% of each eligible student's summer wages. Each department must have the funds to pay student wages during the summer. The 40% PHEAA share comes after the summer as a reimbursement.

The limitations are that the "eligible" students must be Pennsylvania residents who are receiving PA State Grants. Gettysburg College enrollment is not necessary as long as the students meet the requirements.

NOTE: Federal regulations prohibit the collection of information that is not required to determine an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to ask if a student is from PA or is eligible for a PA State Grant.

Eligible students should have received a bulletin from PHEAA which included the application form. Forms are also available from the Office of Financial Aid. Contact Sally Miller at samiller@gettysburg.edu or call x6614 if you need a form. SWSP Student Application/Placement Forms are due in the Office of Financial Aid by Friday, May 14. If you are unsure about a student's eligibility, contact the Office of Financial Aid at extension 6611 or via email reply.

Summer positions within your department/office should be designed with the expectation that your departmental budget will fund these positions. If your chosen candidate qualifies for the PHEAA Summer Program, reimbursement would be a wonderful benefit.

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Um, if the purpose of the program is to get me to hire more students this summer, wouldn't it help if I knew whether employing additional students would in fact earn me the subsidy?