Senate Bill 15-16-23
| Bill ID: | 15-16-23 |
| Name: | Proposal to Raise Wages for Working Students |
| Proposed: | 02/10/2016 |
| Sponsor: | Chris Bangert-Drowns, Undergraduate Student |
| Proposal: | The minimum wage on our campus reflects the rate set by Maryland State, currently $8.25 per hour. This minimum wage set by the State will phase up incrementally over the next few years, and will reach $10.10 per hour on July 1, 2018. The minimum wage of our home county, Prince George's County, currently rests at $9.55 per hour, but will complete its phase up to $11.50 per hour on October 1, 2017. As such, the County minimum wage will maintain a healthy lead over the State minimum wage through, and likely beyond, 2018. The choice of the University to align itself with the State rate primarily affects working students. Most non-student staff members employed by the University are remunerated at a rate at or above the County minimum wage. However, undergraduate student employees of the University are frequently paid at rates lower than the County minimum wage. Thus, the University's choice to adhere to the lower of the two minimum wage rates creates in practice a long-term structural discrepancy between pay rates for students and non-student staff, while inadvertently creating academic disincentives for working students. This proposal calls upon the Senate Executive Committee to express public, formal support for an increase in the campus minimum wage to match the rate set by Prince George's County. This proposal does not prompt the SEC to endorse any specific implementation procedure, as any procedure should be developed through extended discourse and in tandem with leaders from all interested groups within the campus community. As the costs of tuition, housing, food, books, and other basic academic necessities rise, easily outpacing the rise in the traditional cost-of-living index, students from low- and middle-income backgrounds increasingly look to campus jobs as a means of supporting themselves through their college career. However, these campus jobs are frequently found to be inadequate means of support, and many working students find themselves in precarious academic and financial situations because of these jobs. Having to choose between buying textbooks and feeding oneself consistently, taking irregular or protracted breaks from classes in order to work longer hours, commuting long distances from home instead of living on or near campus, sacrificing hours in the library for hours on the job, and taking on a second job instead of volunteering for unpaid service work or an internship are common experiences for working students. From an ethical and pedagogical standpoint, the University should not provide jobs to students that act as academic disincentives. Furthermore, the University's policy on student employment, V-4.00(A), directs that student jobs be constructed "as a means of financing their education and enhancing the University experience." Expecting working students to finance and enhance their education on $8.25 per hour is laughable. Of course, raising the campus minimum wage to match that of Prince George's County provides neither an immediate nor complete solution to the deep and complex problem of college affordability, but it is a substantial and important step in the right direction. V-4.00(A) UMCP POLICY AND PROCEDURES CONCERNING STUDENT EMPLOYMENT (<a href="http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/2014-V-400a.html" target="_blank">http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/2014-V-400a.html</a>) In this section, I use the term "we" to speak on behalf of the student organizations campaigning for this wage increase. With an eye towards the financial struggles of the members of the campus community, we do not recommend that existing job positions, wages, or salaries be cut, nor student tuition or fees be augmented, in order to implement this wage increase. However, we must also recognize the financial constraints under which the University operates. To prevent undue pressure on the University budget, we propose a staggered phase up period over the next two years, such that the campus minimum wage matches the Prince George's County minimum wage by January 1st, 2018. We welcome all opportunities to work with administrators and campus leaders to identify sources of revenue both within and without the existing budgetary allowances that could be earmarked for this phase up. More specifically, we are willing to help lobby State officials in Annapolis over the next several months to provide additional resources in the University budget that could be directed towards the phase up. |
| Active? | No |
Status
| Status: | Completed |
| Completed On: | 04/04/2016 |
History
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Received: | 2016-03-28 |
| Decision Date: | 2016-04-04 |
| Decision: | The SEC voted against a resolution in support of the proposal. |
| Actions: | The SEC discussed the proposal at its April 4th, 2016 meeting. The SEC voted against writing a resolution in support of the proposal. |
| Status: | Under Review |
| Reviewer: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Received: | 2016-03-14 |
| Decision Date: | 2016-03-21 |
| Decision: | The SEC did not act on the proposal at its meeting. |
| Actions: | The SEC did not act on the proposal at its 3/21 meeting. The proposal will be moved to the April 4th SEC meeting agenda. |
| Next Step: | SEC Review |
| Status: | Under Review |
| Reviewer: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Received: | 2016-02-12 |
| Decision Date: | 2016-03-21 |
| Decision: | The SEC voted to postpone discussion on the proposal until the 3/21/16 SEC Meeting. |
| Actions: | The SEC discussed the proposal at its 2/19/16 Senate Meeting. After discussion, the SEC voted to postpone the discussion to the next SEC meeting on 3/21/16 based on current state legislation and pending discussion on this issue. |
| Next Step: | SEC Review |
| Related Files: |