2008 Woodie Awards
Students critique minimum wage
Pascale Vallee
Issue date: 4/7/06 Section: News
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Paul French, a sophomore, has been working at Hege Library for a year. His wage started at $5.15 per hour - exactly minimum wage.
"Although scanning out books and computers isn't exactly backbreaking manual labor, I still feel that paying someone $5.15 an hour is not only exploitative, but ridiculous," French said.
French feels that the Guilford administration is taking advantage of the work-study students.
"The work I do in the real world would call for a much higher salary," said junior Jonathon Vogt, Theatre Studies Office Manager. "Not that I think I should get a professional salary, but the work I do is not minimum-wage work."
"Proponents of a 'living wage' recognize that the current minimum wage cannot sustain a family and seek to bring it more into accord with the real cost of living," according to California newspaper The Daily Bruin. "Most suggestions hover around $7.25."
Economist Robert Pollin calculates that $7.37 was actually the minimum wage 30 years ago if measured in 1998 dollars. If it had kept up with economic growth since then, it would be $11.07.
"The notion that you can promote 'integrity, honesty, compassion, courage and respect for the individual' while paying people less than a living wage is two-faced and beyond hypocrisy," French said, citing the "About Us" page on the Guilford College Web site.
"Student employees are at Guilford College to be students first, not employees," said Fred Devine, Director of Human Resources. "Their primary reason for being here is to earn a degree in their field of choice, not to earn a living, sustainable wage."
"Students receive an increase in salary each year," said Jerry Boothby, Vice President for Finance & Administration.
Madeleine Pope, a sophomore, started working at the circulation desk in Hege Library her first year with a wage of $5.15 per hour. "After a year of working there, my salary increased by 25 cents."
Boothby said that Guilford College already spends half a million dollars per year on student wages and cannot afford anything more. That is equivalent to 16 students' full college tuition.
"Although scanning out books and computers isn't exactly backbreaking manual labor, I still feel that paying someone $5.15 an hour is not only exploitative, but ridiculous," French said.
French feels that the Guilford administration is taking advantage of the work-study students.
"The work I do in the real world would call for a much higher salary," said junior Jonathon Vogt, Theatre Studies Office Manager. "Not that I think I should get a professional salary, but the work I do is not minimum-wage work."
"Proponents of a 'living wage' recognize that the current minimum wage cannot sustain a family and seek to bring it more into accord with the real cost of living," according to California newspaper The Daily Bruin. "Most suggestions hover around $7.25."
Economist Robert Pollin calculates that $7.37 was actually the minimum wage 30 years ago if measured in 1998 dollars. If it had kept up with economic growth since then, it would be $11.07.
"The notion that you can promote 'integrity, honesty, compassion, courage and respect for the individual' while paying people less than a living wage is two-faced and beyond hypocrisy," French said, citing the "About Us" page on the Guilford College Web site.
"Student employees are at Guilford College to be students first, not employees," said Fred Devine, Director of Human Resources. "Their primary reason for being here is to earn a degree in their field of choice, not to earn a living, sustainable wage."
"Students receive an increase in salary each year," said Jerry Boothby, Vice President for Finance & Administration.
Madeleine Pope, a sophomore, started working at the circulation desk in Hege Library her first year with a wage of $5.15 per hour. "After a year of working there, my salary increased by 25 cents."
Boothby said that Guilford College already spends half a million dollars per year on student wages and cannot afford anything more. That is equivalent to 16 students' full college tuition.
