The Student Government presidential stipend will remain $10,000 for the next academic year despite a decrease in next year’s payroll from SG.
This year’s SG payroll decreased by $500 from last year due to changes in the Judicial Board and Senate payments, former SG President Sarah McBride, formerly known as Tim, said in an email.
The Senate raised the stipend from $8,500 to $10,000 before McBride’s term because the president typically works more than 20 hours a week, the amount of time the original stipend amount was based on, McBride said.
During McBride’s term, the president was required to work 40 hours per week over the summer. The president was originally paid for 20 hours per week, The Eagle previously reported.
The presidential stipend during fall and spring semesters did not change and is the same as the other SG executives’ salaries.
During the academic year, the president is required to work 20 hours per week, but McBride said she works about 40 to 50 hours, and the stipend does not compensate for the extra hours.
When broken down to pay per hour, the stipend is below minimum wage, McBride said.
McBride said students may be shocked when they hear the stipend will remain $10,000 but thinks they will accept it.
“As a society, we accept the idea that you should get pay for your work, and this is a full-time job,” McBride said.
Without the pay, some students may not be able to run for president because the amount of hours demanded as president means students will not be able to have a second job, according to McBride.
“If it didn’t pay at all I wouldn’t been able to take the job,” McBride said. “If it had paid less, I probably would have been able to take the job.”
SG President Emily Yu believes the stipend is fair, considering the hours the president works.
“If a lot of students come out and say this isn’t what we want, I would definitely consider doing something about that,” Yu said.
The president of the student leadership organization has received a stipend or tuition credits since 1925, McBride said in an email to the Eagle.
SG stipends come from the funds the Senate distributes each year. This year, the Senate allocated $74,750 for payroll, The Eagle previously reported.
Editor’s Note: Tim McBride asked The Eagle to use her new preferred name, Sarah McBride. See page 25 for more.
hmongilio@theeagleonline.com
