Stipends called into question

Students are footing the bill for stipends paid to seven positions of student government.

But stipends for Student Congress leaders were eliminated last year, and the rest of the student government branches are now in question.

A petition is circulating to put a referendum on a ballot that will allow students to vote on whether members of the executive and judicial branches should receive stipends.

"Students paying other students is controversial," said Luke Farley, speaker of Student Congress. "This issue needs to be resolved once and for all."

Students voted down a referendum last October that would have provided the speaker and speaker pro tem with stipends.

Almost 70 percent of voters turned down the referendum.

"Since students took such a strong stand - we wanted to give them a stand on the other two branches," said Tom Jensen, who ran for student body president last year under a platform that called for an end to student stipends.

Seven positions in the executive and judiciary branches of student government receive stipends.

They range from $300 per month for the student body president to $200 for the treasurer to $125 for the honor outreach coordinator, according to Title V of the Student Code These amount to more than $16,000 per year.

The efforts are more about allowing students to choose, as opposed to taking a stand on whether student government members should be compensated, Jensen said.

The petition will be sent to Student Congress where members could pass a referendum to go on a ballot. It then would be up to students to vote for or against stipends.

Although those leading the effort are members of Congress, Farley said the issue is a growing concern among other students.

"The issue of stipends in general has been such a controversial issue," he said. "It's bigger than Congress."

The referendum would not eliminate the stipends of those in paid positions this year. It would take effect when the next administration comes into office in April.

Students from all across the spectrum are joining forces behind the petition.

Jensen, who is president of the N.C. Federation of College Democrats, spoke to the UNC College Republicans about the petition.

"It's a bipartisan sort of thing," he said. "It's really just about democracy."

Student government's purpose is to improve the campus, said Jordan Selleck, chairman of the College Republicans.

"We are all doing our job to improve the campus community," he said. "We all put in many hours - and don't get paid."

"That money could be better spent," he said.

Farley said he hopes promoting this petition will boost campus involvement with Student Congress.

The number of signatures on the petition is not important, Farley said, and Congress should take into consideration any issue that students are concerned about enough to sign a petition.

"It's an unresolved issue - let's get a final answer."

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.