From former speakers: Stipends aren’t worth it

TO THE EDITOR:

It appears, once again, there is a movement afoot to start paying Student Congress leaders monthly stipends. As former speakers of Student Congress, maybe our perspective can inform the current debate.

In the not-too-distant past, Student Congress leaders were paid stipends, but they were ultimately banned during the 2004-05 school year on the premise that being a member of Student Congress is an act of service, not a way to line your pockets.

At the same time Student Congress stipends were banned, there was an attempt to put the question of all student government stipends to a vote of the student body, but this measure failed when it met fierce resistance from student leaders who received stipends and their friends in Congress.

It is telling that year after year, the same forces in student government that push student fee hikes on students are the same forces that protect their own compensation.

The age-old argument in favor of stipends is that student government leaders are so busy with their official duties that they have no time to work. However, the individual stipends are barely enough to cover beer, pizza and bar tabs at Top of the Hill — a student government favorite. In truth, whether or not they get stipends, those in student government who need to work still do.

Stipends are a waste of student resources. They do little for the individual receiving them and instead could be put to great use around campus. Stipends amount to thousands of dollars that ought to be going to clubs and events.

Sure, a little extra cash would have been nice for us. None of us is wealthy. But we believed service in student government was a matter of pride and dedication to making campus a better place.

We are living proof that compensation is not a prerequisite for dedicated service in Student Congress.



Luke Farley
Speaker 87th, 88th Congress


Tyler Younts
Speaker 89th Congress


Tim Nichols
Speaker 90th Congress



Editor’s note: The length limit was waived for this letter.