For years, student employees at Sinclair dreamed of making a living wage. At the beginning of the Fall Semester, those prayers were answered. Campus wide, student employees received a 30% pay raise. This decision changed lives for many, offering a much-needed boost to those that need it most. Yet towards the end of the semester, the rug was pulled from under students as a cut on their hours has many wondering if the wage increase has caused more problems than it solved.
Across campus in multiple departments, hours are being slashed, sometimes by as much as 25-50%. Many students that previously relied on their campus jobs for their main source of income are having to pick up second and third jobs. Some people that The Clarion spoke to were working as much as seven days a week to afford tuition and the rising cost of living.
Speaking to The Clarion on condition of anonymity, one source said, “We switch schedules every semester based on what classes they have, and I have them submit the hours they want to work. This year, I had to not only try and make sure everyone worked under a certain limit (all three students couldn’t work more than 35 hours collectively) but give an even split. So, they didn’t directly lose hours, but they just weren’t able to work all the hours they wanted to.
“I let seniority rule, so our longest-worker got a bit more opposed to our newest worker, plus the ones that worked more recently got “more” hours than the ones that took the summer and spring off. Essentially, it was a lot of work and a bit stressful. I’m glad they’re getting paid a living wage rate, but since our budgets didn’t get the increase, it means that they aren’t making enough money to make it significant,” they said.
The goal is to create a collaborative work environment that minimizes the impact of any hourly cuts on work quality and creates an overall positive experience for students.
-Dr. Jennifer Kostic
When reached for comment, Sinclair’s Vice President of Organizational Development, Dr. Jennifer Kostic, explained that hourly cuts are not made arbitrarily and only happen after careful consideration.
Kostic told The Clarion, “Any hourly reductions are management decisions based on budget evaluations and staffing needs. Managers are required to evaluate their budget annually and determine their staffing needs as appropriate. Budgets are evaluated annually. The rates for student employment will be evaluated annually but we do not anticipate any changes soon.”
Kostic explained that the decision was made to benefit all students. Departments will be collaborating closely with their respective deans and VPs to resolve any challenges as soon as possible.
“The goal is to create a collaborative work environment that minimizes the impact of any hourly cuts on work quality and creates an overall positive experience for students. Student employees can support each other through one communication, prioritizing tasks, collaborating on projects, and maintaining a positive work environment. Strategies such as flexible scheduling and cross-training can be used to maintain the quality of work,” said Kostic.
Meanwhile, as times continue to be tough this winter, students have a number of resources to support them. These include Sinclair’s on campus food pantry.
Eric Henderson, Counseling Services Manager, and head of the pantry said, “While we do not ask students why they are using the pantry, we do know that students may use a food pantry for the following reasons: inability to meet food needs of their family and the pantry helps supplement that, job loss, or their income is not enough to feed their family.”
Those interested in aiding the pantry’s continued efforts to support the Sinclair community can volunteer their time, provide a monetary donation, or donate items. For more information, contact foodpantry@sinclair.edu.
Breanna Gambill, Intern
With additional reporting by Ismael David Mujahid, Executive Editor
(Featured Image from Canva)