Shepherd University student salaries were raised to $8 an hour at the beginning of this year under a wage hike across West Virginia.
The wage boost depends on student job levels, which means some students will be making more than others, said Dave Cole, the dean of students. There are 10 job levels with different pay for each, because of the required skills and qualifications.
A level one job, such as a student assistant, does not require special skills or licenses. Students that work a level one job now earn $8 instead of $7.25.
A level three job, such as a student lifeguard or an information technologist, earned $8 before and after minimum wage increased.
A higher level job, eight for example, earns $11. Level eight jobs include student web developers and student engineers. Level eight job employees earn more because they require advanced knowledge and skill.
Resident assistants did not get a raise because Shepherd bases their pay off of room and board and then divide that up into bi-weekly payments across the school year.
“Student employees earn different rates of pay based on the nature of their work,” said Marian Willauer, the student employment coordinator.
“My job is not hard, I don’t need to be a computer whiz to provide good customer service. Students that have the experience to get a higher paying job should definitely get that extra amount of money,” said Sarah Kirk, a senior photography major that works at the information center. Kirk said that it is fair that some students earn more at their jobs than others.
“The wage difference is fair because each level requires more skill and the pay compensates the work,” said Christiana Pontier, a senior computer engineering major that works for Information Technology.
“Part of the reason we have student employment on campus is to prepare a lot of people for jobs in the real world and jobs in the real world aren’t paid the same. I think it’s realistic and fair,” said Isabel Paterson, a junior graphic design major who works as a resident assistant.