Letter to the editor

I wanted to clarify and contextualize the discussion that the ASI Senate had last week on the issue of senate stipends.

First, senators serve dual positions as student representatives and members of the board of directors for the non-profit corporation, Associated Students, Inc. These dual roles put us in the legal channel of liability for the actions of the corporation. California state law does not allow non-profit corporations to distribute profits to members, officers or directors; however, it does allow the board of directors to be compensated with reasonable salaries and expense reimbursements.

Second, the three executives of ASI (President, Vice-President, and Treasurer) already receive payments of $1,250 per month ($15,000 a year each) for a combined total of $45,000 per academic year. While in comparison, the Senate is only recommending $500 per semester or $20,000 annually for the 20 senators. Each executive currently receives 15 times what a senator would receive and 30 times what a commissioner would receive ($250 per semester).

Thirdly, senators are required to hold a minimum of three office hours a week, which equates to roughly 48 hours a semester. If we were paid the California minimum wage of $6.75 per hour, then we should be compensated at least $324 per semester for office hours alone.

Finally, during this past spring's election, the student body approved the senator stipend referendum, giving the senate mandate to receive compensation. They did not approve for us to set our own salaries, but we are allowed to make recommendations that must be approved by the ASI Board of Control and the ASI President. By asking for reasonable salaries, we hope to attract the best talent our diverse university has to offer, so the student government can meet its full potential and serve the needs of all students.

— Uduak-Joe Ntuk
ASI Senator,
College of Engineering