Student workers at Howard switch from salary to hourly pay
Mary Petrides
Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: News
More than a dozen student workers, previously on salary pay at Howard Music Hall and Sage Center for the Arts were switched to hourly pay beginning this semester.
Controller Patrick Flannery declined to comment.
Cheryl Thomas, assistant to chair and coordinator for the music department, said despite the change, the students would be paid the same total amount.
"We're watching it closely to make sure the students aren't shortchanged in the least," Thomas said.
Music Department Chairman James Holleman said these students need not worry.
"We will make sure we honor the commitment we made to those student workers," he said.
Because of federal regulations, students may not work for the college for more than 20 hours per week and must earn at least minimum wage.
Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said these regulations apply to Hillsdale, even though the college does not accept federal funding.
"[The system was] changed over primarily because it fits better for us to track hours and verify that we're making payments that equal minimum wage," Péwé said.
Péwé said it was harder to keep track of hours and pay under the salary system.
"We really shouldn't have been doing that," he said.
Sophomore Kirsty Sadler, publicity manager for the Tower Players, said she heard of the change only recently.
"What they tell me is that we're probably going to be making the same amount of money, but we're not quite sure," Sadler said.
Most student employees are normally paid on an hourly basis, and area by area, time entry has been moved from paper to WebAdvisor, Péwé said. When it was time for hourly workers at Howard and Sage to make the switch, the administration decided that at the same time, salary workers at Howard would switch to an hourly pay system.
Student workers filled out paper timecards for January. Thomas said she is in the process of training students to use the WebAdvisor program.
"We hope to be up and running for the next pay period," she said.
Junior Jami Scott, choir librarian previously on salary pay, said the change will be, at worst, an inconvenience.
"It sounds fine," Scott said. "It's just another thing I have to remember to do. And in the end it will probably be easier for the administration."
Controller Patrick Flannery declined to comment.
Cheryl Thomas, assistant to chair and coordinator for the music department, said despite the change, the students would be paid the same total amount.
"We're watching it closely to make sure the students aren't shortchanged in the least," Thomas said.
Music Department Chairman James Holleman said these students need not worry.
"We will make sure we honor the commitment we made to those student workers," he said.
Because of federal regulations, students may not work for the college for more than 20 hours per week and must earn at least minimum wage.
Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said these regulations apply to Hillsdale, even though the college does not accept federal funding.
"[The system was] changed over primarily because it fits better for us to track hours and verify that we're making payments that equal minimum wage," Péwé said.
Péwé said it was harder to keep track of hours and pay under the salary system.
"We really shouldn't have been doing that," he said.
Sophomore Kirsty Sadler, publicity manager for the Tower Players, said she heard of the change only recently.
"What they tell me is that we're probably going to be making the same amount of money, but we're not quite sure," Sadler said.
Most student employees are normally paid on an hourly basis, and area by area, time entry has been moved from paper to WebAdvisor, Péwé said. When it was time for hourly workers at Howard and Sage to make the switch, the administration decided that at the same time, salary workers at Howard would switch to an hourly pay system.
Student workers filled out paper timecards for January. Thomas said she is in the process of training students to use the WebAdvisor program.
"We hope to be up and running for the next pay period," she said.
Junior Jami Scott, choir librarian previously on salary pay, said the change will be, at worst, an inconvenience.
"It sounds fine," Scott said. "It's just another thing I have to remember to do. And in the end it will probably be easier for the administration."
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