Some Orientation Leaders say they were underpaid

By Mary Georgevich

Confusion over a change from stipend to hourly payment for Orientation Leaders has left some OLs feeling under-compensated after receiving their final paychecks for the summer.

Last year, first-time OLs were paid a stipend of $3,000 and returning leaders were paid $3,600. This summer, the payment method was switched to an hourly payment of $7.75. The OLs were promised "approximately $3,500 to $3,800" for their work in their contract.

But sophomore Caroline Morrissey said she was paid a total of $3,306 before taxes for her work in the summer from June 19 to July 27 and from Sept. 5 to 19.

Sophomore OLs Alex Tavera, Jenny Heap and Morrissey said Tim Haskell, director of first year programs, promised orientation leaders "spot bonuses" at the end of the summer to bring their total amount paid for the year to date to within the amount promised on the contracts.

"We had one discussion and he said 'I'll give you spot bonuses, and we'll clear everything up,' " Tavera said.

Haskell said spot bonuses were given for a "small number" of OLs who "went above and beyond" their role of orientation leader, but he would not release how many OLs were given the bonuses. He also said they were not given out to compensate OLs who had not received full pay.

Haskell said he was surprised that OLs had complaints over pay. "I have not been directly approached about those issues," he said.

In a Sept. 15 e-mail sent to orientation leaders, Haskell stated their final pay amount should come out to "a total of $3,210. This will vary slightly on how much volunteering you may or may not have done."

The new payment method is a result of a review of all student employment positions by a university committee, composed of administrators from various departments. Students were not included on the committee.

However, some orientation leaders said they were dissatisfied with how their checks turned out.

"I put in extra hours, and I received the same amount of money as someone who didn't come in extra days," Heap said.

Tavera said the OLs were in charge of filling out their time sheets based on their own approximations of their hours.

"We would turn in our time sheet and expect to get the money that we put down and then would get something else," said Heap. "It was never planned out well."

The university committee was formed to review the types of student employment and determine the best way to pay different students for their participation in different organizations. The committee determined that the OLs should be eligible to receive an hourly wage, while other groups, including those under the Center for Student Leadership, such as the Activites Programing Board or The Redwood, would be paid on stipend.

"I feel confident that we have fairly compensated the students for their work as orientation leaders," Haskell said. "When you're paid an hourly wage, you're never promised a total lump sum."

Robert Haun, manager of student employment, said the timesheets were due on the 13th of every month, but the pay period didn't end until the 15th. Haun said the discrepancy between the dates could have been confusing for students.

"What happens is you have to project your hours for two days," he said. "And for those positions in particular, it was hard for them to approximate their hours."

Some OLs said the change in the pay method, and the nature of their job made reporting their hours accurately a challenge.

"It was totally on us at first, and people had different hours and there was discrepancies in that," Heap said. "And then toward the end, they actually set our hours."

Haskell said the figure First Year Programs advertised and had in the contracts was an estimation.

"After they were hired they were given more specific information about how much they would make per hour and then how much we thought that would accumulate to over time," Haskell said.

In the e-mail, Haskell said that orientation leaders would be paid close to what was advertised and stated within their contracts.

"We are pretty close to the front of that figure, which is accurate considering it was an approximation," Haskell stated in an e-mail to OLs.

Haskell said the university has procedures in place for employees who have problems, and he hoped OLs would voice any concerns they had.

Morrissey said while he was disappointed with the difficulties regarding pay, he was still glad to have the experience.

"I wouldn't take back the job or the experience, because it was more rewarding than any money could ever give," Morrissey said. "But, I mean, we are college students."

Contact Mary Georgevich at (408) 554-4546 or mgeorgevich@scu.edu.