Guest Column: USU needs to match what off-campus employers pay

I am one hell of a hard worker.

I’m always diligent. I go above and beyond. I never stop showing my dedication. And when my boss says “jump” I don’t just say “how high?” I asked where the nearest bridge is.

I work on campus. 

For now. 

But my pay is about half of what I could make off-campus, so I’m looking for another opportunity. And I’m not alone.

Right now, scores of jobs are going unfilled at Utah State University because these positions pay so poorly. If Utah State wants to keep great workers like me, it’s going to have to pony up. 

Sam Gardner, a USU junior, has worked both on and off campus during his schooling. He currently works on campus teaching piano lessons for $15 an hour and for a call center in Logan where he makes about $25.

“Working on campus is ridiculous,” Gardner said. “The university simply does not pay enough, even when you have an advanced skill set. That’s when I decided I needed to work off campus.”

Utah State’s full-time tuition rate before aid and fees is $3,694 for in-state students or $11,652 for out-of-state students. That’s among the lowest public university tuition in the nation, but still much more expensive than most students can afford without a job.

Trenton Peters, a USU senior, saved up money from a summer job before coming to USU. 

“I was influenced to get a job because I knew that my savings wouldn’t alone be able to support me if I didn’t want to take out loans,” Peters said.

The starting pay for a receptionist job at Northwood Rentals is $13 an hour. It’s $15 an hour at Mountain View Veterinary Health Center. And Logan Mental Health and Wellness pays between $14 and $18 an hour.

As a part-time receptionist on campus, I make $10 per hour. Conservatively speaking, the difference between what I make on campus and what I could be making off campus is hundreds of dollars each month.

Due to this pay gap, many on-campus positions are not getting filled. On Handshake, an app on which students can see on-campus job listings, there are currently openings for 93 different jobs. 

Working on campus does give students the flexibility to create a schedule around their schooling. It also makes getting to and from work easier for students, especially those without vehicles.

But for several hundred dollars more a month, those are advantages I’m willing to forego. 

Students are unlikely to get through college without going into debt if they are only making $10 an hour.

If USU wants to keep employees like me, it’s going to need to match what off-campus employers are paying.

Keianah Weakland is a second-year student planning on majoring in human development and family studies with a minor in journalism. 

— A02367276@usu.edu