{"id":5517,"date":"2024-02-08T13:06:45","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T13:06:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/?p=5517"},"modified":"2024-02-08T13:06:45","modified_gmt":"2024-02-08T13:06:45","slug":"centre-united-and-divided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/2024\/02\/08\/centre-united-and-divided\/","title":{"rendered":"Centre United&#8230; and Divided"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>by Olivia Barker, Arts &amp; Leisure Editor and Staff Writer <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"647\" height=\"187\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/files\/2024\/02\/CentreUnited-e9c5a49238129b86.png\" alt=\"CentreUnited Logo\" class=\"wp-image-5518\" style=\"width:389px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/CentreUnited-e9c5a49238129b86.png 647w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/CentreUnited-e9c5a49238129b86-300x87.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 647px) 100vw, 647px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, there are 575 students working on Centre\u2019s campus. By the end of the year, this number will be near 700. With such a large margin of Centre\u2019s students employed on campus, work-study has an incredible impact on Centre\u2019s culture, seen by many students as the ideal avenue for making a buck without sacrificing their foremost role as a student.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last year, however, the idealism of these positions were challenged in a campaign known as \u201cCentre United.\u201d Centre United was formed amongst a group of students who raised concerns about student workers\u2019 compensation among other issues of safety and transparency on Centre\u2019s campus. Although their Instagram account was active for only a short period (from April 4th to April 12th), they gained a considerable following of 466, regularly posting the anonymous commentary of Centre students on issues they had raised. The account specified the groups qualms with student compensation, stating that \u201cas national inflation increases, student workers have not been given a raise or sufficient support.\u201d But are these concerns valid, or merely the ramblings of dissatisfied minimum wage employees?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div aria-label=\"Carousel Gallery\" class=\"wp-block-coblocks-gallery-carousel\"><div class=\"coblocks-gallery-carousel-swiper-container is-cropped coblocks-gallery has-no-alignment has-caption-style-dark has-horizontal-gutter has-no-thumbnails\"><div class=\"has-carousel has-carousel-lrg swiper-container\" data-swiper=\"{&quot;alignCells&quot;:false,&quot;autoPlay&quot;:false,&quot;autoPlaySpeed&quot;:3000,&quot;draggable&quot;:true,&quot;freeMode&quot;:false,&quot;loop&quot;:false,&quot;navigation&quot;:true,&quot;pageDots&quot;:false,&quot;pauseHover&quot;:false,&quot;responsiveHeight&quot;:false,&quot;slidesPerView&quot;:2,&quot;thumbnails&quot;:false,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;12345&quot;}\" style=\"height:400px\"><div class=\"swiper-wrapper\"><div class=\"swiper-slide\"><div class=\"coblocks-gallery--item\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"><figure class=\"coblocks-gallery--figure has-margin-left-5 has-margin-left-mobile-5 has-margin-right-5 has-margin-right-mobile-5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"778\" height=\"787\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5519\" data-id=\"5519\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/files\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-1-9a77080940600355.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-1-9a77080940600355.png 778w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-1-9a77080940600355-297x300.png 297w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-1-9a77080940600355-768x777.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"coblocks-gallery--caption coblocks-gallery--primary-caption\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\"><div class=\"coblocks-gallery--item\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"1\"><figure class=\"coblocks-gallery--figure has-margin-left-5 has-margin-left-mobile-5 has-margin-right-5 has-margin-right-mobile-5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"823\" height=\"793\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5524\" data-id=\"5524\" data-link=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/?attachment_id=5524\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/files\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-2-8f850de875416352.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-2-8f850de875416352.png 823w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-2-8f850de875416352-300x289.png 300w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-2-8f850de875416352-768x740.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 823px) 100vw, 823px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"coblocks-gallery--caption coblocks-gallery--primary-caption\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\"><div class=\"coblocks-gallery--item\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"2\"><figure class=\"coblocks-gallery--figure has-margin-left-5 has-margin-left-mobile-5 has-margin-right-5 has-margin-right-mobile-5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"822\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5525\" data-id=\"5525\" data-link=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/?attachment_id=5525\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/files\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-3-a65a3024f73ffebb.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-3-a65a3024f73ffebb.png 822w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-3-a65a3024f73ffebb-300x292.png 300w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-3-a65a3024f73ffebb-768x747.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"coblocks-gallery--caption coblocks-gallery--primary-caption\"><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div><button class=\"nav-button__prev\" id=\"12345-prev\"><svg class=\"icon\" style=\"transform:rotate(180deg)\"><\/svg><\/button><button class=\"nav-button__next\" id=\"12345-next\"><svg class=\"icon\"><\/svg><\/button><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The answer, it seems, depends greatly on the category under which student workers fall: while many students work campus jobs casually, others are working under their qualification for federal work-study, a program designed for college students to work in order to make payments towards their education, allowing a greater sum of working hours. In this instance, it seems reasonable to challenge the school\u2019s majority minimum wage positions; logistically, with Centre\u2019s average cost after aid at about $20,000 a year, students would have to work roughly 77 hours a week throughout the school year in order to pay off their remaining sum. Of course, no student expects to pay 100% of their remaining costs through their on-campus position, but it is notable that to make enough to pay even a fourth of this expense at a minimum wage job, students would still need to work almost 20 hours a week during the school year on top of classes and schoolwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And compared to other Kentucky universities, Centre seems to be far behind in student wages. In the 2022-2023 school year, Murray State had average student wages of $8.15 an hour, Morehead University of $9.01 an hour, Western Kentucky University of $9.14 an hour, University of Louisville $10 an hour, and Northern Kentucky University of $10.65 an hour. Meanwhile, the majority of Centre\u2019s student positions\u2014with the exception of advisory positions and those requiring special skill sets\u2014pay an hourly wage of $7.25 (the federal minimum wage).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"841\" height=\"833\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/files\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-4-b9c0477b760400a3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5526\" style=\"width:314px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-4-b9c0477b760400a3.png 841w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-4-b9c0477b760400a3-300x297.png 300w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-4-b9c0477b760400a3-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Centreunited-4-b9c0477b760400a3-768x761.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 841px) 100vw, 841px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In a Centre \u201ctown hall\u201d meeting last year, for which attendance was advertised on Centre United\u2019s instagram page, one student challenged this division, questioning the panel of Centre faculty as to why Centre couldn\u2019t have starting student salaries more in line with other universities, referencing the University of Kentucky\u2019s roughly $10 starting student wages. A school representative responded by comparing the environment of a school in Lexington versus Danville: she articulated that UK was \u201ccompeting against Lexington employers\u201d\u2014a competition that, no doubt, is not nearly as prevalent in small-town Danville, where students have much fewer options for off-campus work. Moreover, she added that the cooperation students receive from their on-campus employers makes Centre\u2019s student work environment unique in a positive light\u2014the flexibility allows for students to truly prioritize their academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While she did mention that higher wages were worth looking into, the response of the panel to another question regarding tuition increases raises questions over whether the funding for such a change is even available. The panel articulated that Centre is a tuition-dependent, nonprofit school that had for the first time reached a budgetary deficit, forcing proponents of higher student wages to question whether the college can even afford to make the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"827\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/files\/2024\/02\/centreunited-5-6b938976d4d1f951.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5527\" style=\"width:298px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/centreunited-5-6b938976d4d1f951.png 728w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/centreunited-5-6b938976d4d1f951-264x300.png 264w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"757\" height=\"805\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.centre.edu\/cento\/files\/2024\/02\/centreunited-6-c92845001dee8d65.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5528\" style=\"width:302px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/centreunited-6-c92845001dee8d65.png 757w, https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/centreunited-6-c92845001dee8d65-282x300.png 282w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 757px) 100vw, 757px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One student worker in one of the higher-paying positions at Centre, at $12 an hour, offered his perspective on his role as a student worker. \u201cI think that the college (and the wider academic community) view on-campus jobs as ways to earn extra money, not to make serious attempts to pay off student loans or costs associated with being a college student.\u201d This is certainly true for many student workers \u2014 often, they are looking to get accustomed to working and to make some extra cash for recreation or, in this student\u2019s case, expenses such as gas, insurance, and groceries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another student, working a minimum wage position at Centre, adds that she also uses her wages for non-school related expenses\u2014food, recreation, and sometimes groceries\u2014and doesn\u2019t expect it to completely cover student expenses. She adds, however, that \u201cfor me, it\u2019s an okay amount, but also I think that if you were using this amount of money to cover all student expenses, or a significant part of that, or for loans and tuitions I\u2019d say it&#8217;s not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, this student offered the solution that Centre diversify their job options for those students looking to make payments towards their education\u2014she explained that by creating jobs that were \u201cmore involved\u201d and \u201chigher paying,\u201d students would have more of an opportunity to make more money in exchange for taking on a more active position.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it may be unreasonable to expect Centre administration to increase wages for all of its hundreds of workers at once, small steps like this one certainly seem feasible. And for many students, it may come back to another of Centre United\u2019s core platforms: transparency. Although students seeking higher wages may understand that the college cannot afford immense changes at this time, it might at least ease their minds to have an idea of what their over $50,000 worth of tuition is being put towards instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Centre United representative Ben Justice comments on how they are striving for this greater financial transparency alongside their primary goal of wage increases, expressing how they are working on surveying the study body about their needs as they lobby for administration to be more open about their efforts to increase student wages. The group\u2013now referred to as the Student Worker Organization, or SWO\u2013is also looking to promote greater recognition for students working to further the diversity and inclusion efforts that Centre is so adamant about.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, the group has struggled to form into a viable legion as most students are unaware of the SWO, preventing them from gathering enough participants for the option of formally unionizing. \u201cHowever,\u201d Justice remarks, \u201chaving a union with the workers so we have representation and an organized voice in the college will be a net positive for everyone.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He encourages students with investment in their cause to step forward and help organize efforts that will allow the newly organized group to gain support, insight, and credibility; Kevli Sheth, alongside Justice, reminds Centre students that they are always open to questions about their cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite challenges, Justice remains enthusiastically invested towards the work of the SWO: \u201cOur student workers in the group have different reasons for taking action. Some students are paid minimum wage or near-minimum wage for intensive jobs. Even if the jobs are not intensive, they are nonetheless essential to campus operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is, after all, the work of students that on many levels allows Centre to operate on the level that attracts the eyes of so many prospective students, alumni, and the community; it seems necessary to have someone advocating on their behalf.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Olivia Barker, Arts &amp; Leisure Editor and Staff Writer Currently, there are 575 students working on Centre\u2019s campus. By the end of the year, this number will be near 700. With such a large margin of Centre\u2019s students employed on campus, work-study has an incredible impact on Centre\u2019s culture, seen by many students as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-opinions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5517"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5517\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}