University to Double USG Salaries
by Axel Hellman and Jori Barash
Photo by Daily Trojan
Starting in January, compensation for Undergraduate Student Government officers will double, university administrators announced in an online press release.
The USG president’s annual salary will be increased from $11,000 to $22,000, and the vice president will be now be compensated $18,000 for his services. Senators’ salaries will be raised to $4,000, and USG directors will receive $9,000.
USG, which currently restricts approximately $335,000 of its $1,725,000,000 budget (23%) on student salaries and stipends, now plans to reserve nearly $750,000 for compensation.
The additional funds will come from a $12 increase in the mandatory undergraduate student activities fee. For comparison, the Norman Topping Scholarship Fund currently takes $8 per student.
Maddy Mandel is a bureaucratic policy major and Director of the Overweight Student Assembly. She explained to reporters how, for her assembly, it is “impossible to function” with an annual budget of $56,000. She said, “Directors are barely rewarded for their hard work.”
Mandel argues that USG members deserve better compensation, “We do a lot for the USC community… especially at the upper levels. All 287 directors, co-directors, assistant directors, and director aids are absolutely indispensable in our mission to serve all undergraduates at USC.”
Students had mixed responses to the measure. Many, like Brenna Fulton, a sophomore majoring in diphthong linguism, don’t follow student politics. When asked about the salary hike, Fulton asked, “You mean, like, the deficit and stuff? See, that’s what Obamacare does.”
Daniel Bedford, a sophomore majoring in third world environmentalism, disagrees, “Of course they should be paid more! I know I would need incentive to organize such a lively atmosphere for student life.”
When asked about USG events, Bedford continued, “It was so exciting hearing about President Bush, Elton John and so many others coming to our school. I, uh, couldn’t ever get a seat, but I’m sure everyone there had a blast.”
At press time, the executive board had already left campus for their $12,000 “development” trip to Denver, CO, so no cabinet member was available for comment.
