Editorial: Resident advisers deserve a pay raise

Published: Friday, September 12, 2003

While the Board of Regents voted Tuesday to give a 2 percent raise plus $350 a year to more than 1,000 members of United Staff-UNM, there is a particular group of employees that is paid low wages and has not received a salary increase in four years. These hard working individuals toil away night and day for a salary that could not even satisfy a monthly car payment.

The UNM dormitory resident advisers (RAs) are students who, while living in the dorms and attending classes, function as hall monitors, counselors for troubled students, desk attendants and event organizers for on-campus residents. These students have one of the most diversified positions on campus and yet their pay is hardly appropriate. While RAs receive benefits such as free room and board from Housing and Dining Services, RAs make a meager $200 dollars a month. Dean of Students Randy Boeglin said that $200 a month is more than the national average for the position. However, it's no consolation to know that you are underpaid but earning more than others who have the same job title.

While one might argue that $200 a month is proportionately correct because RAs also receive free housing, this argument falls short of providing a convincing resolution given that RAs have a responsibility level that surpasses almost any student job on campus.

The job of an RA is stressful and demanding. Aside from having to maintain a tranquil living environment, which is not easy in a dormitory full of 200 unruly freshmen, RAs are more or less on call 24 hours a day. At least once a week they are "on duty" from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Being on duty involves a variety of tasks, from late night patrol of the halls to confronting violators of dormitory policy. They often have to deal with intoxicated persons, are frequently woken up at 3 or 4 a.m. to unlock dorm rooms for absent-minded students and are required to attend several weekly staff and committee meetings.

On top of all their other activities they are also required to work at the individual dormitory desks and create a minimum number of student activities every semester. These activities take hours to plan and organize, on top of the time the program itself consumes.

On top of accepting a multitude of duties, the restrictions placed on RAs are ludicrous. RAs are prohibited from holding down another job and from participating in student government or athletics. RAs are afforded only one free weekend each month.

Because of meetings they're not allowed to take classes on Thursday evenings or take more than 16 credit hours a semester. Because of these restrictions, it's only natural that Housing and Dining Services give RAs an increase in their monthly wages. The sacrifices that a student must make in order to be an RA demand more than $200 a month. It's a matter of respecting one's time and forfeitures. In other departments at UNM, such recognition is seen through a perfunctory raise in pay.

Given that inflation stops for no one, and transportation, toiletries, clothes and entertainment are all real and pressing expenses, in order to facilitate the budget crises that all students are forced to confront, a salary that has remained stagnant for four years is an insult to anyone who puts forth their best effort.