The new stipend model being implemented this year sparked considerable debate Tuesday as the ASUO Programs Finance Committee members argued over how much money student counselors in the Crisis Center should receive next year.
The Crisis Center was asking for a 20 percent increase in the stipends for its counselors, even though its proposed overall budget was an 18 percent decrease from this year’s budget.
The PFC first suggested $175 a month for each counselor, which would have equated to roughly $43 per 15-hour shift.
During the budget presentation, Crisis Center Director Alison Lusk said she wanted to raise the stipends to $60 per shift from the $50 currently paid.
“They haven’t been raised since the ’80s and now we’re looking at a decrease,” she said of the $175 proposal.
In response, the PFC approved a $200 monthly stipend for each counselor — keeping stipends at their $50 level per shift — but one committee member was still unhappy.
“Here we have a group that’s coming to us to lessen their dependence on the student fee,” PFC member Lawrence Gillespie said. “I just think the students deserve it … and we’re talking about students that can save somebody’s life.”
Sen. Jackie Ray, however, said the PFC was giving the Crisis Center the option to increase stipends next year to the highest level — $225 — and PFC member Aaron Weck pointed out that the counselors would already be receiving one of the highest stipends available.
“If you push it up to $225, there’s nowhere to go from there,” he said. “That’s it.”
He added that $200 was a fair wage, considering that even directors of some student groups don’t get stipends that high.
Several groups’ requests were tabled Tuesday because of complications with their mission and goal statements.
Last year, University President Dave Frohnmayer vetoed the Jewish Student Union’s statement, which PFC Chairwoman Mary Elizabeth Madden explained was done because some language was too political or religious.
This year, the PFC was cautious while considering the group’s statement and ultimately decided to wait until it was reworded before hearing the budget.