Citing recent inflation and no pay raise in four years, Associated Students senators have voted to pass the proposal on a pay raise for all of Associated Students. The increase will be implemented spring 2013.

Laura Igram-Edwards, a full-time employee working as the AS adviser and director of student activities, was the first of the payroll committee to initiate the increase, said junior Evan Tan, VP of Finance, HR and Technology. Biola Human Resources could not comment on this matter.

Two main reasons contributed to taking initiative on the wages.

“We haven’t had a raise in the past for years to adjust to inflation. All the other departments on campus have … at least [added] $0.25 per hour to their wage,” Tan said.

The second reason came about while consulting with Human Resources. Based on classification of student jobs, raising the AS pay seemed necessary, according to Tan. With as much influence they have in the student body, they are currently underpaid. 

Money for raise to still come from student fee

“The senators are one of the lowest paid positions in AS, and we want to change that,” Tan said. 

Senators represent the student body, which is not an easy job, Tan said.

“We want to empower them,” he said.

The money for the pay raise still comes from the student fee, as it always has, Igram-Edwards said.

“The way we ran the budget this year, we really tried to [spend] what is necessary,” she said.

AS is also looking for additional sources of funding as well, according to Igram-Edwards. She said that Tan will be looking into getting sponsorships from local businesses to raise money for AS events.

"We don't believe that this payroll raise is going to detract what AS already does."

Tan assured that the pay raise will not be a conflict of interest for those voting on the issue. The senators are not the ones to initiate this proposal. They instead respond with voting yes or no on the increase in pay.

“It’s … not up to the senators to choose how much they get raised. It’s up to [the payroll committee] to look at how much they get raised and the senators merely approve whether or not it’s a good idea,” Tan said. “If the senate doesn’t pass it then it won't get raised. But it’s not the senate's decision to increase or decrease wages.”

Consequently, the amount spent on payroll in AS is $85,000, according to the AS budget. This pay would be the equivalent of two-full time employees, Tan said, but it is divided among more than 60 students.

“We don’t believe that this payroll raise is going to detract what AS already does. We’re looking at what programs work, what is sustainable, and what we are going to invest in,” Igram-Edwards said.