University Student Senators are considering various proposals which would grant themselves stipends, one of which could give each 19 members up to $3,500 per semester, a total amount of $7,000 a year, according to their meeting notes. A second proposal would attribute a greater amount of money for the executive board, than the representative board.
Senators said that funding for these stipends will not be coming out of the Student Senate Fund, which is made up of an $8 tax every New Schooler pays per semester.
“Although there was no formal vote, one of the things that the Senate has come to consensus on is that in the event we receive stipends, it will not be coming out of the Student Senate Fund,” a USS representative said over email.
The New School’s communication department did not respond to a request for comment about where in the administrative budget this money would come from by the time of publication.
USS senators also said the stipends would be an incentive for students who couldn’t afford to devote their time to student government without compensation. Senators said they spend an average of 10 hours a week working on the USS and are required to attend weekly meetings, though many senators can’t make all of them.
“If I don’t get paid next year, then it’s fine but what about the people who can’t afford to participate,” Serengeti Aliya Timungwa a USS co-chair said. “We are The New School, and we talk about social justice, but the way that the USS is set up it doesn’t allow low-income students to take part of it.”
Senators also felt the initiative would encourage more students to apply for candidacy to the USS and said they would extend the benefit to all other student governments as well.
“Having stipends will not only be given to the USS, but to all student governments, there is so much leadership, time, and effort put into it”, Joseph Kushibab USS treasurer said.
Stipends will also be dependent on a system that will hold senators accountable, senators said.
The senate said they would use KPI‘s or Key Performance Indicators to determine whether or not and which senators would receive stipends. KPI’s are a format that list out roles and benchmarks to reach for one’s set goal as a senator. Some examples of the benchmarks required to receive a stipend are: Encourage compromise and good humour between all Senators, Maintain close contact with the student body and Attend all weekly meetings, according to senate representatives.
“We want there to be an order of checks and balances, it won’t just be patting yourself on your back, but we the senators to work for their stipends, if they are approved,” Kushibab said.