Students get a raise, changes in the RSR office and new quarantine housing
BY: Annie MacKeigan AND URVI GANDHI
Your insider guide to the Hofstra Pride. What students really need to know.
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1. Hofstra raises student employee wages — but is it enough?
After years of demands to increase wages for student employees, Hofstra is giving a majority of student employees a raise. In an interview with the Clocktower, President Susan Poser said approximately 75% of student workers would be receiving at least $12 an hour. Specialized positions will be paid up to $15 an hour, the current New York State minimum wage.
While many welcome the raise, some feel that it isn’t enough. “While we're glad to see a pay raise at all — it is still unacceptable that [Resident Safety Representatives] will only be making $12 for their incredibly hard and important work on our campus. It's good to hear that some of our student workers will be receiving $15, but at the same time, why has the school decided to make a decision on who deserves a living wage and who doesn't?” said students Ryder Lazo and Chloe Leatherman.
There will also be changes made to the Resident Safety Program
Karla Schuster, a university spokesperson, told the Clocktower that only one entrance at the Colonial Square dorm will be staffed, compared to 2-3 entrances in previous years. This change, made occasionally during the Spring 2022 semester, will now be part of the regular schedule. It will not affect access for residents, who will be able to swipe in at all entrances. Residents with guests will only be able to enter through the staffed East entrance. The RSR booth at the Graduate Residence Hall will also be phased out through the course of the Fall semester.
Hofstra’s RSP program currently reports through the Department of Public Safety, but will be moved to the Office of Student Enrollment, Engagement and Success before the end of the Fall semester.
“The changes in RSR staffing are in response to evolving needs on campus, and are not related to the recent adjustments in student employment salary rates,” added Schuster.
2. Hofstra assigns Nassau Hall as new quarantine housing along with various other COVID-19 and monkeypox precautions
Hofstra has allotted Nassau Hall as quarantine housing for those who test positive for COVID-19 and monkeypox. While we are still amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, monkeypox has also become an international concern. Dr. Robert Stahl, the Assistant Director of Student Health Services, recommended practicing personal hygiene, frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home if you are experiencing symptoms to help mitigate monkeypox transmission within the community.
3. Hofstra discusses a sustainable future at 2nd Annual Presidential Symposium
The symposium is taking place from Tuesday, September 20 to Thursday, September 22. Faculty, students and guests will discuss sustainability on campus and in the local community over the course of 10 sessions. The event is designed to “initiate a conversation at Hofstra about its core identity as a liberal arts institution with robust professional programs,” focusing on creating solutions for a more sustainable future.
