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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 1997)
Work-study students’ pay rises Federal minimum wage increases to $5.15 an hour By Ted Taylor Assignment Reporter Cha-ching, cha-ching. That’s the sound minimum-wage earners across the country heard at midnight Labor Day as the federal minimum wage made its last increase, at least for a while, to $5.15 an hour. The 40-cent raise from $4.75 an hour is the last of a two-step plan that began when President Clinton signed the increase into law Aug. 20, 1996. It is the first increase since 1991. However, Monday’s pay increase for minimum wagers didn’t affect work-study students at UNL. They received raises in August, said Marcia Phelps, director of Career Services. She said that the university knew minimum-wage increase would take effect and decided to let employees start the semester at $5.15 an hour. “It not only resulted in a new starting rate for students but it also increased the wages for quite a num ber of students,” she said. “Across the board, the increase is pretty extensive.” Now, a person working full time on minimum wage will earn $10,300 a year, which is a $1,800 increase from annual earnings they received when making $4.25 an hour from April 1991 to October 1996. That annual income, however, is only $315 above the 1996 poverty threshold for a family raising one child under 18 years old. Phelps said the recent wage increase was positive for the student employees, but maybe not so for full-time workers in the labor force. “I think it’s a nice increase. It is really a step in the right direction,” *she said. “But if you think of the people in the full-time work force who are trying to support families Wage Raise r The federal minimum wage has increased steadily since its inception in 1938. The latest increase took effect Monday, bringing the minimum wage up to $5.15 per hour. 1- $o 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 T83f Source: AP —it’s not going to be enough.” But it’s just enough to help sup port the life of a recent college grad uate waiting for graduate school. Chris Hugus, 23, a part-time employee at Homer’s Records and Tapes, 1339 O St., said that it would be tough to live on minimum wage, but he could do it. “I just wouldn’t be able to buy the food I want to eat and I definite ly wouldn’t be able to buy the guitar strings I need.” Hugus said that he also has another higher paying job, but his paychecks at Homer’s are “enough to pay the bills.” The minimum wage, which start Aaron Steekelberg/DN ed at 25 cents, was first implement ed in 1938\as a result of the Fair Labor Standards Act. It has steadily increased since then as Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Bush and Clinton have all signed into law min imum-wage increases. Want Your Name/Address/Phone Removed from the UNL Student Directory? The 1997-98 UNL Student Directory will be on campus mid-October. Your name, campus address/phone, and home address/phone will automatically appear in the directory. If you don’t want to appear in the directory, you must restrict your directory information before Friday, September 12, 1997. You can restrict directory information by going to the Records Office, Service Counter 107C, Canfield Administration Building. Please have your student ID available. If you have previously requested directory restriction on a Change of Address Form, you do not need to take any further action. When your schedule isn't flexible, it's nice to know that UNL courses are. UNL's most popular courses in: Accounting Finance Nursing AG LEC Geography Philosophy Art History History Physics Classics Management Political Science Economics Marketing Psychology English Math Sociology Available through UNL College Independent Study: • Study and take exams when your schedule allows, when you're ready. • Take as long as a year or as few as 35 days to complete a course. • Send an average of six assignments per course to your instructor, and receive rapid turnaround of your materials. Call 472-4321 for free College Independent Study catalog, or visit our office at the Clifford Hardin Nebraska Center for — ... Continuing Education, University of Room 269, VJB Nebraska 33rd and o^i ofCo^nuingStudles Greene informs ASUN of fair judicial policies By Brad Davis Assignment Reporter The newly appointed director of student judicial affairs continued his crusade to inform students that they will all be treated equally when dealing with his office when he went to ASUN’s Wednesday meet ing. Charles Greene, who met with all student athletes last week, this week challenged senators of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska to “make the university do what it is supposed to do.” “We all have to work together to make the university a continued place of respect,” Greene said. Greene came to UNL as a schol arship athlete in 1963 and said the university gave him an opportunity to get an education. “I have a passion for this place,” he said, “I believe in the educational opportunity it offers.” He said the success in his life, which included winning gold and bronze medals in the 1968 Olympics, and working for both the Armed Services and the Special Olympics, was due to his experi ences at UNL. “Everything I consider to be a success in my life, I owe to here,” Greene said. “I want students to feel the same love for this place - but they have to take care of this place.” Taking care of the university includes following the rules in the student code of conduct. The code, distributed to all students in a pam phlet during Big Red Welcome, will be applied fairly to all people - including athletes, Greene said. In dealing with students who have not followed those guidelines, Greene said he will try to handle his job with compassion, while realiz ing “young people make mistakes.” “If it’s not a violent offense, we should be able to find a way to keep the student at the university and help him or her accept the responsi bilities and accountabilities to what they do,” Greene said. Greene said he will implement “creative” new measures to deal with students who have broken the code of conduct. “I will try to come up with community service which reflects what their personalities are, so they can learn something and realize how fortunate they are to be here.” If a student wrote bad checks to pay university bills, for example, Greene said he would arrange for the offending student to work com munity service hours with Career Services so the student could gain experience with finances. Greene is able to work with stu dents who have violated the code of conduct because of a restructuring in the Judicial Affairs office. James Griesen, vice chancellor of student affairs, and a task force eliminated separate judicial boards for greeks and residence halls, and created a new position, which Greene filled. ASUN President Curt Ruwe said UNL was fortunate to have Greene as part of the administration. “He is an outstanding man for the position. He’s a great role model and a Nebraska alum,” Ruwe said. In other ASUN business: ■ Ruwe said several greek houses would be contacted regard ing violations of the new rules for student seating at football games. Students were seen standing on the seats by ASUN senator Clint Richards, who brought the issue to the senate’s attention. ■ ASUN’s next meeting will be 6:30 Wednesday on the green space behind the Nebraska Union. Student group leaders will meet afterward to focus on recruitment for student organizations and stu dent retention. ■ Bylaw A was passed, which requires senators to attend two stu dent organization meetings each month in a continuing effort to reach more students. I Check out vvwwainl.edti/DailvNeh/ __*_ V