Spring Break
Officers demand higher wages
Shawn McGann
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: News
Student security officers at De Anza College believe that they have been unjustly passed over for a raise this year and are now pressing the district for an increase in their wages.
In a letter that was signed by all the student officers and sent out to members of the De Anza faculty and staff, the officers allege that while all other student employees at De Anza and Foothill Colleges received an increase in pay for 2008, they were unfairly left out.
"We are formally requesting that our hourly wages be increased (by) $2.00 in conjunction with the raises received by (the) Foothill College Police Student Aides, and the district- wide increase policy," the officers' letter reads.
On Feb. 28, the officers met with District Director of Safety and Security Ron Levine to outline their position and discuss possible solutions. Levine has not yet come forth with a decision regarding the issue.
Due to the sensitivity of the situation and related circumstances that make it difficult for security officers to discuss departmental matters, none of the student officers has chosen to speak publicly about the wage conflict.
There is, however, a sense of confusion and disappointment among the officers in those responsible for the decisions regarding their salaries, as evidenced by their correspondence with school officials.
"After asking many student workers from several different departments around De Anza College and [the Foothill-De Anza District Police]," the letter reads. "We discovered that Foothill and De Anza student workers did receive the raise on Jan. 1, 2008 … leaving us puzzled as to why we were left out."
The letter alleges that the pay discrepancy is just one of the problems facing student officers, the others being ineffective equipment and unsanitary working conditions. The letter also contends that the lack of funds explanation offered by school officials is unacceptable.
Many of the student security officers at De Anza see the pay discrepancy as an effective demotion and argue that they should have received a pay increase along with other district employees.
In a letter that was signed by all the student officers and sent out to members of the De Anza faculty and staff, the officers allege that while all other student employees at De Anza and Foothill Colleges received an increase in pay for 2008, they were unfairly left out.
"We are formally requesting that our hourly wages be increased (by) $2.00 in conjunction with the raises received by (the) Foothill College Police Student Aides, and the district- wide increase policy," the officers' letter reads.
On Feb. 28, the officers met with District Director of Safety and Security Ron Levine to outline their position and discuss possible solutions. Levine has not yet come forth with a decision regarding the issue.
Due to the sensitivity of the situation and related circumstances that make it difficult for security officers to discuss departmental matters, none of the student officers has chosen to speak publicly about the wage conflict.
There is, however, a sense of confusion and disappointment among the officers in those responsible for the decisions regarding their salaries, as evidenced by their correspondence with school officials.
"After asking many student workers from several different departments around De Anza College and [the Foothill-De Anza District Police]," the letter reads. "We discovered that Foothill and De Anza student workers did receive the raise on Jan. 1, 2008 … leaving us puzzled as to why we were left out."
The letter alleges that the pay discrepancy is just one of the problems facing student officers, the others being ineffective equipment and unsanitary working conditions. The letter also contends that the lack of funds explanation offered by school officials is unacceptable.
Many of the student security officers at De Anza see the pay discrepancy as an effective demotion and argue that they should have received a pay increase along with other district employees.
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