The Mac Weekly

Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Aaron Brown Matt Ecklund '09 stands in front of a bulletin board in George Draper Dayton Hall, where he is a Residential Assistant. Ecklund and Megan Ritchie '09 have compiled research on how neighboring colleges pay their RAs. Photo by Aaron Brown.

Residential Assistants Matt Ecklund '09 and Megan Ritchie '09 attended a conference in late 2006 that focused on Residential Life programs of Minnesota colleges and universities. At the conference they discovered that they were among the lowest paid RAs in the Twin Cities region.

Ecklund and Ritchie decided to take action and compiled research on how neighboring Minnesota colleges pay their RAs. Ecklund and Ritchie's data, which reflects the 2005-2006 year, found that RAs at Carleton, St. Olaf and Augsburg receive higher monetary compensation than RAs at Macalester.

Macalester's compensation of RAs includes only a room subsidy, totaling $4,334. Returning RAs receive the room subsidy with an additional $500 stipend.
When they start their jobs, Macalester RAs are given the choice to pay the cost of their rooms outright, which is reimbursed at the end of the academic year-or to receive a balance of debt from the school. A bi-weekly check pays off the debt throughout the year.

These bi-weekly checks have taxes deducted from them. In other words, RAs have their room taxed, something Keith Edwards, director of campus life, noted as unusual.

Not all schools reimburse in the same way. At Carleton, dorm rooms cost $700 more than at Macalester, but RAs receive an additional $3,000 stipend. The college does not cover board costs, which total $4,545, according to Carleton's website.

At St. Thomas, where room and board fees are cheaper than at Macalester, RAs receive room, board, and a $450 stipend. The package amounts to around $6,000 in total RA compensation.

Ecklund and Ritchie took their research to Associate Director of Residential Life Peg Olson last winter to discuss the evident shortcomings of RA compensation at Macalester.

Ecklund said of last year's meeting with Olson, "She was very friendly, but she didn't really do anything."

Continued...

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