Staff of The Equinox at Keene State College: Student assembly slashes stipends

Recently, the Keene State Student Assembly voted to limit annual stipends for student organizations to no more than $4,000 total divided across all executive board members. The student organizations that currently receive stipends are WKNH, The Equinox, KSC Film Society and the Social Activities Council (SAC). The stipends are for executive board members of these organizations so they can be compensated for the service they provide to the school. These stipends are already relatively small, separated into classes A, B, C and D. The Equinox believes these recent cuts are unfair to the students working incredibly hard to provide activities, radio, film and news to the student body.

Student organizations make up a vital part of the KSC community, especially the organizations that provide services to the student body. These organizations are run by students, providing real world experiences they otherwise may not get until after college. We should be lifting up these student organizations instead of taking away the little money already allocated for their executive boards.

Many students are involved in other extracurriculars, giving them less time to work. It is no secret that college is expensive, and some students are forced to work in order to afford tuition. WKNH, The Equinox, Film Society and SAC give students work opportunities and involvement with the community. The stipends make a large difference for those paying for college independently. While money is not a motivator for some, there are still individuals who will struggle to pay rent or other expenses without a stipend for their hard work. It is difficult to stay motivated to put in so much work without the extra income to supplement it. If any college student were asked if they were willing to work 20 to 30 hours a week without pay, they would likely laugh and say no. It is impossible for students to support themselves without jobs, especially as they pay for higher education.

It is demeaning to lower these stipends. By doing so, student assembly is treating students’ work as if it is unimportant. In reality, without student organizations, there would be significantly fewer students engaged and involved with the community.

Some students come to KSC because of the opportunities offered by student organizations which allow them to gain experience and knowledge for their future careers. Keene State is the only public higher education institution in the state with a standalone journalism program. The college should be proud of the work our students do and compensate them fairly.

It should also be noted that student assembly did not inform any of the aforementioned organizations that it was voting to lower stipends. It blindsided the four executive boards, who are now struggling to come up with a solution. For some of these executive boards, it would be impossible to allocate just $4,000 for five to 15 people, all of whom provide valuable work to contribute to Keene State College. Budgets for student organizations come from student fees, not the state or the college, but directly from the students’ own pockets.

By cutting down pay, student assembly is cutting down interest and involvement. These are not simply clubs; they are jobs providing a huge step in a lot of our careers and the rest of our lives. We struggle to see the point of having a liberal arts focus, a solid foundation of curriculum or the resources and venues we have if there is no future support for the strong free student press, radio, films and activities that have been built up over the course of a century. The impressive work being done by these four student organizations is something to be proud of. It is necessary we support and encourage student organizations that offer so much to the community. If you cannot pay your people, the thread holding this community together begins to unravel. We feel strongly that letting this happen would be no good to anyone.

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This editorial from the staff of The Equinox at Keene State College is being shared through the Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.