The United Student Government (USG) voted last month to add a vote to the ballot during its April general election asking students whether members of the executive board deserve a pay raise.

But what most students probably don’t realize is that the money used to pay the salaries of those student leaders is taken from the pool of money allotted to student groups throughout each semester. That means up to $1,875 in possible student-group funding could go into the pockets of next year’s officers if the raise is approved by voters.

Carl Zappa, USG president, confirmed that the funds used to pay USG stipends come from the student activity fee collected from students. The current per semester rate is $500 for president, $250 for vice president and $125 each for the secretary, treasurer and parliamentarian. The proposed rise in pay would bring the rates to $375 for vice president and $250 each for the secretary, treasurer and parliamentarian.

“The officer stipends come directly out of our semesterly budget…. Our budget is comprised from the $75 student activity fee that the full-time undergraduate students pay,” Zappa wrote in an e-mailed response. “The USG budget accounts for 11 percent of the total amount, in other words each student pays $8.25 per semester to USG.”

The spring 2009 USG budget was $17,151.00, Zappa said. That means 6.5 percent of this semester’s budget, or $1,125, went toward USG officer salaries. Assuming the fall 2009 budget stays the same and officers get the pay raise they are asking for, 9.5 percent of the budget, or $1,625, will be paid out to student leaders and taken away from the money allotted for funding of student groups on campus. If, as in the past, USG elects to use two secretaries-recording secretary and a corresponding secretary as allowed by the constitution, the amount would increase to 10.9 percent, or $1,875.

I’m not saying these student leaders don’t deserve to be paid for their service, but I do think the way they are paid is all wrong and has been from the beginning.