The original version of this article contained multiple errors and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for more information.
Undergraduate student government councilmember stipends will increase from $237 to $265 per month during the summer and from $672 to $756 per month during the school year to match the new California minimum wage.
Last summer, Undergraduate Students Association Council members raised their stipends from $355 to $672 per month, basing the new amount on a 20-hour work week at California’s minimum wage. The decision also proportionally raised stipend caps for other members of USAC and student group leaders not on council, such as some students in appointed USAC positions.
The California minimum wage rose from $8 to $9 per hour on July 1. It is also set to increase again in January 2016 to $10 per hour.
In January 2016, councilmember stipends will increase to $840 per month.
USAC plans to vote on this year’s budget at its meeting Tuesday night because the council’s overhead budget has to be set before the 2013-2014 fiscal year ends on July 31, said USAC Internal Vice President Avinoam Baral.
Stipends are funded from mandatory student fees, which the student body approved in past years to fund USAC.
Correction: USAC bylaws currently stipulate that stipends must be tied to the minimum wage. USAC needs to set its overhead budget before the 2013-2014 fiscal year ends on July 31.
Compiled by Samantha Tomilowitz, Bruin senior staff.