Theresa Dunne
Features Editor
If you’ve been on Facebook or Instagram recently, you may have noticed photos of Wooster students holding up signs that read, “I support a living wage because…” circulating throughout your newsfeed. The students featured in these photos have signed The Living Wage Campaign for The College of Wooster’s petition, which supports the notion that all staff members at the College deserve just compensation that covers the basic cost of living. Since its creation in December of 2015, the petition has received 885 signatures and continues to be signed by members of the College community.
In previous efforts to support a living wage at The College of Wooster, the Campaign has organized panel discussions on the topic and held a letter-writing initiative where students expressed their concerns over wage-related issues at the College by writing letters to the Board of Trustees. Likewise, the Campaign also hosts staff appreciation events to thank staff members for all that they do on campus.
While these efforts have sparked a campus-wide discussion addressing living wage, the petition, in particular, has grabbed students’ attention largely due to its active presence on social media. According to Gillian Spangler ’16, the Campaign’s social media outreach coordinator, the petition’s circulation on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram has brought the issue to light among students.
“There is a lot more excitement surrounding [the Campaign] since we’ve started the petition. We also see many more student voices adding to the movement … It’s really cool to see what other students support about raising the minimum wage at the College, especially when they aren’t necessarily a part of direct campaign efforts but still support what we are doing,” said Spangler.
In addition to the petition, the Living Wage Campaign looks forward to hosting an educational event later in the semester to inform the College community about their views on what a living wage is in today’s world. With this event, the Campaign hopes to further engage students in a dialogue addressing the importance of a living wage for staff members at the College of Wooster.
Furthermore, the Campaign is planning their annual staff appreciation reception where students prepare food for staff members as a token of gratitude for the work they do around campus. The reception also encourages interaction between faculty, staff and students.
Spangler said of the event, “The staff here at the College works incredibly hard just so that we can have empty trash cans, warm food, salted sidewalks, working showers and a sense of safety. Those are pretty essential things we are taking for granted daily and I think the staff who provide these things are taken for granted too.”
In its endeavors, the Living Wage Campaign ultimately hopes to create a culture of respect towards staff members at The College of Wooster, whether through advocating for a wage which covers the basic costs of living or fostering positive relationships between students and staff. As stated in the petition, the Campaign believes that achieving these goals are necessary for The College of Wooster to truly embody its mission as a liberal arts institution.
For more information on the Living Wage Campaign at The College of Wooster and its petition, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/cowlivingwagecampaign/timeline.