For student government executives, pay can look very different depending on the campus.
The Journal contacted the student unions of the 10 largest Ontario universities by student population, inquiring about the salaries of their respective executives. Despite questioning from The Journal, data wasn’t provided from the Toronto Metropolitan Student Union, the Carleton University Student Association, or the University of Toronto’s Student Association in time for publication.
1. Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA)
Topping the list is the University of Waterloo’s student executive salaries, raking in $5,045 a month, totaling $60,540 for the year.
“For our upcoming governance year, WUSA is adding another Vice President position. Their compensation is expected to align with the existing President and Vice President positions, with an adjustment for inflation. WUSA’s executive compensation has not changed significantly over the last 10 years, aside from annual CPI-based adjustments to account for inflation,” WUSA wrote in an e-mail to The Journal.
2. McMaster Students Union (MSU)
Trailing in second is McMaster University’s student union, with representatives making $53,701 a year. The President also receives an apartment from McMasters Housing & Conferences Services, with the MSU paying half of the cost.
A representative for the MSU clarified that “Board member wages are adjusted annually in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), effective Jan. 1 of each year. In addition, executive compensation is reviewed every three (3) years by the Full-Time Wage Review Committee to ensure wages remain fair and competitive.”
They added any wage increase not tied to CPI adjustments requires approval of two-thirds of the MSU’s Student Representative Assembly.
3. Western University Students’ Council (USC)
Rounding out the top three is Western’s USC, with its executives bringing in roughly $51,000 annually. A USC representative claimed they apply the same economic increase to their executive salaries as they do to non-unionized staff.
4. Queen’s Alma Mater Society (AMS)
Queen’s own AMS falls just outside the top three, with executives making $49,331 annually. This combines their base salary of $44,846 with a 10 per cent MERC Benefits Rate.
“MERC benefits stands for Mandatory Employment Related Costs, and are paid out to employees and includes things like CPP, EI, Vacation Pay, WSIB, and Employee Health Tax,” the AMS wrote in a statement.
The AMS added that these salaries don’t get paid overtime, despite regularly working over 40 hours a week.
5. University of Ottawa Student Union (UOSU)
UOSU executives fall just behind the AMS, making $46,020 annually. A representative for the union said, “Any additional hours worked beyond the expected 37.5 hours per week are converted into lieu hours, which can be used for time off.”
“Executive remuneration is based on the average salary in Ottawa and includes a cost-of-living adjustment, as outlined in the UOSU Constitution,” the representative said.
6. York Federation of Students (YFS)
Executives for the YFS are set to make $43,704.09 this year. This number stems from their constitutional requirement of $25,000 a year and an increase with the CPI, which has increased the salary to its current rate.
7. Central Student Association (CSA)
Guelph’s CSA takes the place at the bottom of the list, with annual salaries of $42,060.
However, CSA’s representative added they receive various benefits including three per cent of their salary paid annually as a lump sum into an education or retirements saving plan, $1,500 of personal benefit which is typically used to offset the cost of their phone and internet, three weeks of paid leave at the end of the Fall semester, a paid health and dental plan, a paid parking or bus pass, 10 days paid vacation, and 10 paid personal emergency days
Tags
AMS Exectutive, Executive salaries, Ontario student unions
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