According to the 2015-2016 Segregated Fees Report, the UW Oshkosh Student Association received $268,086 in funding for the school year, a 5.8 percent increase from last year’s OSA budget proposal.
OSA President Jordan Schettle said the biggest chunk of funding goes towards Titan Transit, Student Legal Services, Titan Readership Program and salaries. According to the OSA Budget Proposal 2015-2016, $20,883 goes towards Student Legal Services, $98,375 goes toward Titan Transit, $50,625 goes toward the Titan Readership Program and $75,962 goes toward OSA salaries and benefits.
Schettle said the funding the OSA receives is a very finalized process in which it works closely with administration, the segregated fees committee and various companies to make sure the funding is specifically for what it needs.
“It’s not as if we are just giving a blank check to a bunch of students,” Schettle said. “It’s all pretty much this is how much we need, here you go, let’s get this completed.”
According to Schettle, he receives $9,360 a year as president of OSA, while Vice President Graham Sparks receives $8,580 in salaries.
“We receive $500 in July and $500 in August, and then the remaining amount is broken up in bi-weekly payments,” Schettle said.
Schettle said the OSA salary is approved by a majority of the students on the committee, as well as the administration, university staff and academic staff.
“They all agree to it before we create the salary,” Schettle said. “These salaries haven’t been touched in about a decade now. It’s more of a continuous process, and we haven’t been increasing them or anything like that.”
Schettle said he puts in at least 45 hours a week, and even though his salary seems like a lot, he is actually making less than minimum wage.
“I’m perfectly fine with the way the salary is,” Schettle said. “I’m not looking for an increase, but I think with the amount of time I put into it, it’s a fair compensation.”
Schettle said he believes his salary will need to increase in the next few years due to inflation.
“I think a one percent increase, which is comparable to the rest of the campuses salaries in regards to administration and faculty, I think that would be a fair increase over the next few years,” Schettle said.
Titan Central worker Austin Karraker said although the amount of money the OSA president and vice president makes seems like a lot, it must take a lot to run an entire student body.
Karraker said he thinks Schettle and Sparks are doing a great job so far running a student body and deserve the compensation they receive.
“I think that if they keep the current rate of success up, then they should receive that amount of money,” Karraker said.
UWO junior Kaitlyn Kasuboski said she wasn’t aware that certain members of OSA were paid a salary.
“Honestly, I didn’t know that they made money from holding those positions or that the salaries came from segregated fees,” Kasuboski said. “The amount they make a year seems extremely high, but at the same time it must take a lot of work to do what they do. I know I couldn’t do it.”
UWO junior Marissa Wettengel said she thinks the OSA salaries for the president and vice president are too high.
“Wow, I had no idea they made that much money,” Wettengel said. “I understand that they are full-time students in addition to their OSA duties, but the amount of money they earn seems extreme.”
Wettengel said she has a hard time accepting their income because she doesn’t believe they do enough to justify their earnings.
“They are the voice of the student body, but I hardly see or hear what they are actually doing for our campus,” Wettengel said. “I think if they are going to make the salary they do, then they should be more active and commutative about what they are doing to improve the student body.”
Wettengel said she thinks a portion of the money they receive could be better spent in various areas throughout campus.
“The president and vice president should get compensated for their positions, but their salary should be lessened, and a large chunk of that money should go towards funding for other clubs, organizations, services or campus improvements,” Wettengel said.
Schettle said the money OSA receives from segregated fees is used on services that students actually vote for when the time presents itself.
“It’s the students themselves actually agreeing to it through both the OSA Senate as well as through the Segregated Fees Committee, so there is multiple steps in which students, not just OSA members, but students at large within the community agreeing to the budget we are using,” Schettle said.
Schettle went on to say the feedback they’ve gotten from their services has always been positive, and if there is ever an issue, they make changes as soon as possible.
“When it comes down to actually needing to utilize one of the services we provide, we’ve never had true negative feedback from it yet,” Schettle said.
Kasuboski said she believes OSA funds are being used to benefit the student body as a whole.
“I know many students who [use] Titan Transit and say it’s a great service. I believe OSA does its best to use the funds it receives to benefit students the best it can,” Kasuboski said.
