Without campus workers Murray State would be a shell of an institution. Therefore, workers’ needs should be taken into account and their voices should be heard. Yet at Murray State, workers’ needs are not being met. With worker retention at jeopardy, the future of Murray State as a credible institution is not certain.
The Murray State Chapter of the United Campus Workers of Kentucky has been working toward improving campus working conditions. Their demands include: raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and increasing salaries according to the cost of living adjustment (COLA), affordable healthcare, support for parents and caregivers, allowing professors to use virtual teaching formats, and respect and safety for all campus workers.
Although these changes and demands should be given more thought, administration does not give priority to our campus workers. The administration does much on campus to bring in prospective students, while current students and faculty receive little consideration.
At The News, we believe Murray State could allocate more money to supporting its campus workers. New campus updates could be a nice advantage, but administration tosses faculty to the side because they are more focused on maintaining recruitment rather than retention.
There is no purpose in having pretty buildings that will just end up empty at the cost of our faculty and staff. Unfortunately with continued dismissal of our staff’s needs, empty buildings are exactly the direction we are headed.
As a result of the lack of care being felt, staff retention is falling rapidly. Nearly 43% of staff workers have considered leaving the University for reasons other than retirement, according to the Murray State 2021-2022 Staff Perspective Survey.
With nearly half of the staff considering leaving the University, consider how students and staff alike will suffer. Less options for workers will certainly take a toll on our campus community and leave us empty-handed.
Many of the problems faculty face have to do with a simple lack of support and resources. COLA would account for faculty and staff wages and consider the rising cost of living to make sure they are being paid adequately and can afford housing. Although COLA has been under discussion for a while, our faculty has not been able to see the discussions reflected.
COLA is meant to reflect the increase of the world’s inflation, but with that wage adjustment, workers are expected to work for less money. Unfortunately, wages are remaining stagnant and even decreasing in some cases. COLA would be crucial in making sure our faculty are receiving wages to be able to pay bills without falling below the poverty line.
An increase in workers’ wages has been put on the backburner. Many faculty and staff members have been handed empty promises. Especially with issues such as COLA, faculty members will search for better opportunities and higher wages if their needs are not being met in their current workplace.
If the administration maintains ignorance by not listening to workers, the faculty members will feel unheard and disrespected.
We at The News share the idea that open communication is crucial to letting our faculty know the University supports them. Despite open concerns, the administration seems to ignore conversations when it comes to positive changes on our campus.
As long as workers raise concerns, there should be a foundation of respect which includes letting our workers know their voices and opinions are being heard.
Unfortunately, members of faculty and staff are part of a vulnerable population when it comes to sharing their opinions. As students, it is our job to represent our campus community, including our educators and staff. Unlike faculty and staff, we won’t risk having our jobs dangled over our heads, since we are the reason why Murray State is here.
One way to be involved is to bring the issue to our Student Government Association. We are lucky enough as a student body to have other students who are just as passionate about our issues. If we work toward resolutions within SGA, the administration may listen and make changes for our faculty.
By sharing our opinions and advocating for campus workers, we are creating a united campus community. We would not exist as a campus without campus workers, therefore they are a body that we should not take for granted.