UW raises minimum wage to $11 per hour for student workers

SEATTLE -- The University of Washington announced Friday it is increasing the minimum pay for its student workers to $11 an hour, affecting about 2,600 people.

Some students had complained that the state university didn't fall under the new $15 minimum wage law in Seattle. Under the first phase of the city's new law, wages for employees of big businesses were raised to $11 an hour on April 1.

The university said student jobs at the UW are funded from a number of different sources, including hundreds funded by student fees. The Services and Activities Fee Committee (SAF) allocates student fees to a variety of programs.

“Increasing student wages to $11 will definitely have an impact on programs funded by SAF; the aggregate cost being around $400,000,” said committee chairman Mac Zellem, an economics major. “The Committee felt raising the campus minimum wage was the right thing to do. We want to ensure that student jobs remain competitive and that student workers are treated the same as their peers across campus and Seattle.

"Funding the increase and costs associated with this will either have to come from an increase in the Services and Activities fee, further administrative support for some programs, or a reduction of programs.”

UW Interim President Ana Mari Cauce said, “I am pleased that we can now increase the minimum wage of all of our student workers — regardless of their source of funding. In doing so, we are acknowledging the spirit of Seattle’s effort and our commitment to treat every employee fairly."