Yes, I work at a school with a classification system. Jobs are classified A, B, C, D, with "A" being the highest paid jobs requiring the most training. My tutors are classified as "B." (Pay range 5.55-6.55) I'm working on getting my tutor-mentors (experienced tutors with lots of training who can serve as resources for other tutors) classified as A-grade. Within each pay grade are four levels. The grades overlap a certain amount, so that a person with 5 semesters experience in a C-grade position might earn a little more than a new hire in an A-grade position. Nice system--it provides the opportunity of advancement within a position, and stabilizes inter-department competition. Don't get me wrong, we still compete for student-workers, but it isn't a matter of money alone; it has more to do with perceived job-prestige, working conditions, things like that, which stands tutoring in good stead. (And I don't have competition from McDonald's in a village of 4,000.) I agree: educational professionals are undervalued and underpaid as a whole. And I will continue to maintain that we're competing with B2's. The same people who lobby for military spending lobby against teacher unions and federal spending on education. (BTW, the pentagon did not want B2's, but congress shoved them down their throats. The unfortunate fallout of unprecedented peacetime military buildup during the Reagan years is that we have a huge mulinational armament industry that needs buyers, which means, in turn, that congresspeople lobby for military spending so that jobs (at armament manufacturers in their districts) don't go overseas. Unlimited pie? No. Bombs vs. Books.) Steve Runge St. Lawrence U. Canton (pop. 4,000) NY [log in to unmask] Jan Norton wrote: > While we're somewhat on the subject.... > > We are finding that we are losing tutors to other departments on campus > who can pay more than we can. Is this kind of department vs. department > competition typical? It does not sound like a wise budget policy, when > departments have to bid higher and higher to round up the kind of student > labor they need. Does anyone work at a school where there is some > sort of classification system for student employees or some agreement in > all departments about what student workers can be paid? Of course, I am > imagining that tutoring is valued more highly than some other kinds of > student work! > _______________________________________________________________________ > > Jan Norton, Director > Center for Academic Support Phone: (816) 271-4536 > Missouri Western State College Email: [log in to unmask] > 4525 Downs Drive Fax: (816) 271-4574 > St. Joseph, MO 64507 Website: www.mwsc.edu/~cas