Ball State University students who are employed with on-campus jobs may work fewer hours this fall due to the increase in wages, a school official said.
On July 24, Indiana's minimum wage increased from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour. This increase in minimum wage is the last installment from a bill passed by former president George W. Bush in 2007. The first installment increased the minimum wage to $5.85 in 2007. Since then, wages have increased by $0.70 each year.
On-campus employment is popular among some Ball State students because they aren't allowed to work more than 20 hours per week, which allows them enough time for school and studying.
Larry Beck, assistant director of the Career Center, said most years the number of student employees is about 5,000. Last school year, about 3,900 students were employed by Ball State.
"There may be fewer jobs and fewer students hired, or more jobs kept at the minimum wage," Beck said about how the minimum wage increase would affect Ball State this year. "So far, it's too early to tell. The jobs constantly change."
John Knox, student employment coordinator at Ball State, said the same number of students will be hired, but they will be scheduled to work fewer hours.
"A reason for the fewer hours is because the budget has not increased, so the departments may have to reprioritize spending," he said.
Knox also said that the competition for the student jobs is higher than in the past because there are more students and fewer jobs.
Dining services, which employs the most student-workers on campus, is also experiencing a change. John Lewis, director of dining services, said that because of the minimum wage increase, the prices of food will also be increasing this fall.
"There will be no hours cut, but customers will still have to pay us to dine," Lewis said. "We will have to increase prices to compensate."
Other leading on-campus employers include Bracken Library and Recreation Services. Beck said having a job during college is a good way for students to learn career skills, gain responsibility and earn spending money.
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