Undergraduate Student Government Downtown Sen. Ryan Boyd has filed a formal complaint to the university saying he does not want to sign on to the payroll as an official university employee and receive pay, a requirement for all members of student government.
Boyd said he sent the complaint on Nov. 13 after his attempt to reject compensation in August failed, even though USGD bylaw 11.5 says senators are allowed to reject pay.
“(ASU is) trying to cover their own side because officially if I’m working and I’m not getting paid, (there are) labor laws,” Boyd said. “But what I’m arguing is that I’m not necessarily working for the university because all my work goes through the students instead.”
Boyd said he was still in the “inquiry” stage, just asking questions to see what can be done.
He said he wasn’t sure if refusing pay would prompt the university to remove him from student government, but he said he would have supporters by his side to start a letter-writing campaign to ASU President Michael Crow if necessary.
RELATED STORY: USGD discusses spring elections and bylaws
In an email, Ronald Briggs, the assistant dean of students for ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus, said he believed Boyd was doing a good job of representing the students of ASU.
“In no way do we want Mr. Boyd removed from his position,” Briggs wrote.
So long as student-government bylaws do not contradict university policy, Briggs said that ASU would abide by them.
“Therefore, we are gathering the appropriate documentation for him to waive his compensation for the student-government stipend position,” he said.
Boyd’s biggest issue with the compensation was morality and fairness, he said.
“The main thing right now (is) I do not want to be violating my own ethics,” Boyd said. “Employees at the university as student representatives just doesn’t click in my head.”
Boyd said he is only working to waive his own compensation, though he would prefer no one get paid.
“I’m an idealist, so I would love to have a day (come) where we could get away with not having anyone get paid,” he said.
“I would like to have almost nothing to do with the university besides working with them on projects because I do not want to see student government ever be indebted to the university,” Boyd said.
However, Boyd acknowledged the importance of the stipend for other members with financial need.
“Realistically, the fact is some people need the money, and I will not say they don’t deserve it because they do a lot,” he said.
Boyd also said removing pay might hinder representation because members with financial needs may be less likely to run for office.
“We need to be able to support it (student government) so that anybody can represent the students,” Boyd said. “Because you don’t want to have it where just students who don’t have financial need are doing it.”
Frank Smith III, current president of USGD, said he thinks Boyd’s actions are admirable.
“Senator Boyd is doing what he believes is best for students, and I respect that,” Smith said. “Ryan’s decisions just happen to be declining compensation for his service.”
Contact the reporter at taylor.seely@asu.edu
