Members of the new LEO program, which launched on campus this fall and combined the previous roles of orientation leaders and PARDners, were supposed to receive a $535 payment on Oct. 14, but due to unspecified administrative delays, they have not yet been paid as of Thursday.
Given the time commitment required to be a LEO, it is a paid position. They are supposed to receive a $1,115 stipend total, according to the Lafayette College website. However, some say that communication on the issue of payment has been lacking.
“[Communication] has been extremely murky,” a LEO wrote in an email. He wished to remain anonymous because he wants to apply for the role again next year and fears repercussions for speaking out critically. “It just seems that we are not being treated as real employees. I am astonished that as employees of this school, our payments are not a priority. If this was any other adults, I’m sure there would be a problem.”
“Just because we are student employees, doesn’t mean we deserve to be put on the back burner,” he wrote.
While most LEOs were paid $108 earlier in the year, one LEO stated that she has yet to receive any form of payment at all, and despite reaching out, received the same vague response — that there were administrative delays, and that she would be getting paid in the next week or so.
Kelly Deemer, the Student Involvement office coordinator, referred The Lafayette to Vanessa Pearson, the director of student involvement, who declined to comment for this article.
According to a LEO who wished to stay anonymous for the same reason as the first, payments should be processed by the end of this week and Student Involvement is working to ensure that administrative delays will not occur in the future.
Many LEOs are depending on this salary to pay for their expenses on campus.
“People were planning on using that money to work their lighting and their Wi-Fi and their phone bill, things like that,” a third LEO said. She wished to stay anonymous for the same reason as the other LEOs. “I was planning on using the money for my sorority dues, but I haven’t gotten it yet, so I’ve just been using money from my summer job. That will run out soon.”
The LEOs were among the first faces to greet new students in the fall, and have been a key part of the freshman experience, mentoring first-years as they adjust to life at Lafayette. On top of running new student orientation groups at the beginning of the year, they also meet with their students throughout the year. In the past week, LEOs met individually with each of their students to assist them with navigating course registration. Many LEO groups have over 15 first-years.
“If they need help with anything, we’re supposed to be there to help them. We’re supposed to meet with them whenever if they text and ask us to meet. They’re always texting in the group chat for different things, too,” the third anonymous LEO said.
Nieve Kelly ‘24, who was an orientation leader last year and a LEO this year, expressed hope for the future of the nascent LEO program.
“There’s a lot of things that need to be worked out that just are kind of disorganized,” she said. “So, I’m trying to be mindful that this is a huge shift in the program. I’m hoping that after they figure all this out, then it can run smoothly again.”
Disclaimer: Managing Editor Trebor Maitin ’24 and Sports Editor Caroline McParland ’23 are both employees of the LEO program. Neither contributed writing or reporting to this article.
