NIU will raise the hourly minimum wage five cents to $3.80 for students when the federal minimum wage increases in April, 1990.

“Traditionally, NIU has always followed the minimum wage laws,” even though the government does not require it from state agencies, said Jerry Augsburger, NIU Student Financial Aid Office director.

When the minimum wage was increased to $3.35 in 1980, NIU raised the minimum wage because “it is approprate to follow the minimum wage law in effect,” Augsburger said.

The increase in taxes gave more money to higher education and NIU was able to increase minimum wage, he said.

An expected federal minimum wage increase to $4.25 in April, 1991, could require NIU to pay student employees more than $450,000 in additional funds to bump up the wages.

There are about 4,000 to 5,000 NIU students employed on-campus, Augsburger said.

NIU employers, such as University Food Service, need a certain number of employees, so the minimum wage increase should not cause a decrease in the number of students employed, Ralph Chaplin, food service director, said.

Food service employs about 700 students, Chaplin said.

The NIU Job Classification and Wage Rate Committee has representatives from places on campus that employ the most student workers, Augsburger said.

Since 1980, the committee has tried to get on-campus hourly minimum wage increased, but was unable to do so until fall of 1989 when it was increased to $3.75, he said.