The investigative desk returned to the Daily Wildcat after a semester hiatus. The investigative team worked hard this semester to bring you, the students, relevant and in-depth pieces. They wrote about important campus issues like Adderall, street-racing and HIV medication. Here’s a rundown of a few of the most important articles from the investigative desk’s semester back.
Religious organization previously claimed to be cult remains on campus
The Faith Christian Church, an organization alleged to be a cult by former members in a 2015 Arizona Daily Star article, underwent an investigation, removal from the University Religious Council and monitoring from the Dean of Students.
TJ Hoshiwara, a pre-computer science sophomore, shared his recent experience last year when members tried to get him to join the church. He said they approached him with a survey, invited him to their meetings and “were genuine,” he said, in their passion to share the gospel.
FCC’s main tactic to reach out to students was utilizing campus ministers who stop students walking on campus by asking them questions and enticing them into conversation. The Dean of Students has received compaints and are in charge of monitoring the organization’s presence on campus.
After the Dean of Students kept an eye on them for a year, “there were no signs of misbehavior and FCC leaders were not present,” Dean of Students Kendal Washington White said. FCC is allowed to be on campus due to free speech policies.
To read the full article, go: Previously identified religious cult remains on campus
Check please: What happens to unclaimed student paychecks
Locating your student paychecks may be harder than you thought if you didn’t set up direct deposit. According to Michelle Meyer, senior payroll manager at the UA Financial Services Office, there are 6,499 active UA student employees, the total of which fluctuates throughout the year.
$1.53 billion worth of reported unclaimed property, which includes student paychecks, lies in the Arizona Department of Revenue’s Unclaimed Property program, according to the AZ-UCP government website.
Paychecks, if they are not directly deposited in your bank account, need to be picked up from the department you work for, but there is a limited amount of time to do so.
Meyer said if they are not picked up after 30 days, FSO tries to contact students so they can claim their money. 180 days after the issue date, however the paycheck becomes stale-dated, meaning it is no longer able to be deposited.
To read the full article go to: Check please: What happens to unclaimed student paychecks
Gender pay discrepancies among deans and faculty at the University of Arizona
Fair compensation was put into the spotlight last year after two multi-million dollar class-action lawsuits were filed against the University of Arizona. It is unclear if the university has directly responded to the lawsuits by improving equal pay, and university officials cannot comment on the lawsuits the university is currently engaged in.
Not all colleges or positions are equal, which makes examining if there is a gender-based pay gap difficult. According to the 2019 salary report, there are 17 male deans and 3 female deans, excluding interim deans. In 2019 the average salary for the female deans was $261,570.58, and the average salary among male deans was $312,554.33 per fiscal year. On average, male deans made $50,983.75 more a year than female deans, excluding interim deans.
The law firm Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP, which represents Patricia MacCorquodale and Katrina Miranda in the class-action lawsuits against the Arizona Board of Regents said there is a pattern or trend of unfavorable pay outcomes for women at the UA.
The University Career Architecture Project, UA’s initiative to redesign compensation infrastructure and career architecture, is led by project director Jan Myers. Myers said UCAP would influence how compensation is set, and architecture is defined by eliminating “illegitimate factors” like gender.
She said salary structure or pay ranges will be determined by market data and surveys to make sure fair compensation is provided. The university would be able to conduct a pay equity study once to project is complete.
To read the full article go to: Gender pay discrepancies among deans and faculty at the University of Arizona
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