THE Daily
Thursday, April 16, 2026
MISSISSIPPIAN theDMonline.com
Volume 114, No. 24
Are student workers paid enough? coping with the growing gap between wages and the cost of living HAILEY AUSTIN News Contributor
Student workers at the University of Mississippi are struggling to pay their bills working the maximum number of hours allotted per week, even with hourly wages higher than the state minimum wage. Luisa Sánchez, a junior civil engineering major from Bogotà, Colombia, juggles three on-campus jobs: She is a teaching assistant for an engineering course, a math tutor and a lab research assistant. “Even when maximizing my hours, my monthly salary will be almost entirely spent on rent,” Sánchez said. “This is concerning to me because everything in Oxford is just getting more expensive, but I will be getting the same amount of money as if the prices did not change.” The university sets a maximum of 25 hours per week for domestic students, but for international students like Sánchez,
they are limited to 20 hours by their visa requirements. From there, individual departments, at their own discretion, decide what student wages will be. Whereas Sánchez once worked only 10 hours a week to focus on school, she picked up additional jobs to afford living in Oxford. Although she is among the highest-paid student workers at the university, earning $15 per hour at each job, roughly 90% of her monthly income still goes to rent alone. Sánchez is one of many student workers struggling to afford living in an increasingly expensive college town. While the university minimum student wage is $9 an hour, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator finds that a living wage for one adult to cover basic expenses in Lafayette County is more than double that, at $23.14. For some student workers, the gap in wages is something they feel every day.
“I stress myself out planning and separating my time to squeeze my work hours between my classes. I force myself to go to every shift on time because I would hate to lose my jobs that give me the most consistent hours.” How the system works There are nearly 1,900 student workers on campus. Under the UM’s current system,
the Department of Human Resources sets the campus-wide minimum wage at $9 per hour — a rate the university has increased to in the past
Pi Kappa Alpha reactivates following 5-year suspension AIDAN PONIATOWSKI
- Luisa Sánchez junior civil engineering major
five years from the $7.25 federal minimum wage, according to Bryce Drew, UM direc-
SEE STUDENT WORKERS PAGE 2
DJ Stobbe dubbed 2026 Mr. University ROSE HARMON JULIA SHOLL
News Editor
The Gamma Iota chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha is returning to the University of Mississippi, the chapter announced in an Instagram post last week. The chapter will reactivate in the fall and will be involved in 2026 Interfraternity Council Formal Recruitment. “Hotty Toddy! PIKE is headed back to Ole Miss,” the post said. “This fall, our professional expansion consultants will be in Oxford recruiting the next generation of Pikes.” The chapter was suspended from campus in 2021 as a result of hazing violations that received national media attention. The suspension remained in effect until May 1, 2025. The hazing incident, in which active members of the fraternity sprayed bleach or cleaning fluid onto blindfolded new members during pledgeship activities, took place
PHOTO COURTESY: LUISA SÁNCHEZ
A&C Staff Writers
KATHERINE BUTLER / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
The Gamma Iota chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity house in 2021 on Oct. 11, 2020, according to University Police Department (UPD) incident reports. UPD filed aggravated assault charges against James Bowes Higgins on Nov. 17, 2020, as a result of the incident, where one pledge member alleged that the substances were sprayed into his mouth, causing burns to his esophagus.
The chapter was officially suspended from campus on Nov. 11, 2021, having previously been placed on interim suspension closer to when the allegations came to light. Its charter with the national Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity organization was
SEE PIKE PAGE 3
DJ Stobbe, a senior real estate major from Louisville, Ky., was crowned the 2026 Mr. University on Tuesday, April 14 at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Featured in an introduction, questionnaire, talent show and fitness portion, five contestants vied for the pageant title as they raised funds for the William Magee Center. “I told myself before I came here that no matter what happens it’s all in the Lord’s plan,” Stobbe said. “I told myself to just have fun, and I got to meet some great guys. Thank you to everyone who came out.” Three judges selected Mr. University: Ag-
gie Doddridge, assistant director of student activities at the Ole Miss Student Union; Henry Potter, 2025 Mr. University contestant and Cameron Davis, 2026 Miss University. The panel also selected a Mr. Talent, Mr. Muscle, Mr. Know-It-All and Mr. Congeniality. “You want a Mr. University that has it all,” Doddridge said. “That’s a good representative of the university while also having a good attitude, a good spirit — someone that’s really a fan amongst the crowd. That was really evident in DJ’s performance tonight, so it’s no surprise that he
SEE MR. UNIVERSITY PAGE 8
REGISTRATION
GOLDING
STUDENT MEDIA
Many students face delays in signing up for classes.
The Ole Miss Football head coach addresses last football season’s coaching controversy.
Outgoing DM Editor-inChief Clay Hale champions collegiate journalism.
SEE PAGE 5
SEE PAGE 9
SEE PAGE 11