Dear Editor,

I applaud the administration for setting a salary threshold with regard to degree holders who have returned from college off-island to give back to the community and government. If I remember correctly, this was actually one of the implications or requirements for ASG scholarship recipients, and to set a salary that is commensurate and acknowledges one’s educational background is definitely a step in the right direction. However, it needs further assessment.

While I think the principle and rationale behind the initiative is well-intentioned, I believe it’s important we also take into consideration the many degreed employees before us who have been in the system, but were not fortunate to enter the workforce with an administration that has made a historic move to set a specific salary threshold. While a degree is — and should absolutely be — a determining factor in one’s salary, experience should also be factored into the equation.

A fresh out of college BA/MA degree holder with little to no experience certainly should not be paid at the same level as a more seasoned BA/MA degree holder with extensive work experience.

With the economy still in recovery, there are even recent Ivy League graduates who are hard pressed to find jobs because companies aren’t looking just for degree holders, but degree holders who also possess some level of experience. At the end of the day, they want someone who can perform and do the job successfully.

Sincerely,

Patrick T. Reid