It is no secret that Wichita State University has money. That much is obvious when you look at the thousands — to even million-dollar — administrator salaries, multi-million-dollar campus plans and golden escape parachutes for disgraced coaches.

But the people who actually keep this university running — custodians, maintenance workers, groundskeepers — are barely getting by. Many are earning around $15.25 an hour. That’s not enough to live on, not even in Wichita, one of the most affordable places to live in the country. It is insulting for the amount of physical and essential work these employees do every day.

The union representing these workers, WSU Local 6405, is preparing to return to the bargaining table this week. And while the university may try to downplay the union’s influence, the workers understand what collective power can do.

Stephanie Martin, a custodial supervisor currently working in McKinley Hall, compares current wages to the increased prices of basic needs.

“We can’t live on these wages,” Martin said. “You can’t live off three bucks a gallon for gas … eggs went up, groceries, everything’s going up. But we get paid the same.”

The university throws money at PR schemes and new buildings while ignoring the workers who sanitize classrooms, maintain the HVAC systems and supervise schedules of their coworkers. WSU would grind to a halt without them. Yet, somehow, it’s OK to pay them poverty wages?

That’s not just poor budgeting. That’s a choice. And it’s a morally indefensible one.

“People downplay it. ‘Oh, you’re just cleaning.’ But really, you’re physically busting your butt,” Martin said. “It’s not just cleaning — it’s ordering supplies, fixing machines, disinfecting classrooms.”

Martin, who has worked with WSU since 2021, started at a wage of $11.69 hourly.

“When I started, I had seven buildings by myself.”

The workload these employees carry is intense — often bordering on unreasonable. Many are responsible for multiple buildings, and the expectations keep growing as wages stay flat.

But it’s not just about the money. It’s about the complete lack of respect.

“Why is it okay for them to make that much, but not okay for us? We all work. We should all be compensated fairly,” Martin said. 

These workers deserve better. And they know it.

Union values were passed down in Martin’s family from her parents. Her dad had been in a union while working at Boeing and often picketed outside. It wasn’t just about wages, but also about respect and job security. The message stuck.

“My dad worked at Boeing — he was in the machinists’ union for years. He always told us, ‘If there’s a union, you join it. They’ll be there for you when nobody else is,” Martin said.

At the top of the university, it’s a different story. In 2023, John Tomblin, who is executive vice president for research and industry & defense programs and executive director of NIAR, earned more than $1 million in salary. 

President Richard Muma pulled in nearly half a million. And then there’s former men’s basketball coach Gregg Marshall, who walked away with a $7.75 million severance package after resigning amid abuse allegations.

In addition, the university is moving ahead with a $150 million campus masterplan — including a $7.3 million Wilkins stadium renovation. Apparently, there’s always room in the budget for artificial turf and avoiding problems. But not for a living wage.

The administration claims all employees should get the same raise percentage. But when someone making $475,000 gets a 1% raise, that’s nearly $5,000 — more than many (if any) of the service workers make in an entire month. 1% of $15 is only 15 cents. 

Equity isn’t about giving everyone the same. It’s about giving people what they need and deserve. It is about fairness, not formulas.

Even with better-paying options elsewhere, some workers stay because they care about the campus. That loyalty shouldn’t be exploited.

But they shouldn’t be fighting alone. Students, staff and the public need to step up and speak out. 

That’s what a campaign is about. If you see a banana sticker this week, it’s not a joke. It is a protest. A cry for justice. A reminder of how absurd — bananas — it is that WSU workers are being paid like this.

The university has the money. It doesn’t have the will, and that’s not acceptable.