Overview
The Living Wage Policy Study is a multi-year, multi-method program of research examining:
- the prevalence of living wage policies and practices in American higher education;
- the nature or robustness of living wage policies once adopted;
- how living wage policies and practices are adopted; and
- the impact of those policies on employees and institutions.
The Living Wage Policy Study uses multiple research methods, including secondary data analysis, surveys of institutions, and interviews with individuals involved in the process of developing and implementing living wage policies.
The Living Wage Policy Study is designed to collect and share data on the wage policies and practices of American institutions of higher education. Institutions can elect to opt-in to each study separately and are provided pre-publication access to research results.
The project is directed by Ken Weidner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.
About Ken Weidner
Dr. Weidner has served as Assistant Professor of Management at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia since 2000. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in business ethics and social responsibility, social justice, leadership, organizational change, and consulting skills.
Prior to his academic career, Ken worked as both an internal and external consultant in the areas of organizational culture, leadership, change, communication, and organizational effectiveness. His clients included organizations in the service and technology sectors, including professional service firms, hospitals, and organizations in mental health, information technology, and other fields.
Ken holds an MBA and Ph.D. in Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a B.A. in Management from the University of Illinois at Springfield.
2021 Summer Scholars
Kelsey Welsh is a rising senior at Saint Joseph’s University where she is majoring in Political Science with a minor in Public Policy. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in Public Policy through SJU’s 4+1 Program. The Living Wage Policy Study is a culmination of her interests: how a policy is created through how it is sustained. Her plan after graduation is to enter the field of advocacy and research in order to best apply what she has studied and to build upon her understanding of the policy route.
Asia Whittenberger is a rising senior at Saint Joseph’s University where she is majoring in Sociology and Communications. Her previous related work includes an internship with a food pantry during which she interviewed clients and wrote about their exacerbated financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. On campus, she is a resident assistant, a writing center tutor, and a wellness educator and she performs as the Hawk mascot.