Currently, Peer Health Educators (PHEs) are the lowest-paid residential staff. PHEs receive only $1,000 per year, while their RA and RCC counterparts are paid up to $10,000 and $7,000, respectively. This stipend would suggest that the PHEs' yearly work is only worth 1/10 of an RA's work, even when PHEs often do as much as their RA and RCC counterparts. This is problematic not only because it does not reflect the value of a PHE in their residential community, but also because it provides a financial barrier to diverse, qualified students from becoming PHEs.

PHEs have donated innumerable hours toward fostering a sense of holistic health and well-being across our campus residences. PHEs play a unique role in emphasizing health across their residential communities by leading by example and offering authentic support to those who wish to become their healthiest, happiest selves. Despite recent efforts by university officials to expand mental health services and emphasize the importance of student well-being on campus, Stanford has persisted in underestimating the valuable contribution that PHEs provide in our residential communities. Therefore, the PHEs now request equitable stipends for their equally valuable work and demand training parity for our fellow staff members.

Year after year, the budget request to increase funding for the PHEs is rejected. Help us bring to the attention of the university the valuable role that PHEs play in creating healthy, vibrant communities.