The California State University announced on Tuesday, Jan. 9, that it will give all instructional faculty, librarians, counselors and coaches a 5% salary increase, which officials said would conclude contract negotiations.
The decision was made after the latest round of negotiations with the California Faculty Association failed to yield an agreement that would provide faculty salary increases while still allowing the CSU to best serve students within the limits of its resources, according to the CSU, whose headquarters are in Long Beach.
Throughout the bargaining process, the CFA never veered from its initial salary demand, which, the 23-campus university system said, was not financially viable and would have resulted in massive cuts to campuses — including layoffs. That would have jeopardized the system’s educational mission, the CSU said.
CFA representatives did not immediately return calls for comment.
But the CFA — hich represents 29,000 lecturers, librarians, counselors and other employees — has sought a 12% jump in pay for some faculty, more counselors to support students’ mental health, expanded paid parental leave, and increased safety provisions for faculty interacting with university police.
“CFA members are emphatic that low pay, growing workloads and systemic inequalities are not sustainable,” a previous CFA statement said. “CSU management needs to invest their money where it matters, the people and programs with direct impact on student learning and success.”
In addition to the general salary increase the CSU will provide, system officials said, there will also be an increase department chairperson pay.
“With this action, we will ensure that well-deserved raises get to our faculty members as soon as possible,” Leora Freedman, CSU’s vice chancellor for human resources, said in a statement. “We have been in the bargaining process for eight months and the CFA has shown no movement, leaving us no other option.”
The…
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