The California State University faculty received a 2.21 percent salary increase across the board, with a 4 percent average in the third and final year of the current Collective Bargaining Act.
Jerie Bledsoe, general manager of the California Faculty Association said that the faculty union is not satisfied with the feeble compromise.
"There is a10.8 percent lag and a 4 percent increase makes up very little," Bledsoe said.
Faculty salaries at CSU are 10.8 percent lower than the salaries at 20 other comparable universities, based on the annual report by the California Postsecondary Education Commission .
At a meeting with the Board of Trustees in May, Bledsoe said, Chancellor Barry Munitz agreed he would have a plan to close the gap by the Sept. 16-17 meeting.
"There was a silly discussion that lasted 10 minutes at the September meeting," Bledsoe said. "It is important for a chancellor to keep his word, and he didn't."
Bledsoe said the CFA's main interests are closing the salary gap and having enough money in the budget to offer additional, needed classes.
"If you take all the money for the recent executive salary increase, it could be used for approximately 140 classes.
Bledsoe said in November, when the a new budget is adopted, the union will demand that the trustees asks the legislature and the governor for money specifically to close the lag.
"The issue of salaries will be talked about throughout the year. [Munitz] said he likes the idea of a three-year plan to close the lag," said Ken Swisher, media relations spokesman for the Chancellor's Office.
He also said that negotiations are always contingent upon the state budget.
Three components outline the pay increase for the 18,000- member CSU faculty.
All faculty will receive at least a 2.21 percent increase in salary, with the average being 4 percent.
Eligible faculty will receive one Salary Step Increase (SSI). SSIs occur when faculty members complete 24 units in a department since their last SSI.
Eligible faculty can also apply for Progress Salary Step Increase (PSSI).
PSSI raises are based on merit and are drawn from a salary pool.