The first system-wide strike by California State University professors concluded after one day when a tentative agreement was reached on Monday, Jan. 22, between the CSU management and the California Faculty Association (CFA).

Faculty members across all 23 CSU campuses resumed work on Tuesday, Jan. 23, following the tentative agreement. Students were urged to check their emails and Canvas pages for updates from professors.

Campus newspapers widely expressed solidarity with striking faculty in their opinion columns and covered the one-day strike in detail in spite of the disruptions; however, they also reported some professors felt disenchanted post-strike, finding the gains won for their invested time and effort to be lacking.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s student newspaper, Mustang News, conducted a survey involving 5,000 Cal Poly students before the strike’s cancellation to measure its impact. The survey, which garnered 587 responses, revealed that 81% of participants reported at least one canceled class, while 42% indicated a shift to online classes.

The strike also prompted changes in enrollment schedules and policies. Sacramento State’s enrollment schedule was adjusted to provide ample time for students to modify their class schedules. Chico State extended the deadline for adding and dropping classes from Feb. 2 to Feb. 9.

The strike’s end alleviated concerns about its impact on club membership recruitment. Clubs at Chico State who were relying on a first-week tabling push to connect with new members, are now reassessing this semester’s student outreach.

San Diego State’s student newspaper, The Daily Aztec, published an opinion piece critical of the CSU management, noting CSU Chancellor Mildred García’s yearly earnings of $795,000—exceeding the combined salaries of Gov. Gavin Newsom, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and Attorney General Rob Bonta. The piece cited a recent CalMatters report highlighting that full-time CSU lecturers received a 22% raise, while base pay for Cal State presidents saw a greater average increase (with SDSU receiving the most substantial raise).

San Francisco State’s Golden State Express reported that their faculty was caught off guard by the strike’s sudden end. A rally was held on Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Malcolm X Plaza to sustain union momentum against the tentative agreement. The event drew around 250 attendees, including students, faculty and guest speakers. They wore red shirts to support the newly-launched “Vote NO” campaign, which opposes CFA leadership and the tentative agreement.

The following steps involve CFA members ratifying the agreement in the coming weeks. After their votes, the CSU must also ratify the tentative agreement for official approval, ensuring an agreement between faculty and the CSU administration on the negotiated terms.