CSU faculty will likely get raise

By Donna Taketa
The Collegian

For more than three years Fresno State faculty haven’t received a raise due to budget cutbacks. Union negotiations are now underway to formalize salary increases.

“Understandably there has been some unhappiness as faculty members are working very hard to serve their students, and there has been no raise for three years,” associate provost Kenneth Shipley said.

Although no definite date is set for when the raise will go into effect, a 3.5 percent allocation for salaries was approved by Governor Schwarzenegger, Shipley said.

The exact terms of the raises are being determined by collective bargaining. Shipley said all faculty-tenured, tenure track, full-time and part-time instructors will be affected.

“Historically (the raise) has been a percentage applied against all salaries,” Shipley said. For example, current salaries might increase by a flat 3 percent increase for all faculty in that bargaining unit.

“Professors with doctorates generally earn more,” Shipley said. “So when the specific percentage is applied, there are typically more real dollars for them.”

However, Reza Motameni, a marketing professor, is skeptical about the raise.

“In reality it’s not a real raise,” Motameni said. He said one has to take into account the increase in the cost of living over the past three years, increases that include housing and gas prices.

Medieval literature professor Lisa Weston agrees.

“It’s not such a substantial amount that I’m going to go buy Gucci instead of Target,” Weston said. “We’ve effectively been losing money, but it’s a start. It’s something.”

Motameni said he can’t deny there wasn’t dissatisfaction among some faculty about the absence of a raise; however, nothing was made public.

“We live with the means that we have,” Motameni said. He said people were more tolerant during the budget crisis because they understood the money was being channeled to greater needs like the military.

“A few years ago it would have been different,” Motameni said.

Weston said he is concerned the salaries at California universities aren’t comparable to other universities nationwide. She said it’s harder to recruit new faculty, and they’ve lost candidates.

“Whether because of salary or other factors I don’t know,” she said.

Shipley agreed that since the last raise in July 2002 it has been more difficult to recruit new instructors and compel others to stay. However, the area has other draws that possibly outweigh salary considerations such as the regional and campus development, he said.

“Frankly the quality of the student body and the area is attractive to faculty,” Weston said.

Shipley also said high level faculty, such as deans and administrators, have also gone without raises.

The 2004-2005 University Budget Book revealed that Fresno State president John Welty was allotted $233,232 this fiscal year for “salary rate and budget total.”

In 2002 and 2003 he was allotted $224,232. Shipley explained this $9,000 increase is for Welty’s annual car allowance and is not a raise.

Shipley explained that management raises take into account merit. They can range from 0 to 5 percent, but have to be within the limits set by the 3.5 percent budget allotment.

The raise negotiations for faculty are being handled by the CSU and the California Faculty Association, Shipley said.

The money has already been set aside and will wait until an agreement has been reached.

Shipley said he believes the raises will ultimately contribute to ensuring quality instruction to students.

“Higher, more competitive salaries help ensure recruiting and retaining the best possible faculty to the university.”