Trustees give CSU leaders pay hike
Modesto Bee 1/25/07
The 4 percent raises for 28 top-ranked employees were approved by the system's board of trustees, which wrapped up a two-day meeting in Long Beach on Wednesday.
Leaders of the CSU, which with 400,000-plus students is the nation's largest four-year system, say they need to be able to pay competitive salaries to draw top talent. Even with the raise, administrators say their executives still will be well below the market.
But faculty, who are stalled in bargaining talks with administrators, and students, who are looking at a possible 10percent fee hike, aren't convinced.
"Stop ripping us off," Rocio Navarro, a student at Cal Poly Pomona, told trustees Wednesday. "Students should be a priority, but lately you seem to be more concerned about taking care of your executive friends."
"We are tired and have had enough of your misplaced priorities," said Maggie Gomez, a student at CSU, Dominguez Hills.
She brought her 5-month-old nephew along, telling trustees they were looking at "a future CSU student" — but only if administrators can keep the system running and affordable.
Faculty also spoke, telling trustees many of their peers aren't making enough money to support their families. They said they are prepared to strike if they can't agree on a contract.
"Trustees and Chancellor Reed, you have not grasped the depth of concern and outrage among faculty," said David Bradfield, professor of music and digital media arts at CSU, Dominguez Hills.
The executive raises are for the 23 campus presidents, as well as Charles Reed and four of his top deputies. Reed's pay will go from $362,500 to $377,000.
California State University, Stanislaus, President Hamid Shirvani makes $237,072 this year, according to the CSU. A 4 percent raise would push that to $246,555. He also gets $50,000 per year for housing.
Some lawmakers had questioned the timing of the pay raises, including Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, who is a trustee. On Tuesday, Garamendi told fellow board members he agrees salaries need to be competitive but recommended delaying the vote until the state budget picture clears, saying there are "bad times to make a move such as this."
But Reed said there "is no good time" to propose raising executive pay and the system needs to live up to a five-year plan to close market salary gaps for executives, faculty and staff.
CSU trustees won't take up the issue of student fees until March, but a hike is possible.
Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposed budget, released earlier this month, fulfills a long-term funding agreement he struck with higher education leaders but could mean a 10 percent fee hike for students.
Last year, the governor put in more money to freeze fees. That didn't happen this year, but lawmakers could make changes before passing a final budget this summer.
Fees also could go up at the University of California under the governor's proposed budget; undergraduates there are looking at a 7 percent hike.
Undergraduate fees at the CSU could rise to $2,772, plus miscellaneous campus fees that now total about $680.