SSU faculty pickets over contract

Press-Democrat 1/26/07

By Bob Norberg

Sonoma State University faculty members picketed at the spring convocation Thursday to protest a lack of progress in contract negotiations with the CSU system and wage increases given top executives.

Negotiations broke down in September after 18 months of talks over the issue of wages.

The university offered a 21.87 percent wage increase over four years, while the faculty asked for 26 percent.

The university declared an impasse in September, sending the matter into mediation and fact-finding.

The California Faculty Association represents 500 faculty at SSU. They are working on an extended contract and last received a 3.5 percent cost-of-living raise two years ago.

CSU trustees on Tuesday gave the 23 campus presidents and five top executives 4 percent pay increases. It increased the annual salary of SSU President Ruben Armiñana to $263,066. Humboldt State President Rollin Richmond's salary was raised to $270,791.

At the same time, the governor's budget for the 2007-08 school year recommends a 10 percent increase in student fees, bringing annual fees to about $3,674.