The California State University Board of Trustees approved a salary increase for presidents and faculty for the 2022-23 fiscal year and was made effective on July 1. San Francisco State’s President Lynn Mahoney will see a $27,000 pay increase, from $378,000 to $405,000.
CSU presidents will all receive a 7% salary increase, whereas faculty will be receiving a 3% increase. The faculty had previously received a 4% salary increase during fiscal year 2021-22.
“Historically, related to market factors, [presidents] are collectively underpaid,” said Michael Uhlenkamp, senior director of public affairs for the CSU.
According to Attachment C U&FP by the CSU Board of Trustees, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose State University presidents make a median salary of $498,269. In comparison, Georgia State University’s president’s starting salary alone was $950,000 when he was hired last year.
“We are not trying to set the bar for our campus presidents, but if we are 20-40% below the median for their comparative institutions, it is going to present challenges in terms of recruiting and retaining these individuals,” Uhlenkamp said. “If we are somewhere in the ballpark of the median, then that’s a perfect level.
On top of the 7% increase, 14 CSU Presidents will also receive salary adjustments based on their performance. The raises will range from 7-29%.
Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled the 2022-23 budget agreement in January, which later approved CSU’s to receive $211 million in unallocated, extra funding. The estimated surplus of the budget plan is $97.5 billion.
According to the California Faculty Association, Newsom “promised” an additional $100 million to the CSU budget in order to “fully fund” faculty salaries. This would’ve totaled $311 million in unallocated funding.
On June 29, Assembly Bill 178 was passed, which denied the additional $100 million funding toward faculty and approved the $211 million in unallocated funds. The bill was signed by Newsom the following day.
“I was very disappointed, of course, like everybody else,” said James Martel, SF State Political Science professor and President of the CFA San Francisco Executive Board. “I was sad that we weren’t able to have the original amount that was promised.”
According to Martel, there is a huge difference between a tenured track faculty member’s salary compared to lecturer faculty member.
“I don’t know the exact numbers, but full time professors just barely make it into six figures, so around $100,000,” Martel said. “Lecturer faculty can make $20-30,000 a year.”
According to CSU Data in 2021, the average salary for academic year professors was $112,492, academic year associate professors averaged $97,128 and academic year assistant professors averaged $85,710. The average salary for academic year lecturers was $60,790.
The median household income from 2016-2020 in San Francisco was $119,136, according to the Census Bureau. Tenured professors barely reach the median income and lecturers are far below it.
Scrutiny • Sep 10, 2022 at 5:43 pm
Why did you choose Georgia State University’s president’s salary? And why was it the only non-CSU president’s salary chosen?
Jack • Sep 1, 2022 at 11:01 am
Just do not come to work at California State Universities, it’s simply not worth it if you have other opportunities. You will constantly live in poverty line as a professor working at CSU which is insane! And they will cut your salary when economy is in downturn. It is sad but true. You should know this before making your move.