CSUN professors say they are happy with the salary increase that was implemented earlier this year, but they feel more can still be done.
Earlier this year, the California Faculty Association and California State University negotiated an agreement that promised CSU faculty a 10.5 percent salary increase over the course of three years, according to the CSU.
Part-time professors at CSUN say they are happy with the salary increase that was promised earlier this year.
“It was a great thing that happened,” Azure Glover, a part-time English professor, said.
Glover said she has to teach at another school in order to make ends meet, even with the salary increase. Glover said people will always want more, but she is satisfied for now with the increase.
Kelly Rowely, a part-time English professor, said she thinks the raise is a good first step.
She said she used to teach at other schools until she got a contract at CSUN for teaching three classes each semester.
“It’s nice to get an increase, but hopefully we can get even more down the line,” Rowley said.
Apart from teaching at CSUN, she said she dances and teaches dance in order to make ends meet.
Rowely said she hears other professors talk about other things they have to do to make enough money to sustain themselves.
Professor Martin Saiz, a political science professor with tenure, said the raise was satisfying to get because it had been years since their last raise.
“It was great to feel appreciated,” Saiz said.
Saiz said he was ready to participate in the strike to support his colleagues if it would have happened.
“They needed to know we were serious for lots of reasons,” Saiz said.
According to the Los Angeles Times, CSU relies on funding from students’ tuition. Students at CSUN said they are concerned that tuition may increase.
“In order for them to benefit, someone else has to pay for it,” Jessica Trujillo, an environmental health major said. “I wish it didn’t raise the tuition but someone has to pay for it.”
Other students at CSUN think the money from their tuition should go toward something else.
“If they’re taking out from the students’ tuition it should go toward something else that benefits the students, but if the funding is from somewhere else then it should pay for the salary,” Katherine Perez, a psychology major said.
