Your article “Faculty bargain for higher, equal pay” by Johan Mengesha addressed the conundrum of faculty pay with appropriate balance and civility. To address both recruitment and morale issues really requires a substantial increase to all faculty salaries. Such an increase must be bargained between CFA and the central administration of CSU.

There is, however, a common misapprehension about promotion increases reflected in the portion of the article about Gina Masequesmay. The article refers to “a tenured position this year, which comes with a 7.5 percent pay increase.” Ordinarily, tenure and promotion to associate professor ARE considered in the same year, but a pay raise goes with the promotion, not the tenure decision. More importantly, the 7.5 percent figure in the CFA contract is a MINIMUM, not a maximum.

The dean and the provost may NOT award a promotion raise of less than 7.5 percent, but they may award a higher percentage. Promotion is definitely an opportunity to address compression and inversion issues, and does NOT require further bargaining.

Michael Reagan,

Past President,

California Faculty

Association, CSUN chapter