After two years of unpredictable and, at times, tense negotiations, the California Faculty Association has secured its members a 20.7 percent base salary increase with the possibility of a 4 percent additional increase to adjust for raises – pending an OK from the university system. But is it too little too late?

The answer was obviously yes for former Sacramento State faculty members like assistant women’s studies professor Michelle Matisons, assistant economics professor Yelena Takhtamanova, assistant professor of theater and dance Leon Wiebers and assistant professor of kinesiology and health science Paula McNeil-Shelby.

All chose to leave before a tentative contract agreement was made.

For current faculty members, the answer isn’t quite so clear. Assistant communication studies professor David Zuckerman said he originally thought about leaving after housing and gas prices skyrocketed, but his salary remained the same.

“My rent increased, as did my electric bill, my grocery bills, my daughter’s daycare costs, and my cable bill,” Zuckerman said. “But my salary basically stayed the same. As a person in my late 30s, with a career and a Ph.D., married with a family, I never pictured that I would be so far from being able to buy even a modest home.”

Assistant professor of biological studies Chris Sullivan said he thought he had the perfect job, but was proven wrong soon after his first year of instruction began.

“When I was offered my CSUS position, I was excited to have found the perfect job,” Sullivan said. “Reality hit once I saw that my starting salary would not go very far given the current housing and gasoline prices. Like many professors, I live paycheck to paycheck, just getting by. (I realized) that financially, I might not be able to stay here long-term.”

Zuckerman said things got worse when he found out newer faculty members were making more money than he was. He said the difference was due to what university administrators call a “salary inversion.”

“The junior faculty calls it the experience penalty,” he said. “It happens because the university offers competitive starting salaries to new hires but doesn’t give raises to existing professors.”

Zuckerman said he, like a number of other faculty members, applied for a salary increase, but was denied.

“The university set forth criteria for us to apply for pay increases based on how much we’re worth in the open market,” he said. “More than 100 of us applied. Seven months later, we found denial letters in our mailboxes. I continue to earn less than four of the five new professors in my department.”

When asked if he plans to leave Sac State, Zuckerman simply said, “I don’t know.”

Assistant sociology professor Kevin Wehr said he, like Sullivan and Zuckerman, has seriously considered leaving.

According to a survey conducted by Wehr and assistant professor of educational administration and policy studies Carlos Nevarez, Wehr, Sullivan and Zuckerman are not alone in their feelings.

Out of the 157 junior faculty members polled in April of 2006, 40 percent had seriously considered leaving Sac State. Of the original 157 polled, 28 percent were dissatisfied with their teaching load, 24 percent were dissatisfied with the level of support they received for professional development and 50 percent were very dissatisfied with their salary compensation. Zuckerman, Sullivan and Wehr said they have applied elsewhere. All three men said they are hesitant to leave because they value the intelligence and insight of their colleagues and students.

“I work with world-famous scholars, brilliant and creative students and get to spend time on one of the most lovely campuses in the country,” Zuckerman said. “Apart from not having money for research, travel, living expenses and housing, Sac State is a wonderful place.”

“After being here two years, I can say the best thing about Sac State is the students,” Sullivan said. “I really admire our students that work 25 to 35 hours a week at a job and take a full load of classes. It is a challenge for them to succeed and it can be equally difficult for us to teach them, but it is great to see them striving to get a degree.”

“My students are the reason that I am still here,” Wehr said.Salary issues, administrative disrespect and tension aside, all three men said they came and have remained at Sac State because they enjoy teaching.

“I came to CSUS because I believe in public education,” Wehr said. “I am a product of the California public education system?.This is one way I can give back to the state that helped me.”

Vice President of Human Resources David Wagner said the university lost a total of 56 professors since contract negotiations began in 2004. He said most resignations are not a direct result of long negotiations, salary discrepancies or negative campus atmosphere.

“Most folks don’t get very specific in their resignation letters,” Wagner said. “I have seen multiple reasons?most involve being offered a higher paying job elsewhere. Some have said that the cost of living in California is too high and others have cited personal family reasons.”

Wagner said that even with 56 resignations, the amount of current faculty members is extremely high. He said the university hired 101 new faculty members in 2003, 37 in 2004, 28 in 2005 and 30 in 2006.

According to the Office of Institutional Research, there was a total of 1,530 faculty members in 2004, 1,719 in 2005 and 1,722 in 2006.

According to Human Resources, there are a number of current faculty members who have given their notice of resignation but have agreed to stay at Sac State for the remainder of the spring semester. Among those is assistant history professor Barbara Keys, assistant professor of nursing Sheila Holcomb, assistant English professor Supriya Goswami, assistant professor of family and consumer sciences Bruce Bayley and assistant professor of apparel marketing and design Mary Botkin.

Ashley Evans can be reached at [email protected]