California State University trustees will vote next week on compensation packages for seven campus presidents, including three who would make more than their predecessors because they're slated to receive salary supplements from campus foundations.
The pay packages meet the terms of CSU's new executive compensation policy but have angered the faculty union. The policy was established after public outcry last year when CSU hired a new president for San Diego State and paid him $100,000 more than his predecessor. It calls for paying new presidents a base salary no more than that of the person they are replacing, and allows for a supplement of up to 10 percent paid from campus foundations. The board is voting on compensation for campus presidents whose base salaries would be the same as their predecessors but who would receive additional boosts from foundations:
• Dianne F. Harrison, president of California State University, Northridge: annual salary of $295,000 and annual foundation supplement of $29,500.
• Tomas D. Morales, president of California State University, San Bernardino: annual salary of $290,000 and annual foundation supplement of $29,000.
• Leslie E. Wong, president of San Francisco State University: annual salary of $298,749 and annual foundation supplement of $26,251.
A fourth new president – Rear Adm. Thomas A. Cropper of the California Maritime Academy – would receive a salary of $250,000 and no supplement. That salary is $8,600 less than his predecessor's, said CSU spokeswoman Claudia Keith.
The California Faculty Association, which represents CSU professors and is in contentious negotiations with the university for a new contract, criticized the salary proposals. "This latest round of pay hikes will come despite months of public outcry from students, faculty and lawmakers about the merits of such pay increase at a time when student fees have skyrocketed, faculty and staff are being laid off and state funding for the CSU has been slashed by nearly a billion dollars," said a statement from the union.
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