Faculty Rights Tip: Understanding Our Raises for Academic Year 2024-25

As we begin the 2024-25 Academic Year with salary raises on the way, many of us are wondering, “When will we be paid?” and perhaps, how much more?

With few exceptions, all faculty are paid monthly and usually at the end of every month. New faculty may find themselves waiting for their campus payroll offices and the State Controller’s Office to process the necessary paperwork and may not see their first paycheck until the end of September.

Faculty employed last year and in prior years are owed raises that CFA members bargained for. This academic year, there are three different raises to know about (aside from any promotions, range elevations, or chair stipends you might also be receiving).

Article 31 of the contract includes all the details, which we summarize here.

What and how much?

First, faculty who were employed prior to July 1, 2024, in any classification, rank, or range will receive a General Salary Increase (GSI) of 5% of one’s annual base salary, effective July 1, 2024.

Second, every faculty member who is eligible by virtue of being “SSI eligible” (below the “SSI max” on the salary schedule) will receive a Service Salary Increase (SSI) of 2.65%. You can locate the current salary schedule here. Faculty members need to have worked the equivalent of at least 24 Weighted Teaching Units since their most recent SSI or their initial appointment in order to be eligible.

And third, faculty members classified in Range A (Lecturers, Assistant Librarians, and Coaching Assistants) who are paid the minimum on the salary scale will have their salary adjusted upward by a $3,000 increase to the full-time equivalent salary, or whatever portion of that “raise the floor” amount would take the faculty member up to the new minimum. (For example, a Lecturer A with a .5 time base who is currently paid at the old minimum would receive an annual increase of $1,500. In another example, a full-time Lecturer A with a 1.0 time base who is paid just $500 over the old minimum would receive a $2,500 increase in pay under this category of raise.)

When?

The 5% GSI, while effective on July 1, 2024, will typically appear in our August 31 paychecks (which may appear via direct deposit sooner). CSU management delayed processing this salary increase while it awaited the final state budget.  Faculty members should also receive a separate pay warrant covering the salary increase for the July 1-July 31 time period.

The increase in your minimum salary as a faculty member in Range A is also effective on July 1, 2024, and affected faculty members should receive a separate pay increase for the July 1-July 31 time period.

The 2.65% SSI is effective on your anniversary date. If your anniversary date is in fall (e.g., you were appointed in fall, usually in August), you are likely receiving the SSI this month. If you were appointed during a spring (or winter) term, your SSI will be added to your salary then. Check your original appointment (a.k.a. “offer”) letter to access your anniversary date.

CFA members pressure CSU management to process these salary increases as quickly as possible, but administrations will likely be delayed in the processing of salary increases for some faculty members.

What if I am still owed retroactive pay from Academic Year 2023-24?

On some campuses, faculty still have not received their full retroactive pay from the previous academic year. If you are in this situation, contact your campus payroll office, and if your questions remain unanswered or the responses are unsatisfactory to you, contact your local CFA chapter leaders, including the campus faculty rights representative or other chapter leaders.

Similarly, if you don’t see the correct increases in your paycheck come September 30, reach out to both your campus payroll office and your CFA chapter representatives.

• Browse the faculty contract here.
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