Summer49ER California State University, Long Beach
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Vol. LIX, Issue 877
Thursday, July 30, 2015
CSU at stalemate with faculty Negotiations are at an impasse on a new contract for 2015-16. By Greg Diaz Editor-in-chief
The California State University system last Wednesday rejected a proposal from the California Faculty Association that called for a 5 percent General Salary Increase for the coming academic year. The CSU had slotted a 2 percent salary increase for all employees into its latest state budget, representing $65.5 million. According to the CSU, a 5 percent increase would call for an additional $69 million for Cal State faculty. “Despite the past several lean budget years, we continue to try to improve compensation for all employees, said Toni Molle, the director of public affairs for the CSU, via email. “We agree that faculty should be properly compensated for their service and contribution to our students. We are doing what we can, within our fiscal means, to address compensation concerns.” Last week, the CSU Board of Trustees approved the 2 percent salary increase for the 23 university presidents and CSU executives, a move that has been criticized by the CFA. “It is not lost on us that a 2 percent pay increase for a president earning in excess of $400,000 equals $8,000, while a 2 percent raise for a faculty member earning $40,000 is $800. Don’t kid yourself,” said Lillian Taiz, a member of the CFA bargaining team, in a release. “There is no similarity here.” The CSU and CFA bargained for a 3 percent General Salary Increase for the 2014-15 academic year. That agreement was reached for one-year contract. According to the CSU, the current contract being negotiated will also be a one-year deal at the request of the CFA. The CSU currently spends 59 percent of its operating budget on its employees, Molle said. She also said that the CSU had 740 new tenure-track hires in 201415 and expects to hire another 800 this year. The average salary for CSU faculty is $45,000 per year, according to the CFA. “It is absolutely disheartening that Chancellor White and his management team doesn’t value the faculty enough to invest in us, and, by extension, our students,” Jennifer Eagan, the CFA president and a professor at Cal State East Bay, said in a release. Over the last two years, the CSU spent $129.6 million in increased compensation with $65.2 million specifically for faculty, Molle said. The CFA, in its “Race to the Bottom” series examining the CSU system, said that as of fall 2014, more than 50 percent of CSU faculty earned less than $38,000 per year. Negotiations for the current CFA contract began in May. At the latest meeting between the CFA and CSU on July 22, both sides decided that no further progress could be made and the State Mediation and Conciliation Service would appoint a mediator, the next step according to the California Higher Education Employment Relations Act.
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Hands up, Long Beach Jesus A mbrosio | Daily 49er
Kayak medal winners hold their hands up for Long Beach in front of the podium at the Marine Stadium. The Special Olympic World Games kicked off in Los Angeles Saturday with several events, such as sailing, cycling, open water swimming, beach volleyball and a half marathon, taking place throughout Long Beach. The largest humanitarian event in the world this year, and the largest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympics, will be concluding on Sunday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
More from the Special olympics on page 4
LBSU Athletics
LBSU hall of fame welcomes class of 2015 Seven individuals and one team join the ranks of 49er greats. By Kayce Contatore Assistant Sports Editor
In 1986, Long Beach State athletics inducted the first hall of fame athletes to be remembered for honoring the tradition of LBSU. This year, seven individuals and one championship team are to be inducted and remembered forever for all they did as a 49er. The hall of fame induction takes place every other year and is a way for the LBSU athletics program to recognize the athletes who helped sustain the 49er brand. Vic Cegles, LBSU athletic director, said that students and student athletes come to Long Beach for the brand of a successful athletic program. “I think it’s really important for the athletics department here at Long Beach State to acknowledge such a great and rich tradition that we have,” Cegles said. “We have such a rich tradition, if you look back at basketball and baseball and all of our Olympic
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courtesy of
LBSU Athletics
Kayak medal winners hold their hands up for Long Beach in front of the podium at the Marine Stadium. sports and athletes, it’s a pretty special place, and we’re proud to acknowledge the success of these people.” Many 49er athletes who have been inducted into the hall of fame have had great success as professional athletes. Misty May-Treanor has become
one of the most recognizable names in volleyball; Troy Tulowitzki and Jered Weaver are two of 33 Dirtbags who are currently playing in the MLB or minor league affiliates. Wayne Stickney, a staff support member for the hall of fame, said that
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the group of people who started the hall of fame decided that the school had something special going on and that they should celebrate the athletes
See HALL, page 8
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