Garamendi, a CSU Trustee, noted that the proposed executive pay increase of 46% over four years is higher than the annual salary of most service staff at CSU campuses and that it comes at a time when the board will soon be considering a student fee increase.

Garamendi stated, “We’re talking about a $30,000 to $45,000 pay increase. That’s more than a non-tenured professor earns. It’s certainly more than a groundskeeper, or a food service worker, or janitor earns. It’s unnecessary, uncalled for, and taken together with the simultaneous action to increase student fees – it is extremely offensive and ill-timed.”

Lt. Governor Garamendi also noted that there is no evidence that administrators are leaving the CSU system due to lack of compensation.

“If you take into account all of the executive perks, the $60,000 a year housing allowance…and other benefits, the national salaries are nearly comparable. Furthermore, nobody is leaving; there’s no indication over the last several years that any executive is leaving for lack of pay.”

The CSU Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote tomorrow on the proposed executive salary increases.