California State University chancellor tackles tough questions at Sonoma State University

California State University Chancellor Timothy White paid a visit Thursday to Sonoma State, where he fielded tough questions and comments from students, faculty and staff over tuition costs and salaries during a forum at the Rohnert Park campus’ student center.

Gabe Duran, a senior sociology major, was one of a handful of students addressing White about faculty pay at the event. Although professors are expected to see a 10.5 percent pay increase over the next three years under a proposed contract, Duran argued that was not enough. After he urged the chancellor to reduce salaries of school presidents and other top administrators in order to boost faculty pay, the room of about 200 erupted in applause.

White, who also had breakfast with student leaders and met with various faculty members at SSU as part of a tour of all 23 campuses in the CSU network, said his presidents don’t make as much as those at other universities.

“Our presidents are well below market - 20, 30, in some places 45 percent,” he argued.

While some presidents did not receive raises after the recession, White said, he could not afford to continue to do that.

“There are a lot of people coming after our best presidents,” he said. “We don’t want to lose them.”

Priscilla Saldaña, a senior majoring in human development, wasn’t satisfied with the chancellor’s response. She said professors can’t afford to live in Sonoma County and are forced to work multiple jobs. That’s affecting students, she said.

“I have more than one professor working at three CSU campuses to (make) a livable wage,” she said after the forum. “I’ve had faculty members who fall asleep in class. They’re tired.”

White warned the forum about a future shortage in bachelor’s degrees in the state that are needed to sustain California’s workforce. The state will be more than a million degrees short by 2030, White said.

“That’s a big hole,” he said, adding that half of the bachelor’s degrees currently awarded in the state come from CSU.

In response, a faculty member raised concerns over tenured positions.

Steve Wilson, an SSU math lecturer, said the university system won’t be able to meet those needs if administrators don’t authorize enough tenure-tracked positions.

“Thousands upon thousands of qualified professionals are not able to make the contributions that you’re going to need them to make in order to meet those challenges in 2030 that you’re talking about,” Wilson said.

You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 521-5458 or eloisa.gonzalez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @eloisanews.