The California State University system has reached an agreement with the California Faculty Association, representing approximately 23,000 full and part-time faculty members, on a salary increase of approximately 1.34 percent.

Among those included in the increase are instructional faculty, librarians, coaches and counselors, and librarians. 

The agreement was unanimously approved by the CFA’s board of directors in late August.

This salary increase is set to take effect for the 2013-2014 school year on all CSU campuses, and is the first time since 2007 that the CSU system was able to provide a salary raise. The increase was deemed retroactive to July 1.

“This is a very small but necessary down payment for all of our faculty, classroom faculty, librarians, counselors and coaches,” said Andy Merrifield, SSU political science professor and chair of the CFA Bargaining Team. “Quality education requires lots of people to work; faculty is the fundamental ingredient because they work directly with the students. A small down payment is a step in retaining our excellent faculty.”

The percentage increase applies to full-time faculty members; part-time faculty members will receive a pro rata based increase. According to the CFA website, this decision will amount to an approximate increase of $960 per year for full-time faculty members. 

Out of the $125.1 million allocated to the CSU budget as a result of Proposition 30, CFA faculty members will share roughly $19 million to augment salaries. 

The CSU system was not able to consider the idea of salary increases previously because of the continuous and daunting effect of the recession. 

The state’s improved financial situation has allowed the CSU system and unions to negotiate pay increases once again.

 “We are pleased that the negotiations with CFA moved quickly and for the first time in many years we are able to provide salary increases for our valued employees,” said Gail Brooks, the CSU vice chancellor of human resources, in a statement on the CSU website. “This modest increase is consistent with the proposals reviewed by CSU Trustees this past March.”