Colorado State University Pueblo faculty members are seeking salary increases for professors, associate professors, and assistant professors to make them more competitive with salaries offered at similar institutions.

CSU Pueblo's Faculty Senate passed a resolution on April 29 to benchmark faculty salaries at the 50th percentile of median salaries at similar institutions. If implemented, the resolution would increase faculty pay substantially from the current 25th percentile benchmark.

"While the Faculty Senate has approved the resolution, there are a number of steps to gain support at multiple levels throughout CSU Pueblo and the CSU System," resolution author and management professor Mike Wakefield told the Chieftain in an email. "It is far from officially approved, but the first step has been made."

Prior to passing the Faculty Senate, the resolution was approved by the university's Faculty Compensation Committee and supported by the local American Association of University Professors (AAUP) chapter. The resolution was partly in response to a 2024 study on CSU Pueblo faculty's economic well-being, Wakefield said.

The study, which was conducted by CSU Pueblo Assistant Professor Heidi Reynolds-Stenson, reported that 93% of CSU Pueblo faculty members have supplemented their salary out of necessity, 51% of faculty have taken a second job and 49% have cut expenses by foregoing medical care.

"Dr. Reynolds-Stenson found a number of our faculty are struggling on multiple financial criteria, and the adjustment from the 25th percentile to the 50th percentile is intended to alleviate some of the financial stress experienced by faculty," Wakefield said.

How do CSU Pueblo salaries compare to similar institutions?

A 2022 Data Feedback report from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) compared the nine-month salaries of non-medical, full-time instructors at CSU Pueblo during the 2021-22 school year to those of ten other "comparison group" institutions.

CSU Pueblo professors made $85,973, associate professors made $70,194 and assistant professors made $60,552 on average in 2021-22. Salaries at the comparison group schools averaged $94,106 for professors, $77,433 for associate professors and $67,024 for assistant professors, according to IPEDS.

Comparison group schools included California State University-Stanislaus, Emporia State University, Midwestern State University, the University of Tennessee-Martin, the University of Texas at Tyler, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, University of Michigan-Flint, University of South Carolina-Upstate, and Washburn University.

Salary data from these ten "peer institutions," along with national College and University Professional Association (CUPA) data and data from accrediting agencies, may be used to determine the 50th percentile benchmark salaries proposed in the resolution, Wakefield said.

'We want to retain our quality faculty': CSU Pueblo President Valdez responds to resolution

Armando Valdez, who began serving as president of CSU Pueblo this year, told the Chieftain he has been presented with information about the resolution to raise the benchmark for salaries. He commended the faculty for approving the resolution and said he will be working with them through a "shared governance" process.

"I haven't seen actual numbers associated with (the resolution)," Valdez said. "That's where our shared governance process will work in to collaborate with the Faculty Compensation Committee and determine what that means in actual dollars."

Valdez also told the Chieftain that he is committed to being "employee centered," supporting all staff members, and making sure staff is paid "at least at market rate."

"We want to compensate and reward our employees appropriately, especially as it meets market conditions," Valdez said. "We want to retain our quality faculty... We want to reward them. We want to keep them."

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: CSU Pueblo professors want a raise to compete with similar institutions