RAISE PROTEST AT CSUN PLANNED.

Byline: SUSAN ABRAM Staff Writer

NORTHRIDGE -- Dozens of instructors, students and staff at CSUN plan to demonstrate Wednesday to protest stalled contract talks and recently approved raises for administrators.

The protests have been held at all 23 California State University campuses to draw attention to the CSU trustees' recent vote to give executives a 4 percent raise, while weighing tuition increases of 8-10 percent that would take effect this fall.

``These actions by the CSU management leave our students in danger, leave the university understaffed, and leave our community at risk of permanent damage to the educational opportunity the CSU should represent,'' said James David Ballard, president of the California Faculty Association's CSUN chapter.

``These management decisions make the CSU administration public enemy No. 1 on campus.''

But CSU officials say the decision to raise salaries for about two dozen administrators -- who now will earn $239,000 to $377,000 annually -- will help retain high-quality executives.

``They're just trying to get their salaries up to par with other comparable educational institutions,'' said Paul Browning, CSU spokesman. ``The presidents are $100,000 less at comparable universities. ''

A negotiating session is scheduled again this week, and Ballard said a walkout is likely in April if no agreement is reached.

CSU officials have offered a four-year contract they say includes salary increases totaling 25 percent. Ballard says contingencies in the proposal actually limit the average raise to about 15 percent over four years.

The contract covers nearly 1,800 full- and part-time faculty, as well as coaches, librarians and staff from California State University, Northridge.

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

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