CSU Pueblo faculty hosts 'teach-in' to address low salaries

As the Colorado State University Board of Governors met in the Occhiato Student Center Ballroom Thursday, Colorado State University Pueblo faculty members gathered downstairs to voice concerns about their compensation.

A “teach-in” event was hosted by the CSU Pueblo American Association of University Professors chapter, where dozens of CSU Pueblo faculty members and leaders were joined by members of unions and academic groups including the Colorado AFL-CIO, Colorado Workers for Innovative and New Solutions (WINS), the national AAUP and the American Federation of Teachers.

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"The purpose of having this teach-in is to let faculty know that there is a way out of their low salaries, which is by joining the AAUP and helping bring on collective bargaining," said Jonathan Rees, president of the CSU Pueblo AAUP.

Faculty members are allowed to form unions in Colorado, but administrators are not required to collectively bargain with them. By growing the number of CSU Pueblo faculty members in the AAUP, Rees said he hopes the university will recognize that improving pay for faculty is in its best interests.

In the fall 2021 semester, CSU Pueblo salary averages were below both national and state averages for full-time professors, assistant professors and lecturers, according to Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System statistics.

Full-time professors made $128,097 nationally, $117,859 statewide and $85,973 at CSU Pueblo. Assistant professors made $77,096 nationally, $78,755 statewide and $60,552 at CSU Pueblo. Lecturers made $66,667 nationally, $56,833 statewide and $40,882 at CSU Pueblo.

Fifteen CSU Pueblo faculty members took the podium at the teach-in. Among them was a senior lecturer who claimed to make about $200 more per semester at Pueblo Community College than at CSU Pueblo, an adjunct professor who said they made about $15,000 a year before getting another position at the university and an assistant professor who donates plasma to "make ends meet."

Matt Harris, director of the legal studies program at CSU Pueblo, took to the podium to encourage professors to share concerns in a "common language" that administrators can understand.

"I heard some people today talking about personal stories about economic hardship," he said. "I think that's really important. I think we all know faculty and colleagues who've taken second jobs. That does matter to people upstairs, because you can't be fresh in the class if you've just worked a night shift until 11 the night before."

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Prior to the teach-in, 24 CSU Pueblo faculty were members of the AAUP's CSU Pueblo chapter. However, membership has doubled in the past six months, Rees said. Teach-in attendees included a mix of AAUP members and non-AAUP members. Both Rees and AAUP organizer Ellen Kress encouraged faculty members to join during the teach-in to bolster their case that faculty members need raises.

"When enough faculty join, (administrators) will recognize what's best for the university: paying faculty more and talking to them more than they do now," Rees said.

Following the teach-in, Colorado State University Pueblo administrators said they support faculty and "shared governance," according to a university statement.

"CSU Pueblo supports faculty and believes strongly in shared governance," the statement said. "This week, CSU Pueblo hosted the CSU System Board of Governors on campus, so no member of leadership attended Thursday’s AAUP meeting; however, university leadership works closely with our Faculty Senate. Both the President and the Provost attend all Faculty Senate meetings and are available to work with Senate on any faculty concerns."

Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached by email at JBartolo@gannett.com.