SANTA CRUZ: OFFICE OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE
May 31, 2022
LORI KLETZER
Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
RE: SEC/SCFA on Senate Faculty Range Adjustments and Salary Equity Planning
Dear Lori,
We write, first, to express our appreciation that the administration has
committed to applying President Drake’s proposed October 1, 2022 4%
general range adjustment to total faculty salaries (on-scale, off-scale,
and above-scale). In addition, we appreciate the fact that SCFA was
properly noticed (5/20/22 email from Barbara Greening to SCFA Co-Chairs),
in keeping with the expectation that SCFA always be notified with regard
to campus administrative decisions that change the terms and conditions
of our employment.
We do remain concerned, however, that SCFA was not noticed on a similar
change to the terms and conditions of our employment in 2021- 22
(President Drake’s 3% range adjustment and its local application).
In an email sent on December 14, 2021, SCFA detailed concerns raised by
Senate faculty about the campus administration’s decision to exclude
off-scale and thereby not augment the basic range adjustment. SCFA’s
email offered an opportunity for the campus administration to act in
good faith and, despite not having sent notice, to begin the bargaining
process at that time. We are hopeful that the administration’s recent
notice to SCFA regarding the proposed 2022-23 changes is an indication
of a new commitment to faculty rights as represented by SCFA.
Finally, we appreciate your attention to salary equity on our campus.
The Senate looks forward to opining on your proposed UCSC Faculty Salary
Equity Program (mentioned at the May 20, 2022 Senate meeting and in
your May 20, 2022 notice to SCFA). SCFA appreciates being noticed on
this issue so as to allow us to meet and confer once we have seen
the proposal.
While we support individual salary adjustments for overall equity at
UCSC, we feel strongly that any salary equity initiatives on our campus
cannot be at the expense of UCSC’s ability to address our lag relative
to the other campuses in the system. We emphasize this point in light of the
rationale sent to SCFA leadership regarding the campus’ decision not to
increase off-scale salaries for 2021-22:
As our colleagues know, increasing the off-scale increments will
increase salary inequality, as the highest salaries have the largest
off-scale components (generally speaking). Not increasing the
off-scale salaries for the 2021-22 year was toward the interest
of mitigating salary inequality.
In addition, the dollars not spent on increasing off-scale salaries
were available for a salary equity program. We will be coming forward
with a faculty salary equity program to be effective Oct. 1, 2022.
(email from Barbara Greening to Debbie Gould, April 12, 2022)
We believe the administration’s explanation may have the unfortunate
effect of pitting individual salary equity against campuswide salary
equity relative to the system. Given our joint commitment to UCSC salary
equity vis-à-vis the system and our refusal to pit these two types
of equity against each other, we request, once more, that the 2021-22
3% increase to the scales be extended to off-scale salaries as well.
Had SCFA been noticed and given the opportunity to meet and confer, SCFA
would have bargained for such an increase on behalf of all Senate faculty.
We hope that there is a way for us to resolve this remaining salary
issue before the end of the academic year. We look forward to hearing
from you.
Sincerely,
David Brundage, Chair
On behalf of the Senate Executive Committee
Debbie Gould and Steve McKay
On behalf of SCFA