PSU Vanguard
by Alyssa Anderson
August 3, 2023
The PSU Faculty Association (PSUFA) met with Portland State’s administration on July 19 in another Cost of Living Increase (COLA) bargaining session for adjunct professors. The PSUFA—a democratic union advocating for part-time faculty at PSU since 1979—has negotiated for a COLA since March 10. The bargaining session on July 19 was the first time the PSU administration presented the PSUFA with an offer.
According to Shannon Kidd—an adjunct professor for the School of Art + Design—the PSU administration offered adjuncts an 8% increase on the top wage they could make. Another bargaining session was held on July 28 so PSUFA could respond to the offer.
“Adjuncts don’t really make hardly any money doing what we do, even though we’re just as qualified as full-time faculty,” Kidd said. “Even if we are offered a cost of living increase of 8%, it’s an 8% increase on the top wage we can be paid—which is about $25,000 a year—versus the lowest pay that full-time faculty can receive—which is usually about $60,000 a year. So an 8% increase in their wage versus an 8% increase in our wage doesn’t really match out. It’s an increase—that’s a win—but it’s still not very much.”