On the afternoon of June 24, 2026, CalArts and CU-UAW met to continue negotiations on consolidated economic proposals. CalArts presented proposals on (1) Regular and Technical Faculty Compensation, (2) Staff Compensation, (3) Health Benefits, (4) Professional Development, and (5) Retirement. CU-UAW presented a counterproposal on Leaves.
The parties began with a discussion of relevant financial information. Provost Mike Bryant reviewed the Faculty Salary Advancement Plan (“FSAP”) for Regular and Technical Faculty (“RT Faculty”), along with salary studies conducted by Mercer in 2015 and Huron in 2024. The 2024 Huron study, which involved the Academic Council, compared RT faculty salaries across CalArts’ schools to nationwide comparators, and RT faculty were able to submit additional schools for comparison. The study found that, under the FSAP, more than 90% of CalArts faculty earned salaries above the median and nearly half had salaries in the highest compensation level (above the 75th percentile). These results reflect the strength of the FSAP, which was developed through shared governance. Building on that foundation, CalArts’ counterproposal on RT Faculty salaries provides for an across-the-board increase of 2.0% in each of 2027 and 2028. This increase is in addition to the step increases RT faculty receive every three years and merit increases. The step increases amount to approximately a 4.0% wage increase every three years, or about 1.3% per year on average. Together with the 2.0% across-the-board increase, this represents an approximately 3.3% increase year over year.
CFO Lori Husein presented on CalArts’ staff compensation philosophy and its 2022 staff compensation study. That comprehensive study examined the market for all staff positions at CalArts and resulted in an overall increase of approximately 12% in staff compensation as salaries were adjusted toward market. CalArts maintains a compensation philosophy under which staff compensation is set within an established range relative to market. CalArts also reviews compensation when new positions are filled and adjusts the salaries of employees in comparable positions to maintain internal equity, and position groups are re-evaluated when market pace suggests that it is outstripping the study. Consistent with this approach, CalArts proposed a 2.0% wage increase for staff in each of 2027 and 2028. By way of context, across-the-board annual increases at CalArts have averaged approximately 1.8% since 2014.
CalArts is continuing to develop course minimum payments for Special Faculty and expects to provide a counterproposal on Special Faculty compensation in an upcoming session.
The parties are moving closer to agreement on parental leave. CalArts has also offered an additional Staff Development Fund and locked-in funding amounts for existing faculty funds.
On health benefits, CalArts noted that it already provides among the lowest possible employee contributions toward healthcare premiums (when compared nationally)—as low as 12.8% to 24.6% for family coverage for bargaining unit employees—through a tiered structure. To add to that benefit, CalArts has proposed to help address out-of-pocket costs by providing a healthcare emergency fund.
On retirement, CalArts discussed maintaining all employer matches while temporarily adjusting the Institute’s contribution from 6.5% to 5.5%, in order to offset its offers to enhance various other benefits and ensure fiscal responsibility during the current structural deficit.