Gregoire chastises WWU president over giving faculty big pay raises

Gov. Chris Gregoire has chastised Western Washington University for giving "significant salary increases" to faculty during a poor economy while students faced tuition hikes of 16 percent.

"In the worst economic times in 80 years, I am surprised that Western has entered into a collective bargaining agreement that provides for a salary increase of 5.25 percent effective in 2012-13, a 4.25 percent salary increase each year during the 2013-15 biennium, a 10 percent increase for faculty and instructors who are promoted, and an additional 15 percent increase in stipends for department chairs," Gregoire wrote in the letter that WWU President Bruce Shepard received on Monday, July 2.