Compensation · Presidents
Campus president compensation decisions, 2006 to 2026
Twenty years of Board actions, year by year. Each line is a resolution or an agenda item; the figures are the ones printed there. Where a year has no president action in the resolutions checked, it says so.
The range over twenty years
The document shows: the lowest base salary on a systemwide table rose from $228,921 (Maritime, effective July 1, 2006) to $370,319 (Stanislaus, effective July 1, 2025), and the highest from $298,372 (San Luis Obispo, 2006) to $611,203 (San Luis Obispo, 2025). The evidence suggests two step changes rather than a steady climb: the July 2022 action (a 7 percent increase plus the first equity adjustments) and the November 2025 action under the new policy. The record does not establish total cash compensation for any year, because incentive payments actually made are not published.
Lowest and highest base salary at five-year marks
| Year | Lowest | Highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Maritime Academy, William B. Eisenhardt, $220,116 before July 1, 2006; $228,921 after | San Luis Obispo, Warren J. Baker, $286,896; $298,372 after July 1, 2006 | UFP Jan 23–24, 2007, Item 1, p. 2 of 3 (RUFP 01-07-01) |
| 2011 | No systemwide table in 2011. Nearest record: Maritime $258,680 (Sept 2007 table), unchanged through June 2014 | $350,000: San Luis Obispo, Jeffrey D. Armstrong (RUFP 01-11-01) and San Diego, Elliot Hirshman (RUFP 07-11-04), plus $30,000 and $50,000 foundation supplements | Resolutions Jan and Jul 2011; Nov 2014 UFP Item 4 "current" column |
| 2016 | Maritime, Thomas Cropper, $262,650 → $267,903 | San Diego, Elliot Hirshman, $370,240 → $378,645 (plus $50,000 supplement) | UFP Jul 19, 2016, Item 3, p. 3 of 4 |
| 2021 | No systemwide table in 2021. Nearest: Maritime $291,324 (Jul 2019 table; confirmed as "prior salary" in Jul 2022) | San Diego, Adela de la Torre, $454,749 (Jul 2019 table) | UFP Jul 23–24, 2019, Item 3, p. 2 of 3 |
| 2026 | Channel Islands, Susan A. Andrzejewski (interim), $370,251; lowest non-interim: Stanislaus, Britt Rios-Ellis, $370,319 | San Luis Obispo, Jeffrey D. Armstrong, $611,203 | CSU Executive Compensation Summary, updated 8/4/2026 |
The policy that governed each period
| Date | Action | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 18–19, 2007 | RUFP 09-07-06 | Directed the CSU "to attain parity with the average of the 20 comparator institutions" by 2010–11, phased over four years. The phase-in did not occur; executives received 0 percent in 2010–11 through 2013–14. |
| Jan 25, 2012 | RSCPSC 01-12-01 | A successor president's publicly funded base salary "shall not exceed ten percent" above the previous incumbent's pay. |
| May 8–9, 2012 | RSCPSC 05-12-02 | Tightened: the successor's publicly funded base "shall not exceed the previous incumbents pay"; foundation supplements capped at 10 percent of base. |
| Nov 18, 2015 | RUFP 11-15-02 | Single policy for all employees; successor "should not exceed the incumbent's salary by more than 10%"; chancellor authorized to negotiate starting salaries. |
| Sep 20, 2017 | RUFP 09-17-04 and 09-17-05 | From January 1, 2018 "a president's salary can only be funded with state funds"; foundation supplements folded into base. |
| Nov 20, 2019 | RUFP 11-19-10 | Presidential pay to be considered at triennial performance reviews, effective January 1, 2020. |
| Sep 15, 2021 | RUFP 09-21-06 | Salary assessments move toward the peer-group median over three years; first-year cap of 10 percent. |
| May 22, 2024 | RUFP 05-24-07 | Revised policy: successor "should not (absent extenuating circumstances) exceed the incumbent's salary" by more than 10 percent; state funds only; market data every five years. |
| Nov 19, 2025 | RUFP 11-25-13, -14, -15 | New Policy on Executive Compensation: eliminates the 10 percent target; annual performance incentive up to 15 percent of base; 457(f) deferred compensation for PEPRA executives; housing tiers of $80,000 and $60,000; peer positioning at 85 to 110 percent or more of median; market studies at least every three years. Incentive and deferred compensation funded from non-state, non-tuition, non-student-fee sources. |
Year by year
| Year | Actions found |
|---|---|
| 2006 | May: Monterey Bay, Dianne F. Harrison, $230,016 (RUFP 05-06-03). July: East Bay, Mohammad H. Qayoumi, $237,072 plus $60,000 housing (RUFP 07-06-04). Nov: transition-of-executives policy (RUFP 11-06-06). |
| 2007 | Jan: 4 percent adjustment for all 23 presidents effective July 1, 2006 (RUFP 01-07-01; UFP Item 1 table). Mar: Dominguez Hills interim Boice M. Bowman, $200,000 plus $5,000 monthly housing. Jul: Dominguez Hills, Mildred García, $295,000. Sep: compensation policy (RUFP 09-07-06) and an average 11.8 percent executive increase effective July 1, 2007 (RUFP 09-07-07); table range Maritime $258,680 to San Luis Obispo $328,209; $1,000 monthly vehicle allowance noted. |
| 2008 | Jan: Board adopts Ad Hoc Committee response to the Bureau of State Audits (RBOT 01-08-01). Jul: San José acting president Carmen Sigler, $240,000 rate; San José, Jon S. Whitmore, $328,209 plus $25,000 foundation supplement (RUFP 07-08-03). |
| 2009 | None found. Jul: Title 5 amended to allow furloughs and pay reductions for executives (RUFP 07-09-02). |
| 2010 | Jul: San José interim Don W. Kassing, $328,200 plus $25,000 supplement; San Luis Obispo interim Robert Glidden, $328,200 (RES Jul 2010). |
| 2011 | Jan: San Luis Obispo, Jeffrey D. Armstrong, $350,000 plus $30,000 foundation supplement (RUFP 01-11-01). May: San José, Qayoumi, $328,200 plus $25,000; East Bay interim Leroy M. Morishita, $276,055 plus $60,000 housing. Jul: San Diego, Elliot Hirshman, $350,000 plus $50,000 supplement (RUFP 07-11-04). Sep: presidential selection process adopted (RUFP 09-11-05). |
| 2012 | Jan: interims at Northridge (Hellenbrand) and Fullerton (Hagan), $295,000 each; presidential compensation policy (RSCPSC 01-12-01). Mar: East Bay, Morishita, $303,660 plus $60,000 housing; Fullerton, García, $324,500. May: revised policy (RSCPSC 05-12-02). Jul: seven appointments (RUFP 07-12-06), including Northridge Harrison $295,000 plus $29,500 supplement; San Bernardino Morales $290,000 plus $60,000 housing plus $29,000 supplement; San Francisco Wong $298,749 plus $60,000 housing plus $26,251 supplement; Maritime Cropper $250,000. Nov: Chancellor-select White, $380,000 (context). |
| 2013 | Jul (RUFP 07-13-03): Dominguez Hills, Hagan, $295,000; Monterey Bay, Ochoa, $270,315; Stanislaus, Sheley, $270,000 plus $50,000 housing; Fresno, Joseph I. Castro, $299,000; Los Angeles, Covino, $299,000 plus $60,000 housing; Long Beach interim Para, $320,329. |
| 2014 | Mar: Long Beach, Jane Close Conoley, $320,329. May: Humboldt, Rossbacher, $297,870 plus $50,000 housing. Nov: Pomona, Soraya M. Coley, $292,000 ("does not exceed the previous incumbent's pay"); 3 percent increase for all executives effective July 1, 2014 (RUFP 11-14-08); table range Maritime $257,500 to San Diego $362,000. |
| 2015 | May: Sacramento, Robert Nelsen, $303,850 plus $60,000 housing. Jul: San José interim Susan Martin, $346,000; 2 percent executive increase effective July 1, 2015 (RUFP 07-15-02); range $262,650 to $370,240. Nov: new employee compensation policy (RUFP 11-15-02). |
| 2016 | Jan: San José, Mary Papazian, $371,000; Sonoma, Judy K. Sakaki, $298,000 plus $60,000 housing. Mar: Channel Islands, Erika D. Beck, $283,000 plus $60,000; Chico, Gayle E. Hutchinson, $293,643 plus $50,000. May: Stanislaus, Ellen N. Junn, $283,662 plus $50,000. Jul: 2 percent increase (RUFP 07-16-07); range $267,903 to $378,645. |
| 2017 | May: San Diego interim Sally F. Roush, $428,645. Sep: 2.5 percent increase effective July 1, 2017 with foundation supplements folded into base January 1, 2018 (RUFP 09-17-04); San Marcos Haynes $289,944 → $326,912 (a 10 percent equity adjustment plus 2.5 percent); policy amended (RUFP 09-17-05). |
| 2018 | Jan: San Diego, Adela de la Torre, $428,645; Fullerton, Framroze Virjee, $356,431. Mar: Bakersfield, Zelezny, $313,044 plus $50,000; Dominguez Hills, Thomas Parham, $324,029 plus $60,000. Jul: 3 percent increase (RUFP 07-18-07); range $282,839 to $441,504. |
| 2019 | Mar: Fullerton, Virjee, $367,124; San Marcos, Ellen J. Neufeldt, $336,719 plus $60,000. May: Humboldt, Tom Jackson Jr., $336,996; San Francisco, Lynn Mahoney, $367,690. Jul: 3 percent increase (RUFP 07-19-08); range $291,324 to $454,749. Nov: triennial-review policy (RUFP 11-19-10). |
| 2020 | Oct: East Bay, Cathy A. Sandeen, $389,238 plus $5,000 monthly housing; Northridge, Erika D. Beck, $415,952 plus $5,000 monthly. Nov: Fresno interim Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, $348,423; Channel Islands interim Richard D. Yao, $307,740 plus $5,000 monthly. No systemwide increase in 2020–21. |
| 2021 | May: Fresno, Jiménez-Sandoval, $348,423 ("unchanged from his interim role"). Sep: salary-assessment implementation process (RUFP 09-21-06). No systemwide increase. |
| 2022 | Jan: San José interim Stephen J. Perez, $403,433; Channel Islands, Yao, $338,514 plus $5,000 monthly. Jul (RUFP 07-22-12): 7 percent increase effective July 1, 2022 plus the first equity adjustments. Prior → final: Chico Hutchinson $319,314 → $413,416; Sonoma Sakaki $324,052 → $381,409; Stanislaus Junn $308,460 → $370,319; Los Angeles Covino $348,423 → $451,103; San Luis Obispo Armstrong $442,812 → $509,336; Long Beach Conoley $373,278 → $479,505; Pomona Coley $340,267 → $440,544; Fullerton Virjee $378,138 → $476,223; San Diego de la Torre $454,749 → $533,148; Humboldt Jackson $347,106 → $396,150; Dominguez Hills Parham $343,763 → $445,070; Bakersfield Zelezny $332,109 → $390,892; Maritime Cropper $291,324 → $349,746; San Marcos Neufeldt $346,821 → $436,783; 7 percent only: Channel Islands Yao $362,210; East Bay Sandeen $416,485; Fresno Jiménez-Sandoval $372,809; Monterey Bay Ochoa $337,046; Northridge Beck $445,069; Sacramento Nelsen $367,826; San Bernardino Morales $397,750; San Francisco Mahoney $405,231; San José Perez $431,673. Also Jul: Monterey Bay, Vanya Quiñones, $370,000. Sep: triennial equity adjustments, Morales to $446,276 and Mahoney to $445,755. Nov: San José, Cynthia Teniente-Matson, $474,840; Sonoma interim Lee to $381,409; Sacramento Nelsen in steps to $432,932. |
| 2023 | Jan: Pomona, Coley, $440,544 → $449,355 (RUFP 01-23-03). May: Chico, Perez, $454,757 plus $50,000 housing; Sacramento, J. Luke Wood, $476,225 plus $60,000; interims at Los Angeles (Morishita $496,213), Maritime (Dumont $370,241), Fullerton (Alva $476,223), Stanislaus (Borrego $370,319 plus housing). Jul: Sonoma, Lee, $381,409; equity adjustments for Mahoney ($463,585), Neufeldt ($445,519), Parham ($453,971), Morales ($455,201); Chancellor-select García $795,000 (context). Sep: Los Angeles, Berenecea Johnson Eanes, $496,213 plus $60,000; Bakersfield interim Harper, $390,892 plus $50,000. No systemwide increase. |
| 2024 | Mar: Stanislaus, Britt Rios-Ellis, $370,319 plus $50,000. May: Fullerton, Ronald S. Rochon, $498,130; triennial adjustments for Jiménez-Sandoval ($410,090), Sandeen ($458,134), Beck ($489,576), Yao ($370,251); revised policy (RUFP 05-24-07). Jul: Sonoma interim Cutrer, $381,408; Jiménez-Sandoval $410,090 → $476,015 (16.08 percent stated); Conoley $498,269, Coley $476,015, Mahoney $472,857. Sep: Bakersfield, Harper, $429,981 plus housing; Humboldt interim Spagna, $396,156 plus housing. No systemwide increase. |
| 2025 | Jul: Pomona interim Iris S. Levine, $476,016; Channel Islands interim Susan A. Andrzejewski, $370,251 plus $5,000 monthly. Sep: Humboldt, Richard A. Carvajal, $435,765 plus $50,000; Long Beach acting G. Andrew Jones, $498,269. Nov 19 (RUFP 11-25-11 to -15): Sonoma, Michael Spagna, $419,549 plus $60,000; Dominguez Hills interim Mary Ann Villarreal, $453,971 plus $60,000; new policy; and base adjustments effective July 1, 2025 (UFP Item 11, Attachment A): San Luis Obispo Armstrong $509,336 → $611,203 (15 percent incentive eligibility); San Diego de la Torre $533,148 → $559,805 (10%); San José Teniente-Matson $474,840 → $546,066 (15%); Northridge Beck $489,576 → $563,012 (15%, $61,244 deferred); Sacramento Wood $476,225 → $504,799 (10%); Fullerton Rochon $498,130 → $523,037 (10%, $61,244); Fresno Jiménez-Sandoval $476,015 → $523,617 (10%); San Francisco Mahoney $472,857 → $520,143 (10%); Los Angeles Eanes $496,213 → $521,024 (5%); San Bernardino Morales $455,201 → $477,961 (10%); San Marcos Neufeldt $445,519 → $467,795 (5%, $61,244); Dominguez Hills Parham $453,971 → $476,670; Monterey Bay Quiñones $370,000 → $421,800 (5%, $61,244); unchanged: East Bay $458,134, Chico $454,757, Humboldt $435,765 ($61,244 deferred), Bakersfield $429,981, Stanislaus $370,319. |
| 2026 | Jan: Long Beach, Loren J. Blanchard, $543,742 effective May 1, 2026, incentive up to 10 percent, $61,244 to the 457(f) plan (RUFP 01-26-02); total compensation philosophy (RUFP 01-26-01). Mar: Pomona, Vanya Quiñones, $492,500 effective July 1, 2026 (RUFP 03-26-06). Jul: San Bernardino, S. Terri Gomez, $426,916 plus $60,000 housing (RUFP 07-26-09); Monterey Bay interim Carlos Vargas-Aburto, $407,000 (RUFP 07-26-10); Morales transition assignment $343,920. Sep: no president compensation items. |
The test
Can a student at any campus find, in five minutes, what their president is paid in base salary, what incentive was actually paid last year, and which document approved each number?
Source box
- Primary documents
- Board of Trustees resolutions by meeting (bot-resolutions-<month><year>.pdf under calstate.edu/.../resolutions); Committee on University and Faculty Personnel agendas (linked above and in the research note); the CSU Executive Compensation Summary (updated 8/4/2026) and Policy on Executive Compensation (Nov 19, 2025).
- Dates
- Meetings from May 2006 through September 2026.
- Relevant pages
- Given per item in the research note, research/president-compensation-2006-2026.md; printed page headers were not present in most pre-2016 resolution PDFs as extracted.
- What the documents show
- The salary, housing, auto, and supplement terms the Board adopted, the effective dates, and the stated percentage where the document states one.
- What the record does not yet establish
- Incentive dollars actually paid under the 2025 policy; resolution numbers for the September 2022, November 2022, and September 2023 actions (resolution PDFs not retrievable; figures taken from UFP agendas); whether the 2018 raises were delayed after state objections (secondary report, unverified); total compensation in any year.
- Secondary sources
- California Faculty Association, Nov 20, 2025; CapRadio, Dec 22, 2025; CSU compensation FAQ (undated, pre-vote text).