Around 60 members of Tulane University’s non-tenured track faculty union, Tulane Workers United, gathered in front of Gibson Hall on Thursday morning and marched inside, posting sticky notes on the walls and singing, “Solidarity Forever.”

Sticky notes had statements such as “Academic freedom now!,” “Living wage now!,” “Fair contract now!” and “77.6% Raise!,” citing an article posted by The Chronicle of Higher Education, which states that President Michael Fitts received a 77.6% salary increase from 2022 to 2023.

“I’m here today because we work very hard and we are the backbone that moves this university,” Renata Ribeiro, senior professor of practice in the School of Science and Engineering, said. “But we don’t have living wages; we don’t get fair raises. Our salaries are not keeping up with inflation, and we feel not valued by the university.”

The Chronicle’s article raised concerns among some faculty in the union. According to the article, Fitts received the eighth-highest salary among 223 chief executives at private colleges, at $3,012,000 in 2023.

In Tulane’s fiscal year 2024 non-profit tax filings provided by ProPublica, Fitts made $3,312,000 in estimated total compensation. The two figures from ProPublica and The Chronicle may differ because earnings are reported differently in tax filings and The Chronicle’s survey.

“We’re negotiating for a living wage; some of us make as low as $55,000 per year to teach three classes here at Tulane, which is probably not even tuition for one student,” Elena Daniele, senior professor of practice in Italian, said. “Hearing what the president’s salary is, while at the same time being told at the negotiating table that we cannot adjust what accounts for inflation, guaranteed raises for our salary, it’s hard.”

Union members also said their salaries do not reflect the cost of living in New Orleans.

“We all know the inequities that exist in New Orleans with the cost of living that are partially due to some of the policies that Tulane enacts Downtown,” Berlisha Morton, visiting assistant professor in English, said. “In a city that is hard to live in, it’s only right for an institution that is so prestigious that has such resources to support the staff that support our wonderful students.”

The union is still negotiating its contract with the university, a process that began in the spring of 2024 after non-tenure-track faculty organized and sought formal recognition.

“The progress we’re making is slow, so we hope that bringing attention to our union will apply some pressure,” Daniele said.

“It’s only right if we are an institution whose motto is not for oneself, but for one’s own,” Morton said. “We are Tulane’s own.”