California State University has reached a tentative contract agreement with teachers and other staff, the California Faculty Association announced Tuesday afternoon. The agreement averts a series of rolling walkouts CFA had planned for later this month.

"We have a tentative agreement on the CSU faculty contract that will be good for the CSU, good for our students, good for the faculty - and frankly it will be good for California," said CFA President John Travis.

Under the tentative agreement, faculty will receive a 21 percent pay raise over four years, resolving the salary dispute that had led to the long impasse. CFA said the increases will help faculty salaries catch up with the cost of living, especially in California's bigger, more expensive cities.

The raise in salaries means student fees may go up, said CFA Vice President Lillian Taiz.

The next step is for the agreement to be turned into a final contract and ratified in a vote of the faculty.