This report on faculty salaries in Washington public higher education is divided into two parts: a status report and a commentary dealing with the questions emanating from an analysis of faculty salaries and fringe benefits. The status report provides background information on faculty salary recommendations made by the Council for Postsecondary Education plus information on salary increases appropriated and granted in 1977-78. Data are also presented indicating the current trends in the cost of living and information on multi-state and national comparisons. The commentary section raises five questions that should be addressed prior to the 1979 legislative session. These questions are: (1) What personnel should be included in the base for measuring faculty salary averages? (2) Should equity-based recommendations relate to overall averages or solely to continuing faculty? (4) Should salary comparisons be improved? and (5) What is the effect of tenure on faculty salary averages? Specific answers are not proposed. (Author/LBH)