I really doubt that the faculty will get a lot of sympathy from the average PA resident (who makes about half what they do).
I had a one-year job (visiting assistant professor) replacing someone on leave at one of those universities back in the 1980s...regular faculty were well-paid because of the union. Students were about the worst I ever encountered (lazy and apathetic) but maybe they are better at some of the other universities in the system. Would not have wanted to spend my whole career there.