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Emerita/Emeritus Status

Policy Statement

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The bestowal of Emerita/Emeritus status is an honor awarded to eligible individuals who have achieved a career of professional accomplishment and provided distinguished service to the University, the community, and their professional discipline or profession.

Who needs to read this policy?

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Faculty: To be eligible for nomination for Emerita/Emeritus status, a faculty member must declare the intention to retire from the University.

Faculty who have attained the requisite age and service record to retire under the provisions of the governing collective bargaining agreement or handbook but who are not otherwise eligible for post-retirement benefits, may still be eligible for consideration for Emerita/Emeritus status.

Deans: To be eligible for nomination, a Dean must have served in that capacity at ̽̽ for at least five years and hold a secondary faculty appointment at ̽̽.

Provost: To be eligible for nomination, a Provost must have served in that capacity at ̽̽ for at least five years and hold a secondary faculty appointment at ̽̽.

President: To be eligible for nomination, a President must have served in that capacity at ̽̽ for at least five years.

Other Officers of Administration: The President may award the honorary title of Emeritus to retiring Officers of Administration who served the University with distinction.

What else do I need to know?

Nominations and Decisions
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Faculty. It is within a Dean’s discretion whether to nominate an otherwise eligible faculty member for Emerita/Emeritus status in view of the standard established in this Policy Statement. If the Dean wishes to nominate a faculty member for this status, during the semester preceding the faculty member’s retirement the Dean should make such a nomination to the Provost, accompanied by a succinct statement summarizing the professional accomplishments and distinguished service of the faculty member and a copy of the current curriculum vitae. The Provost will notify the Dean of the decision. Announcement of Emeriti title awards will customarily be made at the first Commencement following the decision.

Deans. It is within the Provost’s discretion whether to nominate an otherwise eligible Dean for Emerita/Emeritus status in view of the standard established in the Policy Statement. If the Provost wishes to nominate a Dean, customarily during the semester preceding or immediately following the individual’s departure from the administrative appointment the Provost should make such a nomination to the President, accompanied by a succinct statement summarizing the professional accomplishments and distinguished service of the Dean and a copy of the current curriculum vitae. The President will notify the Provost of the decision. Public announcement of Emeriti status awards will typically be made at the first Commencement following the decision.

Provost. It is within the President’s discretion whether to nominate an otherwise eligible Provost for Emerita/Emeritus status in view of the standard established in the Policy Statement. If the President wishes to nominate the Provost, during the semester preceding or immediately following the individual’s departure from the provostial appointment the President should make such a nomination to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, accompanied by a succinct statement summarizing the professional accomplishments and distinguished service of the Provost and a copy of the current curriculum vitae. The Chair shall refer the nomination to the Executive Committee of the Board, which will take action on the nomination. The President will notify the Provost of the decision. Public announcements of the Emeritus/Emerita title award will customarily be made at the first Commencement and the first Board meeting following the decision.

President. It is within the discretion of the Chair of the Board of Trustees whether to nominate the President for Emerita/Emeritus status in view of the standard established in the Policy Statement. If the Chair wishes to nominate the President, during the semester preceding or immediately following the President’s departure from the presidential appointment the Chair should make such a nomination to the Board Executive Committee, accompanied by a succinct statement summarizing the professional accomplishments and distinguished service of the President and a copy of the current curriculum vitae. The Chair will notify the President of the decision. Public announcement of Emerita/Emeritus title award will customarily be made at the first Commencement and the first Board meeting following the decision.

Revocation of Emerita/Emeritus Status
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Emerita/Emeritus status may be revoked for conduct that would otherwise have led to the for- cause termination of the individual to whom the title has been granted. The revocation is effected by the official(s) who, ex officio, would otherwise have the authority to approve the award of the status.

Titles
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Faculty: For tenured faculty, the Emeriti title will be a recitation of the type of academic appointment, followed by the academic discipline, and emerita/emeritus (e.g., Professor of [academic discipline] emerita or emeritus).

For tenured faculty who hold the title of University Distinguished Professor, the Emeriti title will be University Distinguished Professor of [academic discipline] emerita/emeritus. For tenured faculty who hold an endowed professorship or named chair, the title may be continued into retirement if all of the following conditions apply:

  1. The donor language does not prohibit it;
  2. The dean of the school or college makes a request to the Provost, at the time of retirement, that the title be included in the emerita/emeritus title;
  3. The faculty is full professor at retirement; and
  4. The faculty is the holder of the professorship/chair at retirement.

If all conditions are met, the Emerita/Emeritus title will be [name of professorship/chair] Professor of [discipline] Emerita/Emeritus.

For non-tenured faculty, the title will normally be identification of the type of appointment, and emerita/emeritus (e.g., Senior Lecturer Emerita or Emeritus).

Deans, Provost, or the President: The title will be a recitation of the type of administrative appointment and emerita/emeritus (e.g., Dean of the College of Arts and Science emerita; or a recitation of the type of academic appointment, followed by the academic discipline, and emerita/emeritus (e.g., Professor of [academic discipline] emerita).

Recognition and Privileges
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Emeriti will be recognized ceremonially at the time of retirement or departure through acknowledgement in the University Commencement program and the award of a certificate of Emerita/Emeritus status. Thereafter, Emeriti faculty will be listed in the Catalogue by the year in which the status was granted (i.e., “the Emeriti class of 20_”).

An Emeriti title does not make the holder an employee or agent of the university, or give allowance to otherwise conduct business on behalf of the university.

In addition, Emeriti are afforded the following privileges:

  • Issuance of University identification card signifying emerita/emeritus status;
  • Authorization to display of emerita/emeritus status on University business cards and letterhead and professional use of the title;
  • Participation in University ceremonies affirming the academic mission of the University, such as Convocation and Commencement;
  • Attendance at, and participation in, College/School or departmental meetings and functions in accordance with any governing College or School Bylaws and otherwise at the invitation of the appropriate Dean or Chair;
  • Receipt of, or access to, professionally appropriate University publications, news and events mailing lists insofar as feasible;
  • At the discretion of the relevant academic department or program head and College or School Dean, and based upon the availability of resources, an emerita/emeritus faculty member may be provided office and laboratory space, office support and other resources to be used for professional purposes consistent with the department or program, College or School, and University mission. Such allocations shall be reviewed annually by the department or program head.

The privileges just summarized are in addition to the rights accorded ̽̽ retirees under governing contracts, policies and plans.

Appointments After Retirement
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Upon favorable recommendation of the relevant department Chair or program head and Dean, Emeriti faculty may be granted a University faculty appointment on a part- or full-time basis following the effective date of retirement. If, upon appointment, the individual becomes eligible for inclusion in an established bargaining unit, the terms and conditions of any collective bargaining agreement governing such unit will apply and supersede the emeriti provisions of this Policy until the individual resumes non- active Emeritus/Emerita status. If the faculty member is not a member of a bargaining unit, the provisions of the relevant handbook will apply and supersede the Emeriti provisions of this Policy until the individual resumes non-active Emeritus/Emerita status.

Upon favorable recommendation of the relevant department Chair or program head and Dean, and the approval of the Provost, Emeriti may serve as Principal Investigators or work on sponsored grants or contracts, provided that (1) full-time faculty active in research will receive priority for laboratory space and access to other resources; and (2) resource use requests must be reviewed annually by the department chair or program head and Dean. Sponsored grants and contracts will otherwise be administered pursuant to customary ̽̽ Sponsored Project Administration policies and procedures.

Is there education available?
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Training will be provided on an as-needed basis as determined by the Approval Authority or the Responsible Official.

What if I still have questions?

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Questions concerning the daily operational interpretation of this policy should be directed to the following (in accordance with the policy elaboration and procedures):

Title(s)/Department(s):Contact Information:
Office of the Provost(802) 656-9220

Version History

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Responsible Official:Provost and Senior Vice President
Policy Number:V. 2.30.2
Approval Authority:President
Effective Date:March 18, 2019
Revision History:
  • V.2.30.1 effective October 10, 2016
  • Reaffirmed November 14, 2022

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