Emeritus/Emerita Status*

*The Board of Trustees approved a resolution extending emeritus status to faculty outside of the tenure stream. The resolution states that “… Professors, Associate Professors or faculty with similarly senior titles within the non-tenure stream ranks who retire following long periods of distinguished service and meritorious contributions to the educational mission and programs of the University shall be granted the honor of Emeritus/Emerita status.” University policies 02-08-01 and 02-08-02 are being revised to reflect this change. After the policy changes are approved, the text below will be updated. In the interim, tenured faculty and faculty within the non-tenure stream ranks who retire and meet the criteria are eligible for emeritus status. The procedure for recommending emeritus status is the same for all faculty.

The policy on conferring the Emeritus title is set forth in the April 28, 1958 minutes of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. The Emeritus/Emerita title is conferred by the Board of Trustees but no formal Board action is required.

The Board of Trustees shall annually confer the title "Professor Emeritus" or "Associate Professor Emeritus" on all full-time members of the faculty holding those ranks when they retire in a given year. Academic administrators shall also be honored with emeritus status.

There are no special criteria for conferral of Emeritus/Emerita status upon academic appointments since such status is granted automatically on retirement, except that the person must be tenured and shall have made meritorious contributions to the educational mission and programs of the University. An academic administrator who holds that position at the time of retirement and has held membership in the University Senate and has at least 10 years of service may receive Emeritus status both as a member of the faculty and as an administrator.

Procedure for Emeritus/Emerita Status

  1. The chair or dean of the faculty member's academic unit initiates the recommendation for Emeritus/Emerita status. In exceptional cases, the dean may petition the Provost to grant Emeritus/Emerita status to faculty who are not tenured. Recommendations will include a curriculum vitae and a list of achievements during the faculty member’s term of University service. Concurrence by his or her dean and the Provost is required.
     
  2. Recommendations for academic administrators will be provided by the appropriate academic administrator and the Provost to the Chancellor.
     
  3. Each retired faculty member and academic administrator will receive a certificate that indicates the Emeritus/Emerita title. The certificate will be signed by the Provost, Chancellor, and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees. Faculty members and academic administrators conferred Emeritus/Emerita status with 25 years of service will also receive an engraved silver bowl. The Office of Faculty Records is responsible for the preparation of the Emeritus/Emerita certificate and silver bowl. Upon completion of the certificate and silver bowl, the academic unit will be notified.

Emeritus/Emerita Recognition

The conferral of the Emeritus/Emerita certificate should take place in a dignified collegial retirement ceremony, usually in the department, school, or regional campus of the faculty member completing active service. If possible, the Chancellor, Provost, or Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences should attend. Emeritus faculty members continue to be listed in their respective school or faculty bulletins.

The University Senate has established a provision to allow an Emeritus faculty member to continue as a Senate member for any year for which he or she requests continuation of membership. Such membership status includes the right to vote at Senate meetings and the right to stand for election as a member of a Senate Standing Committee, the Senate Council, or Faculty Assembly, or as a Senate officer. To request membership, the individual must write to the Director of the Senate starting the year of continued membership.