University Times

Pitt mailed packages of materials detailing its new early retirement plan for tenured faculty to 375 eligible professors this week.

The administration had planned to send out the documents earlier this month, but delayed the mailing until administrators and University Senate leaders could agree on wording of the legal contract that professors must sign to participate in the plan.

Faculty Assembly members had criticized some of the contract language as "dubious" and "exorbitantly broad," and warned that it could be used to undermine faculty rights and legal protections beyond the scope of the early retirement plan.

Following the Nov. 4 Assembly meeting, University Senate President Gordon MacLeod conferred with Pitt law school professor William Brown, himself a former Senate president. Brown suggested substitute language in three paragraphs of the contract — changes that both the administration and Senate leaders quickly accepted.

"These changes clarified the contract language and addressed the concerns raised by the Faculty Assembly," MacLeod said.

For example, in the following excerpt from the final contract, additional language drafted by Brown is in italics: "In exchange for the payments and benefits offered by the University as described above in this agreement, the faculty member hereby releases and discharges the University, its officers, trustees, employees, affiliates, successors and assigns from all liability, in connection with the faculty member's entry into the plan, separation from the University, or other matters connected with termination of tenure or employment by the University, based upon claims of any nature whatsoever, including claims of negligence, breach of contract, violation of federal, state or local laws which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age and disability…and any other similar laws including claims of any nature whatsoever based upon any act or omission which occurred before the date on which this agreement becomes effective." In addition to thanking Brown, MacLeod expressed appreciation to Chancellor Mark Nordenberg and Board of Trustees Secretary Robert Dunkelman for delaying the mailing and helping to finalize the wording of the contract.

Eligible, tenured faculty may sign up for the plan from Jan. 1 to March 31. The administration and Pitt trustees set a goal of enticing 30 percent of those professors to retire.

— Bruce Steele