University Times

The University’s Board of Trustees has approved expanding the conferral of emeritus/emerita status to non-tenure-stream faculty.

Under a policy in place since 1958, full-time tenured professors or associate professors were eligible for emeritus/emerita honors on their retirement, although “in exceptional cases” deans could petition the provost to grant emeritus/emerita status to non-tenured faculty, according to the faculty handbook. Longtime academic administrators who have held membership in the University Senate also were eligible for emeritus/emerita status on their retirement.

Acting in tandem in brief public sessions on Oct. 6, the board’s academic affairs/libraries committee recommended and the board’s executive committee approved a resolution to extend emeritus/emerita status as well to “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.”

The Council of Deans and University Senate endorsed the proposed changes last year. (See Nov. 12, 2015, University Times.)

“The conferral of all such honors shall be announced annually by the University; faculty with emeritus/emerita status shall be eligible for non-voting membership in the University Senate in accordance with the provisions of its bylaws; those individuals with emeritus/emerita status shall be listed in their respective University bulletins and shall be invited to attend University ceremonies,” the resolution stated.

In addition, the executive committee delegated to the academic affairs/libraries committee responsibility for approving future amendments to the statement on the conferral of emeritus/emerita status.

The changes take effect immediately, Provost Patricia E. Beeson told the University Times.

—Kimberly K. Barlow