Colleges are using a variety of approaches to make retirement an attractive option for tenured faculty members. Here are seven examples.
Phased retirement
Bentley University allows faculty members to phase into retirement over a few years by working less for the same or reduced pay. The process reduces the shock of leaving academe cold turkey, and it allows the university to make planning for new hires easier.
Retirement payment
To encourage professors to consider retiring at ages 65 to 70, Princeton University offers them a one-time payment, on a sliding scale, for signing a commitment to retire in a few years. Those age 69, for example, get a sum equal to half of their annual salary, while those age 65 get 1.5 times their salary.
Faculty-retirement liaison
How to help faculty members view retirement as an opportunity, not a threat.
A few institutions in the University of California system are hiring retired professors as liaisons who can meet with faculty members to help navigate retirement-related issues like how to negotiate an exit with a dean and how to remain engaged with the university in retirement.
New titles
The University of California at Los Angeles created a “research professor” title for professors who stay active in research after they retire. The title, administrators say, gives faculty members an advantage when applying for grants by indicating active engagement in a way that “emeritus professor” does not.
Terminal sabbaticals
Widener University this year proposed a sabbatical from which professors do not return to the faculty. The sabbatical could involve a traditional activity, like writing a book, or something unconventional, like revamping the curriculum.
Planning agreements
In 2008, UCLA created a program in which faculty members can negotiate perks for the last years of their employment — for example, a reduced load of teaching to pursue a research project. These agreements allow departments to better plan their hiring decisions.
Post-retirement programming
The University of Southern California looks for ways to keep retired scholars engaged on campus and in the community. Administrators created a “college” in the Emeriti Center that arranges lectures, short courses, and book clubs for retirees.
Vimal Patel covers graduate education. Follow him on Twitter @vimalpatel232, or write to him at vimal.patel@chronicle.com.
