This summer, some of us will be changing jobs. It is a burden if you didn’t choose to leave. It is a delight if you are moving to a “better place.” Whatever the reason, those who are leaving have a few things in common — packing, moving, and resigning. The tricky part of this separation is the resignation.
A whole genre of advice — known as quit lit— looks at why and when to leave. But little is written about how to quit a faculty post or exit the profession. Leaving an academic job is different than vacating a nonacademic one. A professor can’t just give two weeks’ notice and walk out the door. I’ve submitted my share of resignation letters and watched others leave their posts, so I’ve gleaned a few tips on how to depart a faculty position gracefully.There is no good time to resign. But there are ways to make the process go more smoothly for everyone.
Make sure you have somewhere to go. Unless you’re independently wealthy, don’t give up your job until you have another one in hand. At the very least, have a plan for what you want to do next.
Check the faculty handbook for separation guidelines. Know when your contract ends and if/when you are required to submit a letter of resignation. Some institutions, like Pitt, have explicit guidelines that are easy to find. Others do not. If you can’t find any, consider the American Association of University Professors’ statement on appointment ethics. Section 3, Part C reads: “An offer of appointment to a faculty member serving at another institution should be made no later than May 1, consistent with the faculty member’s obligation to resign, in order to accept other employment, no later than May 15. It is recognized that, in special cases, it might be appropriate to make an offer after May 1, but in such cases there should be an agreement by all concerned parties.” Use the AAUP statement as a guardrail during the resignation process.
Know which benefits you will lose and gain. Contact human resources to verify the status of your benefits after your resignation date. What happens to your health insurance? What is COBRA, and why does the name sound so menacing? (It’s gap health coverage and the price can take a big bite out of your summer budget.) Not all campuses will continue health coverage after your last day on the job.
Have a contingency plan to carry you through until your next paycheck. Some lucky faculty will have a seamless transition between employers. Many of us, however, may have to wait a month or two to receive a paycheck. If you fall into the latter group, determine your expenses and how much income you’ll typically need to cover them. If you have an emergency fund, be prepared to use it. Consider other potential ways to bridge the gap — e.g., take on a temporary side gig to earn extra money; tap into your IRA (but only if absolutely necessary).
Guard your professional reputation as you leave. In any resignation, it’s essential to control the narrative. Reputation management is important in all jobs, but it is critical when you are in a field that counts collegiality as a great asset and a metric for tenure. Reputation is an intangible entity, but it is based on your behavior, others’ perceptions of your trustworthiness, and your (real and perceived) performance.
Given that, how much of your reputation do you want to risk in resigning? Among the questions to ponder before you start writing any resignation letter: Do you really want to burn bridges? Do you want to maintain ties with your soon-to-be-former colleagues? Do you ever want to return? Do you want the department to collapse into itself like a black hole? Will your letter be forwarded to others in your field? Do you give a damn? Your answers will guide your next steps.
Write the letter. While it may be tempting totell your employer to “take this job and shove it,” that may not be the best way to close out your academic career at this institution. Resignation letters should generally be short and sweet. Indicate when your last day will be, but save the long list of grievances for Festivus. Fresno State offers a template that is three sentences long:
I am writing to inform you that I am resigning my position as [classification title/job title] in [name of department] effective [insert date]. I am resigning my position because [state reason why resigning position]. Thank you for the opportunity to work at California State University, Fresno.
Let that be your guide — unless you decide, like this professor, that you’ve got nothing left to lose. In that case, tell them how you really feel. Lay out your grievances. Tell your story and get it off your chest. Explain and justify. Detail and point out flaws. Let them know that you did not come to play but to slay (with metaphors, juxtapositions, praxis, or epistemology). Do what floats your boat. Just know that the university: (a) may not care and (b) may not respond (see the professor’s example above). That’s your call (read: funeral). Personally, I tend to err on the side of concise letters that don’t give anyone ammunition for character assassination or calls of incompetence.
Break the news. Leaving behind graduate mentees, trusted colleagues, work friends, and undergraduates is difficult. However, your work friends will appreciate the heads up, and your students deserve advance notice so they can either plan for your absence on their committee or work out a way to keep you as a shadow adviser/mentor. (Just be sure to tell your supervisor first, so s/he doesn’t get the news secondhand.) Bring tissues, doughnuts, and/or wine to these meetings to soften the blow.
Corollary: Return all the things — office supplies, books, and the like— you borrowed from people. Don’t be the Homer Simpson to your colleagues’ Ned Flanders. Give back that copy of Karlyn Kohrs Campbell’s The Rhetorical Act even if you had it for five years and you swear your colleague won’t miss it.
Above all, be gracious about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the whole process. Not only is Beyoncé always on beat, she is sage wisdom personified in “Formation.” Being kind and pleasant in the aftermath is a good strategy. Remember: The sweetest revenge in academe is always publishing a successful book or paper — and/or moving on to bigger and better things (or higher pay).
