Emeritus Faculty (S-23)

Standard: S-23
Responsible Executive: President
Responsible Office: Office of the Provost
Date Issued: October 1, 2022
Date Last Revised: N/A

Table of Contents

Contacts
Individuals and Entities Affected
Statement of Standard
Responsibilities
Definitions (defined terms are capitalized throughout the document)
Related Documents, Forms and Tools
History and Updates
Appendix

Contacts

Clarification of Standard

Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
765-494-5425 | facultyaffairs@purdue.edu

Campus Specific Questions

Fort Wayne: Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
260-481-6113 | academicaffairs@pfw.edu

Northwest: Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
219-989-2446 | vcaa@pnw.edu

West Lafayette: Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
765-494-5425 | facultyaffairs@purdue.edu

Individuals and Entities Affected

• Deans
• Department/school heads
• All tenured and tenure-track faculty, clinical/professional faculty, and research faculty who meet the eligibility requirements for emeritus rank at the time of their retirement

Statement of Standard

The emeritus title is intended to honor those faculty who have produced significant contributions to Purdue University through teaching, research or engagement. The Board of Trustees specifies the basis for which the University may grant the honor through its resolution and procedures for implementation (see Related Documents, Forms and Tools section). This standard provides further explanation of the title’s purpose and function and serves as the President’s delegation of authority for conferring emeritus titles to faculty.

Emeritus rank may be conferred upon faculty members holding professorial rank at the time of their retirement. The following types of faculty members may be granted the emeritus title if they meet the eligibility requirements:

1. Tenured and tenure-track faculty as defined in the policy on Academic Tenure and Promotion (I.B.2), as amended or superseded.
2. Clinical/professional faculty members as defined in the policy on Clinical/Professional Faculty Appointment and Promotion (VI.F.10), as amended or superseded.
3. Research faculty members as defined in the policy on Research Faculty Appointment and Promotion (VI.F.8), as amended or superseded.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Faculty retirees must have a period of 10 years of continuous full-time service at Purdue University immediately preceding their retirement.
2. Faculty members with fewer than 10 years of employment at retirement who are nominated for emeritus rank may be moved forward for review/approval at the discretion of the dean of their college/school.
3. In addition to producing significant contributions to Purdue, candidates for the emeritus title must have embodied collegiality and good citizenship during their time with the University, treating all members of the University community with respect.
4. Eligibility for different emeritus titles:
   1. Faculty members holding professorial rank (assistant, associate, full) at the time of their retirement are eligible to carry the title Professor Emeritus, which typically has no rank included in it.
   2. Faculty members who hold the title of Distinguished or Named Professor at the time of retirement are eligible to carry the title Distinguished Professor Emeritus or Named Professor Emeritus.
   3. Faculty members who hold an administrative title of Dean or other executive role are eligible for an administrative emeritus title (such as Dean Emeritus), even if they continue as active faculty in their home unit after stepping down from the administrative position.
   4. Deans may request that the Provost consider other emeriti titles as they deem appropriate (Center Director Emeritus, Department Head Emeritus, etc.).

Privileges

Individuals who receive the emeritus rank are granted the following privileges:

1. Use of the approved emeritus title.
2. Inclusion of their name with the faculty in the bulletin of their college or school.
3. Invitations to academic and university functions in the areas of their interests.
4. At the discretion of the dean of their college/school, invitations to attend faculty meetings with the privileges of the floor but no vote.
5. Eligibility to serve as a graduate faculty member (regular or special appointment), subject to approval in accordance with the Policies and Procedures for Administering Graduate Student Programs in the University Catalog.
6. If the faculty member qualifies as an official retiree as defined by the University, the status and privileges of official retirees will be granted as outlined in the policy on Status and Privileges of Retired Faculty and Staff, Surviving Spouses and Surviving Children (VI.A.1).
7. Other privileges established by and limited to individual campuses.

Relationship to the University

An emeritus title is not a paid employee position with the University. Rather, it is meant to allow individuals to remain active in their area of interest without the burden of considerable responsibility for teaching or research. Emeritus faculty whose participation in research or teaching activities rises to a level of significance, such as serving as a co-principal investigator on a project or being the instructor of record for a course, must be structured by the applicable academic department into a paid position.

Emeritus faculty are subject to the policy on Intellectual Property (I.A.1) and will be treated the same as employees and visiting scholars when they participate in any University research, instructional or other academic activity.

Responsibilities

Provost

• Administer this standard.
• Review recommendations for emeritus status and determine whether to grant final approval.

Vice Chancellors for Academic Affairs

• Make and transmit recommendations for faculty on their campus eligible for emeritus status to the Provost for final approval.

Deans

• Make and transmit recommendations for faculty eligible for emeritus status to the Provost (West Lafayette) or Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (Fort Wayne and Northwest).
• Invite emeritus faculty to academic and university functions in the areas of their interests.
• Approve, at their discretion, emeritus faculty to be invited to attend faculty meetings.
• List emeritus faculty in college/school bulletins.

Department/School Heads

• Send the names of faculty eligible to receive emeritus rank upon retirement, who have requested such consideration, to the dean.
• Invite emeritus faculty to academic functions in their areas of interest.
• Work with their business office to structure emeritus faculty who increase their participation in teaching and research to a significant level into an appropriate paid position.

Faculty Members Seeking Emeritus Status

• Submit a written request for consideration of emeritus status to their department or school head at the time of retirement, or as soon as possible thereafter.
• Comply with all university policies and procedures applicable to their participation in university activities and to their use of university facilities and resources.

Definitions

All defined terms are capitalized throughout the document. Refer to the central Policy Glossary for additional defined terms.

Related Documents, Forms and Tools

This standard is issued in support of the following policies, as amended or superseded.

• Board of Trustees resolution dated June 5, 1970 (see pages 18-19)
• Board of Trustees procedures dated October 1, 2021

Additional related policies:

• Academic Tenure and Promotion (I.B.2)
• Administering Graduate Student Programs (from the University Catalog)
• Clinical/Professional Faculty Appointment and Promotion (VI.F.10)
• Distinguished and Named Professorships and Faculty Scholars (VI.C.1)
• Intellectual Property (I.A.1)
• Research Faculty Appointment and Promotion (VI.F.8)
• Status and Privileges of Retired Faculty and Staff, Surviving Spouses and Surviving Children (VI.A.1)
• Terms and Conditions of Employment of Faculty Members (B-50)

History and Updates

October 1, 2022: This is the first standard to address this issue.

Appendix

There are no appendices to this standard.