Faculty Retirement Procedures

Retirement Process

1. The faculty member meets with a benefits office staff member to discuss retirement eligibility, income options, benefits coverage, required paperwork, post-retirement employment constraints, and the optimum date of retirement. A letter confirming the meeting has occurred is signed by the benefits office staff member and forwarded to the department chair.
2. The faculty member submits to the department chair a letter stating his/her intent to retire.
3. If the faculty member is continuing employment, he/she will become a non-tenured faculty member and the UMCP Agreement for Appointment to Non-Tenured Faculty Position must be completed and forwarded to the dean.
   • PLEASE NOTE: State law requires a 45 day waiting period before re-employment with the University or other state agency.
   • If an individual wants to return to the University to teach a course or courses, there must be a 45-day lapse before the teaching contract begins. For faculty whose retirement begins on July 1, they can still teach in the Fall semester, which begins on August 23, as long as their pay entries and appointment begin no earlier than August 15. However, if the faculty member who retires on July 1 wishes to teach summer sessions I or II, the new law precludes such an arrangement. Similarly, faculty retiring at the end of the Fall semester are precluded from teaching in Winterterm and possibly the ensuing Spring semester.
   • The most difficult restriction is on faculty who wish to move immediately to a research or an administrative position funded through the University on state, federal or other external funds. They may not be employed in those positions for 45 days.
4. The department chair signs the retirement letter (and, if applicable, the appointment agreement). Along with the benefits letter, they are forwarded to the dean.
5. The dean signs the retirement letter and forwards all the materials to the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, 1119 Main Administration Building, for distribution. The signatures of the faculty member, chair, and dean create a binding agreement between the faculty member and the university.
6. Copies of the materials are distributed to the faculty member, chair, and dean. The original materials are maintained in the Office of the Provost.

Process to Retire with Negotiated Special Arrangements

1. If a department chair and a faculty member reach agreement on special arrangements for retirement, the faculty member completes steps #1 and 2 above.
2. The department chair records all negotiated special arrangements in the Resignation and Retirement Agreement. The terms of specific negotiated arrangements are reviewed and checked for legal sufficiency by either the Legal Office (x54945) or the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs (x54252).
3. If the faculty member will be continuing employment, complete step #3 above.
4. The faculty member is given the Resignation and Retirement Agreement (and, if applicable, the appointment agreement). He/she has 21 days to sign the agreement. The faculty member submits to his/her department chair:
   • the signed benefits office letter,
   • a letter stating his/her intent to retire,
   • the signed Retirement Agreement, and
   • if applicable, the signed appointment agreement to a non-tenured faculty position.
5. The chair signs the retirement letter, the agreement(s) and forwards the materials listed above to the dean.
6. The dean signs the retirement letter, the agreement(s) and forwards the materials to the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, 1119 Main Administration Building, for review and approval. The signatures of the faculty member, chair, dean, and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost create a binding agreement between the faculty member and the university.
7. Copies of the materials are distributed to the faculty member, chair, and dean. The original materials are maintained in the Office of the Provost.

Awarding of Emeritus/Emerita Status

1. Retiring Associate or Full Professors who have been faculty members for at least ten years are eligible for nomination to Emerita/Emeritus status.
2. See Appointment of Emeritus/Emerita Status for a detailed description of the APT process.