What is an emeritus professor? The emeritus role means different things at different colleges and universities, but generally it has an elusive, ambiguous quality. It may simply mean that a professor has retired with an honorific title acknowledging many years of service to an institution. Or it may mean that a senior professor has transitioned to…

Literature lacks documentation on the leadership characteristics of public community college faculty. As higher education institutions begin to prepare for what appears to be a current leadership retirement wave, it is important for community colleges to begin searching for replacements. The research was conducted to explore self-perceived…

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Great Recession began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009. With a duration of eighteen months, this recession was almost double the length of the average post-World War II economic downturn. Although the worst recession since the Great Depression is now technically over, this analysis…

Uncapping the mandatory retirement age is unlikely to alter retirement age by much, but it will lead to substantially higher pensions for faculty members who continue to work. Institutions must monitor retirement-age behavior in order to restructure pension and other benefits appropriately to meet income and retirement objectives. (Author/MSE)

A survey of 322 University of Queensland (Australia) faculty found changes in attitudes about retirement age and about terms and conditions of employment at later ages. Implications are discussed and barriers to more flexible faculty employment are examined, including the current structure of retirement benefits, taxes, and flexible retirement;…

As many baby boomers prepare to retire in the next decade, there are not enough young junior faculty members in the professoriate to replace them, according to a recent study by the American Council on Education (ACE). The ACE report, "Too Many Rungs on the Ladder? Faculty Demographics and the Future of Leadership in Higher Education," highlights…

An analysis of the impact of increasing the minimum mandatory retirement age on the retirement patterns of older adults across the entire economy suggests that because of the strong disincentives to work embedded in social security and many employee pensions, most workers will continue to retire in their early sixties. (MSE)

California public community colleges (n=106) were surveyed regarding projected retirements at age 65 of certificated college staff and faculty members for the years 1977-78 through 1981-82. Survey responses identified 1,041 persons employed at least 60% of full-time that would reach age 65 between 1977 and 1982. By year, these figures were: 125 in…

This study examines the age distribution of faculty retirements at 101 colleges and universities offering at least the baccalaureate degree, representing 35,000 faculty. It examines both historical retirement patterns and distributions of faculty by age and discipline. The study also examines data from a survey of 518 retired faculty members…

A study of the historical connection between pension, mandatory retirement age, and retirement behavior in higher education suggests that raising the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 70 will have relatively small, short-term effects on the retirement timing of tenured faculty members. (Author/MSE)

This volume offers 15 papers on the "graying" of the college and university work force in the context of national demographic trends. The papers are arranged in groups which address: growing older, the graying of America, adapting to changing times, retirement and retirement planning, and the corporate example. The following papers are presented:…

Tenure arrangements are long-term contracts. If their duration is clear, they will protect academic freedom, provide institutions with the flexibility needed to meet changing circumstances, and comply with age-discrimination laws. Policy for the termination of tenure must be redesigned to satisfy competing needs and goals. (Author/MSE)

Late-career decisions are made by faculty who vary widely in career achievement, personal circumstances, and now, retirement patterns. (Contains 10 tables.)

The supply and demand were projected for university teaching positions in departments listed in the "Industrial Teacher Education Directory" based upon age distribution, retirement projections, and number of doctoral graduates. Data were collected through a mail survey to department heads/chairs. The specific age distribution of industrial…

Individuals who retire have widely varying needs and differ also in their preparedness for their new conditions.