Retirement and Link to Emeritus/a Status

Higher education is currently in a state of transformation for multiple reasons including challenges to the tenure system, competition for students, diminishing federal support, and major demographic shifts. One shift in particular, rapid population aging, is contributing to a dramatic evolution of academic retirement. The percentage of faculty members reaching retirement age is growing at most major institutions. Increased life expectancy increases the amount of time people may spend in retirement. Couple this fact with changing attitudes toward work–life balance, a heightened value placed on having a sense of purpose, and economic necessity, people are rethinking when and how to retire. It is important for those wishing to enter academia to understand the potential trajectory of their career and how to navigate the changing landscape ...