University Emeritus Status Policy for Tenured Faculty

I. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline the criteria and process for granting emeritus status to retiring tenured faculty members in recognition of their service and contributions to the University. Emeritus status is a prestigious honorary title that reflects the faculty member’s enduring relationship with St. Lawrence University.

II. Eligibility

To be eligible for emeritus status, a faculty member must meet the following criteria:

Be a tenured member of the faculty at the time of retirement.

Have rendered a minimum of ten years of full-time service to the University upon the effective date of retirement.

III. Process for Seeking Emeritus Status

Eligible faculty members interested in receiving emeritus status must initiate the process by submitting a formal request to their department chair. Normally, this request should be made at least three months prior to the anticipated retirement date to ensure adequate time for review. The requesting faculty member must submit a curriculum vitae detailing the faculty member’s academic achievements, service, and other contributions to the University community. The tenured members of the department will review the submitted materials, vote, and develop a brief consensus statement on whether they support granting emeritus status. The chair should forward a recommendation to the Dean of Academic Affairs for approval. If the faculty member is serving as sole department chair, they can submit the request to the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, who will provide the submitted materials to the tenured members of the department.

IV. Approval

The Vice President of the University and Dean of Academic Affairs will review the recommendation, considering the significance of the faculty member’s contributions to the academic community and the University as a whole.

Decision: The decision to recommend granting emeritus status rests with the Dean of Academic Affairs. The Board of Trustees will approve the granting of emeritus status upon recommendation of the Dean. The Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs will communicate the final decision in writing to the faculty member, and the department chair. In the event of a disagreement between the Dean and the Department over granting a retiring tenured faculty member emeritus status, three members of the Professional Standards Committee will review the faculty member’s CV, the department’s consensus, and the Dean’s decision, and will make a final recommendation on the granting of emeritus status.

Notification: Upon approval, the faculty member will be officially granted emeritus status after retirement and will receive a letter recognizing their emeritus status.

V. Privileges and Responsibilities of Emeritus Faculty

Policies regarding all retirees’ access to St. Lawrence email, network drives, library borrowing, etc. can be found in this IT Knowledge base article.

Information regarding other benefits to retirees, including emeritus faculty, can be found on this Human Resources Retiree Benefits link.

Emeritus faculty are encouraged to remain engaged with the University community and attend university events, performances, and celebratory gatherings including commencement.

Access to an office or lab space after retirement are subject to space limitations, must be negotiated with the Dean, and require demonstration of ongoing scholarship or creative work with benefit to the University. Note that participants in the Faculty Retirement Incentive Program (FRIP) have been offered the option to keep their faculty offices until May 31, 2025.

VI. Amendments

This policy may be reviewed and amended by the Academic Dean’s office to ensure it remains aligned with the University’s mission, values, and other policies.

VII. Implementation

This policy is effective immediately and applies to current and future retirements of tenured faculty members seeking emeritus status.