BOT 502: Awarding of Emeritum Status

Emeritum1 status may be awarded to members of the faculty, academic staff, and administrators who leave the University with official retirement status2,3.  

Rights and Privileges

Faculty and academic staff with the emeritum designation are entitled to attend Faculty Senate meetings with voice but without vote and to march in academic processions, such as commencement.

All individuals with emeritum status may avail themselves of the libraries; have continued access to an MSU e-mail account; receive, on application, an employee vehicle permit; represent the University, on appointment, at academic ceremonies of other institutions; and, in general, take part in the social and ceremonial functions of the University.

Faculty and Academic Staff

For faculty and academic staff members the "emeritum" designation is appended to the rank held at the time of retirement, e.g., professor emeritum, librarian emeritum, senior academic specialist emeritum, etc.

Written recommendations for the awarding of emeritum status must be made by the chair/school director/unit administrator of the employing department and must be supported by the dean/major administrative unit head. The Office of the Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs (FASA) will then make a written determination indicating whether emeritum status should be awarded.

If at any point during the foregoing process, a faculty member is not recommended, supported, or determined to receive emeritum status, the faculty member must be notified and may file a written appeal within 30 days of the decision to the University Committee on Faculty Affairs (UCFA). If the UCFA determines the appeal has merit, it will forward the relevant documents to the Provost who shall make the final decision.

Administrators

Administrators4 are eligible for emeritum designation. The emeritum designation is appended only to the most senior administrative title held at Michigan State University, which may be held at or prior to the time of retirement, e.g., vice president emeritum, dean emeritum. The emeritum designation is not normally awarded for administrative titles held on an "acting" or “interim” basis.

Written recommendations for the awarding of emeritum status for academic administrators must be made by the unit administrator of the employing unit/department and must be supported by the dean/major administrative unit head. The Office of the Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs (FASA) will then make a written determination indicating whether emeritum status should be awarded.

Administrators who are deans or executive managers may be awarded emeritum designation only after submitting a formal letter of request to their supervisor, which must be supported by their supervisor, the major administrative unit head (e.g., Vice President), and the Office of the Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for FASA.

Emeritum Status After a Substantial Period of Service

Faculty and Academic Staff

Faculty and academic staff who end their employment at the University after a substantial period of distinguished service, but short of the years of service needed for retirement eligibility, may be granted emeritum status by the President upon the written recommendation of the Provost after the Provost consults with the UCFA.

Administrators

Administrators who end their employment at the University after a substantial period of distinguished service, but short of the years of service needed for retirement eligibility, may be awarded emeritum designation only after submitting a formal letter of request to their supervisor, which must be supported by their supervisor, major administrative unit head (e.g., Vice President), the Office of the Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for FASA, and the President.

Granting emeritum status in these cases does not affect the individual's retirement eligibility requirement per University policy.

Revocation of Emeritum Status

Faculty and Academic Staff

Emeritum status for faculty and academic staff that was granted on or after June 24, 2022, may be revoked in those cases in which behavior occurring or discovered after being awarded emeritum status is deemed to be substantially inconsistent with the behavior expected of Michigan State University faculty and academic staff.

Either the Dean or the Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for FASA may initiate revocation of emeritum status by making a written request to the Provost. The faculty member must be notified and given an opportunity to respond within thirty days to the Provost.  The Provost will consult with the UCFA and recommend to the President whether emeritum status should be revoked. The President will render a written, final decision.

For faculty and academic staff automatically granted emeritum status under the University’s emeritum policy in effect before June 24, 2022, the President may revoke emeritum status (following the procedure above) based on behavior that is deemed to be substantially inconsistent with the behavior expected of Michigan State University faculty and academic staff, regardless of whether that behavior occurred before or after the automatic granting of emeritum status.

Administrators

Emeritum status for an administrator that was granted on or after June 24, 2022, may be revoked by the President in those cases in which behavior occurring or discovered after being awarded emeritum status is deemed to be substantially inconsistent with the behavior expected of Michigan State University administrators.

For administrators automatically granted emeritum status under the University’s emeritum policy in effect before June 24, 2022, the President may revoke emeritum status of the administrator based on behavior that is deemed to be substantially inconsistent with the behavior expected of Michigan State University administrators, regardless of whether that behavior occurred before or after the automatic grant of emeritum status.

In either case, the administrator must be notified and given an opportunity to respond within thirty days to the President. The President will render a written, final decision after considering any written response.

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1Faculty, academic staff, and administrators who are awarded emeritum status may choose to use the term “Emeritus”, “Emerita” or “Emeritum” in describing their designation. 
2For purposes of granting “emeritum” status only, the employment start date with the former Michigan State University College of Law, a Michigan non-profit corporation, will be used to determine emeritum eligibility for College of Law faculty, academic staff and administrative staff who transitioned their employment to the University, effective January 1, 2020, in then-anticipation of the full integration into the University. Any such individual’s “emeritum” status will not affect the University’s retirement eligibility requirements as they apply to such individual (i.e., the employment start date with the University will be used to determine such individual’s retirement eligibility).
3Official retirement status as defined by university policies.
4Includes executive managers such as vice presidents, associate vice presidents, etc., and academic administrators such as deans, associate/assistant deans, chairpersons/school directors, etc.

Enacted:  5/18/50

Amended:  4/5/91, 6/21/19, 2/14/20, 6/24/22

Retired Policy No. 04-17-07

Policies