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A Penn State Nittany Lion statue is seen in the courtyard of Penn State College of Medicine in Summer 2016. The statue is in focus toward the right side of the image. Out of focus in the background, green plants and trees are visible in the courtyard.

Emeritus Faculty

Emeritus faculty at the College of Medicine are appointed in recognition of sustained meritorious academic service to the University. Award of Emeritus rank is governed by AC-25 Emeritus Status.

Phased Retirement

For faculty on phased retirement, work hours are reduced, and as long as the faculty member meets the criteria noted in the policy, phased retirement has no impact on eligibility.

Requesting Emeritus Rank

The process for requesting Emeritus Rank for retiring faculty members at the Penn State College of Medicine is as follows:

  1. The Department Chair provides a request to the Office of Faculty Affairs, as well as the faculty member’s current CV. This request should be submitted prior to the actual retirement date to ensure a seamless transition to Emeritus status and continuity of faculty privileges. The request letter should address the candidate’s eligibility for Emeritus Rank, as defined in AC-25, and should specify the date of retirement. If the Chair is requesting an exception to the eligibility criteria specified in AC-25, this should be clearly stated and justified in the letter. Note that requests for exceptions are rarely approved by the University.
  2. The Office of Faculty Affairs will review and confirm that eligibility requirements are met.
  3. Upon confirmation and Dean’s review, the Office of Faculty Affairs will enter the emeritus designation into Workday for review and processing at University Park.

The Dean will review all requests for exceptions, and will decide whether to forward the request to the President of the University, who makes the final decision.

Upon approval at University Park, the President of the University will send a letter to the faculty member notifying that Emeritus status has been granted, along with a certificate. Any space accommodations for the recipient of Emeritus status are determined and coordinated by the Department.