Academics & Research – Academics & Instruction
| EWU Policy 401-05 | Authority: Board of Trustees |
| Effective: May 21, 2021 | Proponent: Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs |
Summary: This policy prescribes standards and procedures for granting emeritus status to retiring professors and special faculty of Eastern Washington University.
History: This policy revises and supersedes a previous version of the policy dated December 3, 2013. It was approved by the Board of Trustees on May 21, 2021.
1. GENERAL
Emeritus status is an earned honor granted by the President to faculty who have served honorably and have consistently performed high quality work at Eastern Washington University. Emeritus status permits the faculty member to continue to remain active in the profession and in service to the university. While an honor, it is also recognition that retired faculty remain an integral part of the academic community and a valuable resource to the university. The relationship benefits both the university and the individual.
2. ELIGIBILITY
2-1. Tenured Faculty
Emeritus status may be awarded to a tenured professor at EWU after at least ten years of service upon retirement or death while still in service. The criteria for emeritus faculty status are excellence in teaching, intellectual contributions, and service to university, college, and department throughout the candidate’s career at the university. Faculty may be nominated for emeritus status after retirement.
2-2. Special Faculty
Emeritus status may be granted to special faculty members who have completed the equivalent of at least ten years of full-time status upon retirement or death while still in service and who have served honorably and have consistently performed high quality work in their teaching. Special faculty may also be nominated based on exceptional service and/or scholarly and creative activities, if appropriate. Nomination procedures shall be the same as those for tenured faculty members. Special faculty may be nominated for emeritus status after retirement.
2-3. Rank
Emeritus status shall be granted at the highest academic rank held by an individual while an active member of the faculty.
2-4. Presidential Discretion
The President may use discretion in granting emeritus status to faculty in exceptional cases.
3. PRIVILEGES
The privileges of emeritus status for retired faculty shall include:
- a university identification card indicating their emeritus status;
- library privileges;
- email access;
- discounts for regular faculty on campus activities and entertainment events;
- for emeritus tenured faculty, eligibility for service on thesis committees in accordance with AP 303-26 (Graduate Faculty); and,
- such other privileges that the university may identify.
4. PROCEDURES
Recommendations for emeritus status may be initiated by the faculty member’s department, the appropriate dean, or the provost.
(a) Department Recommendations
To initiate a department recommendation for emeritus status, the department chair (or designee if the chair is the emeritus candidate) will prepare a written proposal documenting that the faculty member meets the criteria for awarding emeritus status. The chair or designee will forward the proposal to the dean, who will evaluate the proposal and forward it to the provost with their recommendation. The provost will review the recommendation and forward it with a recommendation to the president or designee.
(b) Dean Recommendations
In cases where a dean initiates a recommendation to award emeritus status, the dean will prepare a written proposal documenting that the faculty member meets the criteria for awarding emeritus status. The dean will forward the proposal to the provost with a copy to the department chair. The provost will review the recommendation and forward it to the president or designee with a recommendation.
(c) Provost Recommendations
In cases where the provost initiates a recommendation to award emeritus status, the provost will prepare a written proposal, documenting that the faculty member meets the criteria for awarding emeritus status, and forward the proposal to the university president with a copy to the appropriate dean and department chair.
(d) Approval and Recognition
The university president or designee is the approval authority for awarding emeritus status. Emeritus status will be conferred and recognized at commencement in the year that the status is awarded.
5. REVOCATION
The status of emeritus/emerita may be revoked by the university president when continued association of the recipient of emeritus/a status to the university becomes objectionable. Examples of such situations might include but are not limited to:
- Violations of law or university standards related to harassment, sexual misconduct, or discrimination
- Violations of academic integrity
- Conviction on criminal charges.
