As many tenured faculty members approach traditionally acceptable retirement ages, observers of higher education are speculating about whether they will leave voluntarily, expect incentives to do so, or refuse to give up their position indefinitely, leaving institutions with an aged faculty in need of renewal. The 2007 Survey of Changes in Faculty Retirement Policies does not do end such speculation, but it does point to trends in the way that institutions and faculty members are approaching retirement. It also suggests that a more important subject for speculation may be whether or not institutions can recruit and retain enough faculty to meet their growth and replacement needs.
This report, sponsored by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and supported by the TIAA-CREF Institute, updates a 2000 study that systematically collected information on retirement polices and practices across U.S. colleges and universities. It examines regular retirement programs for tenured faculty members, the prevalence and characteristics of retirement-incentive and phased-retirement programs, policies applicable to retired faculty, and information about the availability and cost of medical insurance and long-term care options for retiring faculty members.
