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Emeritus Faculty (Policy 4280)

University Policy 4280

Download a Printable Version of Policy 4280

Effective Date

July 1979

Last Revision Date

May 25, 2023

Responsible Party

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, (208) 426-1202

Scope and Audience

This policy applies to all University faculty, including those with joint administrative/faculty positions.

1. Policy Purpose

To establish the policy and procedures governing faculty Emeritus appointment and privileges.

2. Policy Statement

Emeritus status honors Boise State University Faculty retirees for their dedicated service and significant impact to the institution.

3. Definitions

3.1 Department and Department Chair

For the purposes of this policy, the term “Department” refers to the basic organizing unit to which the candidate belongs. In most cases this will be a Department but may be a “school” or other organizational structure. The term “Department Chair” refers to the person who leads that unit, normally taken to be the person who is responsible for the annual evaluation of the candidate.

3.2 Emeritus

An honorary status awarded to retired University employees in recognition of their meritorious or distinguished service to Boise State University. In the context of this policy, the term “meritorious” embraces contributions to the University’s mission and goals while “distinguished” embraces scholarly contributions to the individual’s field of study.

3.3 Emeritus Faculty

Retired Faculty Members who have received Emeritus status.

3.4 Years of Service

Number of Years of Service shall be counted as cumulative academic years. For purposes of this policy, cumulative academic years means serving at least 20 academic semesters which may begin in the fall or the spring of the initial academic year and end in the fall or spring of the final academic year.

4. Responsibilities and Procedures

4.1 Eligibility

Emeritus status is accorded to faculty who have provided meritorious or distinguished service to the University and who have fulfilled the following criteria:

a. Completed at least ten (10) Years of Service at Boise State University, or

b. Completed less than ten (10) Years of Service at Boise State University, but in the opinion of the recommending Department, the candidate has demonstrated either meritorious service or distinguished achievement in their time at Boise State University; and

c. Is in good standing with the University.

4.2 Application and Approval Process

a. Before or upon serving notification of pending retirement, the Faculty member, in consultation with the Department Chair, may initiate the process for Emeritus status. The process must be initiated before the Faculty member’s retirement. If a Faculty member does not initiate the process before the Faculty member’s retirement, exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis for no later than one year from the date of retirement.

b. The Department Chair will request verification of Years of Service from Human Resources.

c. The candidate shall supply a recent curriculum vita that highlights activities relevant to their time at Boise State. The CV is circulated to the members of the candidate’s department.

d. The Department Chair shall poll the department Faculty asking their support of the application. This vote shall be carried out in accordance with the departmental policy on voting procedures.

e. The Department Chair shall forward the results of the Departmental vote and the Department Chair’s recommendation to the faculty member.

f. The faculty member will complete the Application for Emeriti Status Form and add the following supporting documents:

  • Curriculum vita
  • Results of the department vote
  • The Department Chair’s recommendation
  • If less than ten (10) years of service, also upload additional evidence that speaks to the criteria of meritorious service or distinguished accomplishments (see 4.2.1.b.)

g.  The form will be routed through the approval process, first to the College Dean and then the Provost. Final approval must be received by Human Resources no later than 5 PM on April 1 for recognition in the Spring Commencement or November 1 for Winter Commencement.

h.  Human Resources will notify the employee, the relevant departments, the Provost’s Office, and and the Emeriti Guild.

4.2.1 Exceptions for Less than Ten (10) Years of Service

a. Faculty Members applying for Emeritus status with less than ten (10) Years of Service must demonstrate either particularly meritorious service, or distinguished contributions as judged by the candidate’s home Department.

b. The Departmental nomination will follow the procedure set out earlier in this section with the following exception: in addition to the candidate’s curriculum vita, additional evidence must be provided that speaks to the criteria of meritorious service or distinguished accomplishments. The nature of this evidence should be sufficient to allow the Departmental Faculty Members to make an informed decision on the application.

4.3 Appeals

Appeals for denial of Emeritus Status must be made to the Faculty Senate.

4.4 Distinguished Emeritus Faculty

a. To be awarded a Distinguished Emeritus Faculty designation, professors retiring as Distinguished Professors need only submit an Application for Emeritus Status Form and add the following supporting documents:

  • Statement from the Department Chair that they are in good standing
  • Distinguished Faculty Award letter from the Office of the Provost

b. The form will be routed through the approval process, first to the College Dean and then the Provost. Final approval must be received by Human Resources no later than 5 PM on April 1 for recognition in the Spring Commencement or November 1 for Winter Commencement.

c. Human Resources will notify the employee, the relevant departments, the Provost’s Office, and the Emeriti Guild.

4.5 Adjunct Faculty

a. An Adjunct Faculty Member seeking to apply for Emeritus status after ten (10) years of continuous teaching must receive a nomination from the recommending Department.

b. Recommending Departments will review Adjunct Faculty requests for nomination on a case-by-case basis using the eligibility criteria under Section 4.1 and following the process in Section 4.2.

c. Adjunct Faculty Members who do not receive a nomination from their recommending Department are not eligible to apply for Emeritus status.

4.6 Privileges and Benefits

  • An Emeritus Faculty photo identification card.
  • Faculty privileges for use of the Library and other University facilities;
  • Administrative support and office/lab space, if approved and made available by the recommending Department;
  • Use of Department letterhead (electronically delivered) for University-related correspondence;
  • Faculty privileges pertaining to payment of fees for courses in which they or their spouse may wish to enroll;
  • A parking permit, as per Transportation and Parking Services’ Emeriti Permit policy;
  • Continued access to a University email address;
  • Eligibility for membership in the Emeriti Guild; and
  • Privileges approved by the Department that may include: representing the University at ceremonies, serving on committees, and listing in catalogs or in other locations.

4.7 Rehires

If an Emeritus Faculty is rehired by Boise State University in a benefit-eligible permanent position, all privileges associated with the Faculty member’s Emeritus status will be suspended until such employment ends. The Faculty member’s Emeritus status will be reinstated upon conclusion of service in the benefit-eligible permanent position.

4.8 Responsibilities and Conditions

a. Emeritus Faculty may not use University resources to (i) campaign or advocate for personal or political interests, or (ii) conduct for-profit business activities.

b. Emeritus Faculty may only have access to confidential student, personnel, or other official records to the extent required and authorized within the scope of an approved service activity.

c. Emeritus Faculty may neither (i) purport to represent the University in any matter, nor (ii) bind the University to any commitment or obligation, contractual or otherwise, absent written prior approval from the Provost.

d. Emeritus Faculty may only exercise their privileges in accordance with current University policies.

4.9 Revocation of Emeritus Status

a. This section is intended to confirm the existing “at will” nature of Emeritus status and applies to all individuals who currently hold Emeritus status.

b. At the sole discretion of the University, Emeritus status may be revoked at any time. Without limiting such discretion, revocation may occur, among other things, when it is determined that the individual’s conduct, before or after receiving the Emeritus designation, conflicts with the intent and spirit of the designation, is disruptive to the University’s mission, and/or causes harm to the University’s reputation.

c. The individual’s former home department, college, the Provost, or the President may recommend revocation of the Emeritus status at any time. If this is initiated by anyone outside the former home department, the unit head/department chair will be given notification to agree, disagree, or abstain.

d. The Provost is authorized to make the final recommendation to the President to revoke Emeritus status. The President will make the final decision and will inform the affected individual, as well as the appropriate unit head or department chair, associate dean, dean, or administrative officer for informational purposes.

e. An appeal of this decision may be made in writing to the President who will make the final decision on the appeal. The appeal must be made within 10 University business days after receiving notification of the revocation.

5. Form

Application for Emeritus Status Form
https://ecm.boisestate.edu/imagenowforms/fs?form=BHRP%20Application%20for%20Emeriti%20Status

Revision History

July 1995; July 1999; April 2005; January 2012; April 2013; October 30, 2020; March 25, 2021; May 25, 2023