Eligibility for Emeritus Status
Emeritus status is an honorary designation conferred upon retirees to recognize their contributions and accomplishments over their university careers. UW-Madison is very inclusive regarding emeritus status and it is available to faculty, academic staff, and university staff having ten or more years of distinguished service at UW-Madison and have been a permanent employee of UW-Madison who is eligible to activate an annuity from the Wisconsin Retirement System. Divisional instructions for applying can be found in the Extension Handbook - Emeritus (POI 21). Granting of emeritus status is at the discretion of the Dean and Chancellor. In rare cases, emeritus status can be revoked. Emeritus requests for faculty goes through the Department of Extension Faculty and academic staff or university staff requests goes through the supervisor.
Eligibility
- Emeritus/emerita status is limited to faculty, academic staff, limited appointees and university staff retiring after ten or more years of distinguished service at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
- University staff may be granted emeritus/emerita status in their final classification.
- Faculty holding limited appointments may be granted emeritus/emerita status in their faculty appointment
- Academic staff may be granted emeritus/emerita status in their academic staff appointment
- Limited appointees may be granted emeritus/emerita status in their limited appointment, but not in their academic staff back-up appointment
- Individuals granted emeritus/emerita status who have held a concurrent senior administrative title of dean or higher may, upon recommendation of the provost, be granted emeritus/emerita status by the chancellor for the administrative title also
- Must be (or have been) a permanent employee of the University of Wisconsin–Madison who is eligible to activate an annuity from the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)
The UW-Madison Faculty Senate voted in November 2022 to recommend the following changes to FPP 7.31:
- 7.31. Emerit Faculty.
- Emerit faculty titles are conferred by the chancellor upon recommendation of the departmental executive committee and the dean. Emerit is a status of honor and esteem intended to recognize contributions to the university over a career.
- Emerit faculty retain all faculty governance rights held at the time of their retirement during any academic year in which they hold an academic staff appointment from their department totaling at least 20% of a full-time academic year appointment, subject to the provisions of 5.20.C.
- Discipline for cause (see Chapter 9) while holding the position for which the emerit title is requested should be carefully considered by the executive committee, dean and chancellor, in light of the apparent conflict between a history of discipline and the title's indication of honor and esteem. Termination for cause (see Chapter 9) while holding the position for which the emerit title is requested typically disqualifies the faculty member from conferral of the title.
- The title may be removed upon recommendation of the departmental executive committee and the dean.