Emeritus Policy

SSU Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association                    

Policy #1993-1

  1. Preamble
    Emeritus(a) designated honorary status in the faculty. This award is reserved to the four classes of faculty defined in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the Faculty of Sonoma State University with at least ten years' service upon retirement or conclusion of service in the Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP), who have served the University with distinction. The following terms shall denote Emeritus status of the aforementioned classes of faculty: Professor Emeritus; Librarian Emeritus; Student Services Professional Emeritus and Athletic Coach Emeritus. Since emeritus(a) is a faculty status (i.e., membership in the faculty), it is recommended by the faculty and appointed by the President.
  2. Qualifications for Emeritus(a) Status
    1. Any retired faculty may qualify for emeritus (a) status.
    2. Any faculty retired prior to approval of this policy who has not previously been awarded emeritus(a) status may be appointed to such status retroactively to the date of his/her retirement.
  3. Procedures
    1. At the beginning of each semester, the Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs and the Vice President for Student Affairs shall publish to the campus community and present to the Academic Senate the current list of faculty retired since the beginning of the previous semester.
    2. The Academic Senate shall recommend retired faculty members to the President for appointment to emeritus(a) status unless asked not to by the affected faculty member.
    3. The President shall appoint retired faculty to emeritus(a) status at the rank held at the time of retirement and shall publish his/her appointment to the campus community.
  4. Privileges and Honors Attendant to Emeritus(a) Status
    1. Emeriti(ae) shall continue to enjoy, as statutory regulation and institutional resources permit, the professional privileges of faculty (e.g., assigned office space; access to University services, facilities, equipment, materials, activities and listings). In addition they shall have access gratis to University events, performances, and parking as circumstances permit.
    2. Emeriti(ae) at the time of their appointment shall be publicly and privately honored as feasible and deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate (e.g., public announcements on and off campus, a commemorative plaque or other memento, a dinner or other celebration).