Policy

Emeritus or posthumous emeritus status is an honor conferred by the College in accordance with established criteria. The status demonstrates deep respect for a distinguished career and acknowledges the recipient’s desire to remain active in scholarship and/or service following retirement. The authority to bestow or revoke such status rests with the Board of Trustees.

Reason for Policy

Sets forth policy, criteria, and procedures to bestow and revoke emeritus adn posthumous emeritus status.

To Whom Does the Policy Apply

Retired faculty, retired presidents, and retired academic and non-academic administrators of the College at the rank of dean or higher, who have served at the College for at least ten years and provided distinguished service while doing so. The title “emeritus” may also be awarded to faculty, presidents, and academic and non-academic administrators who pass away during active service to the College.

Related Documents

Procedure 318: Emeritus

Contacts

Office of the President

I. Criteria

Emeriti. The emeriti title may be awarded to retired faculty members, presidents, and academic and non-academic administrators who meet the following criteria:

• retired faculty members who served the college for at least ten years and were distinguished in teaching, scholarship, College and community service, and the fulfillment of professional responsibilities;
  • A faculty member must be at the rank of Associate or full Professor at the time of retirement.
• retired Presidents and retired academic and non-academic administrators who served the College for at least ten years and were distinguished in mentorship, leadership, College and community service, and the fulfillment of professional responsibilities;
  • An administrator must be at the rank of Dean or higher at the time of retirement and must have served in a full-time capacity

Posthumous emeriti. The “emeriti” title may also be awarded to faculty members, presidents, and academic and non-academic administrators who pass away during active service to the College, and who met the following criteria:

• Faculty members who served the college for at least ten years and were distinguished in teaching, scholarship, College and community service, and the fulfillment of professional responsibilities;
  • A faculty member must have been at the rank of Associate or full Professor.
• Presidents and academic and non-academic administrators who served the College for at least ten years and were distinguished in mentorship, leadership, College and community service, and the fulfillment of professional responsibilities;
  • An administrator must have been at the rank of Dean or higher and must have served in a full time capacity

With support from Employee Relations (ER) and People Operations and Employee Resources (POER)), all recommendations for emeritus status for academic and non-academic administrators must be received by the Vice President for POER no later than October 15, and advanced to the Office of the President no later than November 10. The approved nominations will then be presented to the Board of Trustees at its first regular meeting of the calendar year.

II. Recommendation Process

a. Faculty recommendations must:

•  Include a written description of the nominee’s contributions to the College throughout their career in four areas: teaching, scholarship, College and community service, and the fulfillment of professional responsibilities.
• The faculty of the school from which the nominee served generates the written recommendation for emeriti distinction and advances it to the dean of the school. The Dean then submits a recommendation to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs who shares it with Employee Relations.
• The Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, in turn, makes a recommendation to the President. If the President supports the recommendation, the President will bring the matter to the Board of Trustees for consideration.

b. Administrator recommendations must:

• Include a written description of the nominee’s contributions to the College throughout their career in four areas: mentorship, leadership, College and community service, and the fulfillment of professional responsibilities.
• Colleagues of the retiring administrator generate the written recommendation for emeriti distinction and advance it to the administrator’s immediate supervisor. The supervisor then submits a recommendation to the Core Vice President who shares it with the Vice President for POER. The Core Vice President, in turn, makes a recommendation to the President. If the President supports the recommendation, the President will bring the matter to the Board of Trustees for consideration.
• Written recommendations may also be initiated by the President and, if supported by a majority of the President’s Senior Leadership Team, be advanced to the Board of Trustees with the written concurrence of the President’s Senior Leadership Team.

c. President recommendations must:

• Include a written description of the president’s contributions to the College throughout their career in four areas: mentorship, leadership, College and community service, and the fulfillment of professional responsibilities.
• Any member of the Board of Trustees may generate the written recommendation for emeriti distinction and advance it to the Board of Trustees care of the College’s Board Liaison or Board Recording Secretary. The Liaison/Secretary then advances the recommendation to the Executive/Judicial Committee of the Board of Trustees and shares it with POER.
• If the Executive/Judicial Committee supports the recommendation, the Committee will advance the matter to the full Board of Trustees for consideration.

III. Revocation of Emeriti Status

Emeriti status may be revoked at any time. Without limiting such discretion, revocation may occur when it is determined that the individual’s conduct, before or after receiving the emerita/emeritus designation, conflicts with the intent and spirit of the designation and/or causes harm to the College’s reputation. The authority to revoke emeriti status rests with the Board of Trustees.

IV. Privileges

All those holding the rank of emeriti will be notified of the associated privileges. Notification of posthumous emeriti recipients will be issued, at the College President’s discretion, to the next of kin. Notification to retired emeriti faculty will be issued by the Office of the Provost. Notification to retired emeriti Administrators will be issued by the Vice President for POER. Privileges associated with holding the rank of emeriti are not transferable and include:

• Ramapo College identification card
• On-campus parking
• A Ramapo College retiree e-mail account
• Employee discount rates to most events on campus and to the campus Bookstore
• Access to selected College publications
• Access to emeritus offices
• Identification in various College publications/resources
• Eligibility to participate in College commencements, Founders’ Day, and convocations
• Use of athletic/recreation facilities at a rate comparable to the employee rate
• Use of on-campus dining at a rate comparable to the employee rate
• Library/Learning Commons privileges

Emeriti faculty and administrators are encouraged to continue their association with the College through Institutional Advancement.