Emeritus Faculty Application Information

Emeritus/Emerita Status

The emeritus designation is awarded to faculty members who have served The University of Southern Mississippi with distinction for an extended time. The status recognizes faculty who have excelled throughout their careers at the University.  Two types of emeritus status are recognized by the University: emeritus professor and emeritus instructor.  

 

Members of the faculty meeting the following criteria are eligible to be considered for professor emeritus status:

  • a minimum of ten years of honorable and distinguished service at the University.  In exceptional cases, a faculty member who has served the University for fewer years may receive emeritus.
  • retirement (in process or already completed) of the faculty member
  • rank as an associate or full professor at The University of Southern Mississippi
  • a distinguished record in at least two of the three areas of teaching, research, and service
  • maintenance of collegial relationships with departmental colleagues 

Members of the faculty meeting the following criteria are eligible to be considered for instructor emeritus status:

  • a minimum of ten years of honorable and distinguished service at the University.  In exceptional cases, an instructor who has served the University for fewer years may receive emeritus status.
  • retirement (in process or already completed) of the faculty member
  • a distinguished teaching record at the University
  • maintenance of collegial relationships with departmental colleagues

Procedure for Appointment

The following procedure applies to the nomination and evaluation of retiring faculty for emeritus status:

  • A faculty member who is retiring or has already retired may apply for emeritus status by nomination or self-nomination. All applications for emeritus status must be submitted within five years of the candidate’s retirement date. The maximum number of applications allowed per individual for emeritus status is two. Initially the eligible faculty member should complete the Emeritus Status Application Form available on the Office of the Provost website. The faculty member then submits the completed Application Form, together with a curriculum vitae, to the chair/director of his /her department.

  • The department chair/director will forward the faculty member’s emeritus status application form and curriculum vitae to the Department Tenure Committee (DTC) for review and evaluation. The chair/director will conduct a separate evaluation of the application materials. The DTC and the chair/director will submit their separate evaluations to the college dean within one month after the faculty member has submitted the application materials and will also forward copies of their evaluations to the nominee.

  • The dean will review the faculty member’s application, and the evaluations of the DTC and the chair/director. The dean will inform the nominee in writing of his/her (the dean’s) evaluation. The dean will then submit his/her evaluation, along with the evaluations of the DTC and the department chair/director, to the Provost within eight weeks after the faculty member’s submission of the application materials. The dean will also forward a copy of his/her evaluation to the nominee.

  • The Provost will review the faculty member’s application materials and the evaluations of the DTC, the chair/director, and the dean, and will submit his/her evaluation, along with the evaluations of the DTC, the chair/director, and the dean, to the President. The Provost may consult and seek advice from the appropriate College Advisory Committee and/or the University Advisory Council.

  • If the President approves the application, the Provost will notify the faculty member in writing that emeritus status has been approved (at the University level) and forward copies to the dean and department chair. The recommendation will then be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval at the next Board meeting. If the President does not approve the application, the Provost will notify the faculty member by letter. The faculty member may then write a final letter of appeal, submitted to the President through the Provost. The next decision of the President regarding the faculty member’s application is final and is not appealable to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

Privileges

An emeritus faculty member is an honored, non-voting member of the department of which he or she was a member before retirement. Departments, colleges, and schools are encouraged to invite emeritus faculty to serve as lecturers, substitute instructors, and consultants. Although no longer tenured or eligible for employment benefits, an emeritus faculty member is entitled to the following privileges:

  • to be listed separately in the general catalog and university directory following the listing of the regular faculty

  • to represent the University at ceremonies of other universities and organizations when so appointed by the President

  • to serve on committees, including dissertation, thesis, and faculty committees, if requested by the department chair

  • to enjoy the same library and computer privileges as active members of the faculty

  • to receive faculty prices for University-sponsored events

  • to have access to the Payne Center at regular faculty prices