Emeritus

The criteria for eligibility to be considered for emeritus status can be found in Chapter 10 of the USC Faculty Handbook.

The procedure is outlined in the VSoE APT Guidelines (see pages 1-2, 19, and 22) and Section 10-A of the USC Faculty Handbook, following similarly after other faculty appointments:

• A departmental faculty committee assembles needed materials for the review, conducts an evaluation and makes a recommendation for consideration by departmental faculty.
• The eligible departmental faculty discuss and vote on the recommendation for emeritus appointment.
• The department chair summarizes the faculty discussion, faculty vote, and the merits/rationale for emeritus appointment in a memo to the Dean.
• The department chair's memo, along with the faculty member's updated CV, are submitted to the Dean’s Office which then submits the department’s and school’s recommendations, along with a Dean’s memo, to the Provost for review and decision (per the Faculty Handbook, Section 10-A and 10-C). APT review is not required for emeritus appointments, and no referee letters need to be solicited.

Note that the department chair's memo can/should indicate the kind of anticipated activity that might be done in emeritus status for the faculty member, including possibly continuing to serve as PI on grants, have research space, supervise graduate students, and/or continue active participation in various departmental activities, if/as anticipated or expected. In terms of timing, normally the request for emeritus appointment is submitted to the Provost’s Office prior to the actual retirement date, with the emeritus appointment taking effect upon the date of retirement, but it is possible for the submission to occur shortly after the retirement date.