Shultz and Wang (April 2011) drew attention to the ways in which understandings of retirement have changed over time, both in terms of the place of retirement in the lives of individuals and in terms of how retirement can no longer usefully be taken to comprise a single defining event. As the authors pointed out, psychological research has…

This article is a revised and abbreviated version of a session that the authors presented at the 25th annual Lilly Conference on College Teaching, November 19, 2005, in Oxford, Ohio. It arose from their joint conviction that while teaching is the greatest job in the world, teachers do not need to stay in it until death do them part. Beidler and…

Recent studies of retirement have recognized the importance of pension plans and social security on the retirement decisions. A pension system that is neutral with respect to the timing of benefits encourages or discourages the acceptance of these benefits and subsequent job separation at any particular age only to the extent that any asset…

Most persons seem to respond to economic incentives in choosing when to retire. While changes in the social security system are likely to have only small effects on retirement behavior, larger impacts could ensue from altering incentives implicit in private pension plans. Important area for future research is transition process that follows end of…

Whether departure comes early from lucrative buyout or through natural retirement, administrators should consider some important factors before retiring. Administrators should deal with their feelings, start thinking now about leaving, call family powwow, talk to a financial advisor, enjoy retirement before rejoining the work force, have a party,…

Changes in federal law regarding mandatory retirement policy, while not directly covering higher education until 1982, will have much earlier educational and financial impacts on colleges and universities. Educational decision-makers will modify their behavior in such areas as hiring and tenure decisions, retirement decisions, and faculty pay…

The advantages and disadvantages of the Teachers Insurance Annuity Association (TIAA) and College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF) as investment vehicles for college faculty are examined, and guidelines for faculty to use in evaluating their investment options are offered. Some data on TIAA-CREF performance are included. (MSE)

Studies on retirement reporting that, compared to people not retired, recent retirees exhibited less income, more physical and mental illness, lower self-esteem, and less life satisfaction have been challenged and new findings have been revealed by longitudinal studies using data from large samples. It appears that perhaps the way individuals…

Early retirement plans (ERPs) have recently been considered and implemented at a number of universities as a means to address their need to contain costs while simultaneously generating new ideas and energy within the institution through the revitalization of faculty ranks. This endorsement of ERPs by university administrators, however, is…

When possible, college presidents should be encouraged to retire undefeated rather than making the presidency a career. When circumstances indicate that the time has come for a change in administration, a thoughtful board of trustees will seek ways to make such a transition graceful. (MSE)

Policy statements give a framework to decision-making power, clarify issues, regulate relationships, and assist in the resolution of differences of opinion. It is essential that a school board provide direction through a well-conceived and well-developed policy. If there is unwillingness to implement policy, a real or perceived vacuum is created…

Consideration of a wide variety of options in maximizing income and controlling expenditures is recommended for Australian universities. Although marketing, fund raising, investment, and other income-producers are possibilities, tight control of expenditures is seen as the most effective retrenchment strategy. (MSE)

Describes several career and family issues that may arise for adults and suggests possible counseling interventions. Several assumptions are made about the work/family connection: renegotiation of work/family balance continues throughout work life; a variety of demographic variables affect work/family roles; and some issues relate more to roles…

This collection of 30 essays on the character, administration, and management of research universities research university emphasizes the perspective of statistics and operations research: The essays are: "A Robust Faculty Planning Model" (Frederick Biedenweg); "Looking Back at Computer Models Employed in the Stanford University…

The governor of Colorado believes we cannot find solutions to today's problems because we are not asking the right questions. Questions dealing with the problems of resource management, energy, the elderly, economic development, immigration policy, medical policy, and political change are raised. (IS)