The effects of the 1986 amendments to the mean age of retirement and on the age distribution of tenured faculty in the arts and sciences are forecasted. It is argued that the end of mandatory retirement will not bring the severe problems to most of higher education as feared by academic administrators. (KR)

The current controversy over age-based mandatory retirement in academia is causing a review of tenure and salary policies. In this article, two alternative explanations for the institution of tenure are discussed. Five alternative policy responses available to university administrators are described and analyzed. (Author/SA)