In the late 1990s, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation made grants to study people's attitudes toward retirement and to determine what factors influenced their decisions to retire. Although faculty were not talking to college administrators or human-resources departments about health care, the researchers found to their surprise that when they…

The current downturn has the potential to be more severe and longer lasting than the recessions of the 1970s, '80s, '90s, and early 2000s. By now, rivers of ink have been spilled documenting the financial and economic crisis afflicting the United States and much of the globe. While numerous articles have examined the impact on higher-education…

Discusses faculty retirement policy at colleges and universities, particularly findings from a survey by the American Association of University Professors. Explores defined-contribution plans, terminal leaves, phased retirement programs, and prerequisites that can enhance faculty retirements. Also addresses how trustee boards can help with…

This article addresses five misconceptions relating to academic tenure, arguing against the notions that tenure is no longer necessary for the defense of academic freedom; is simply job security and exchangeable for other benefits; diminishes academic quality; is no longer feasible because of the elimination of mandatory retirement; and is a…

This article discusses the faculty appointment system at Evergreen State College (Washington), which does not have tenure, academic departments, or academic ranks, in light of an ideal system that might have a core of long-term faculty supplemented by short-term faculty. It considers the need to balance institutional flexibility with faculty…