Since 1980, Michigan retirees have been afforded health care benefits for which they were required to pay 10 percent of the premium upon retirement--the remainder was paid for by the state. Recently, the Michigan Legislature reduced the financial obligation of the State for retiree health care benefits, placing it on the individual member. In…

Purpose: During the past two decades, principal turnover issues have raised nationwide concerns about leadership stability and student performance. With national data from National Center for Education Statistics, this study examines how principal working conditions influence the probability of different types of principal turnover (mover,…

Utilising critical theory, we explored the causes of the conflict that arose between academic staff on fixed-term renewable contracts and university administrators at Mzuzu University in Malawi in order to draw lessons. We collected data using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and document analysis. Ten university employees were purposively…

Using Spanish Social Security records, we document the channels through which mothers fall onto a lower earnings track, such as shifting into part- time work, accumulating lower experience, or transitioning to lower-paying jobs, and are able to explain 71 percent of the unconditional individual fixed- effects motherhood wage gap. The earnings…

Something is wrong with tenure, and one needs to make it right. Abolishing it is not feasible, but it doesn't mean that one shouldn't at least consider changing some of the ways that tenure works. In this article, the author proposes that a better way to change tenure is to offer an implied contract of about 30 years. A 30-year contract would…

There is significant interest in reforming retirement plans for public school employees, particularly in light of current market conditions. This article presents an overview of the various types of state regulation of public pension plans that affect possibilities for reform. Nearly all of the various approaches to public pension plan protection…

To advocate replacement of traditional tenure arrangements by fixed-term contracts is a misreading of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act amendments, and may threaten academic freedom. (Author/MSE)

Garth Armstrong (pseudonym) agreed to participate based on a pre-existing "career-guidance-and-support" relationship with the researcher, to explore the realities of career transition. An account-making approach was used over the last eight months of his professional rugby-playing career (termination) and for a further ten months into…

Options for faculty utilization in a steady state are examined, with consideration for their economy or ability to increase turnover or flexibility: early retirement, part retirement, retraining, exchange with other institutions or industry, and fixed-term appointments or lecturer positions. (MSE)

Determining what will occur with a consulting practice becomes a more pressing concern as an evaluator approaches the age of retirement. Typically independent consultants do not have the pension planning services readily available to evaluators in academic settings, governmental agencies, or large corporations. Without prompts such as automatic…

Phased retirement policies are more or less attractive financially and more or less accommodating of individual differences. They are also implemented in varying ways, variations that especially affect departments and academic programs.

At the end of the day, most of those in higher education feel gratified for having accomplished meaningful work but somewhat overwhelmed with the pile of work yet to be tackled. Still, they see the need to do more beyond that. Indeed, it is becoming clear that there is a growing need for more contact between educators and students and a need to…

Tenure arrangements are long-term contracts. If their duration is clear, they will protect academic freedom, provide institutions with the flexibility needed to meet changing circumstances, and comply with age-discrimination laws. Policy for the termination of tenure must be redesigned to satisfy competing needs and goals. (Author/MSE)

The implications of the policy choices made in setting up a phased retirement system are demonstrated by its variety of outcomes. (Contains 5 tables.)

This study found that compensating differentials exist in final salary and initial pension benefits, that large pension plans and collectively bargained plans provide larger postretirement benefit increases, and that benefit increases are larger in percentage terms for those who have been retired the longest and for those with the most years of…