Teacher benefits, once a sleepy question primarily of interest to actuaries, have become a flash point in the education debate. With individual states on the hook for tens or hundreds of millions in unfunded pension and health insurance obligations, state leaders are trying to determine the severity of the situation and the appropriate response.…

Since 1935, Social Security has provided a vital safety net for millions of Americans who cannot work because of age or disability. This safety net has been especially critical for Americans of Latino decent, who number more than 50 million or nearly one out of every six Americans. Social Security is critical to Latinos because it is much more…

Given the right incentives, many college faculty will retire early. With mandatory retirement of tenured faculty soon to be abolished, institutions may need to revamp their pension plans and introduce voluntary retirement-incentive options. These options include phased- and full-retirement programs. (Author/MSE)

Although even a few years ago researchers were suggesting that faculty aging and the resulting retirements would result in a huge demand for new hires, job opportunities have become scarce for recent graduates of doctoral programs. It is important, however, that colleges be able to hire new personnel to bring new ideas into the institution. In…

Future developments in the areas of employer policies and retirement age choice of employees are uncertain because of the inability to predict public policy regarding retirement benefit programs. (JOW)

Outlines approaches principals may take in dealing with older teachers who will not have to retire at age 65 but who may not be up to handling a full teaching load. Principals must retain only competent teachers while not discriminating on the basis of age. (IRT)

This book contains seven chapters on work and older workers based on an international symposium held at the University of South Florida in 1989. Chapter titles and authors are as follows: (1) "The Corporate Sector's Stake in Older Workers" (Daniel Knowles); (2) "A Seller's Market for Older Workers" (Audrey Freedman); (3) "Retirees' Reentry into…

The role and tasks of college committees charged with planning for the end of mandatory faculty retirement in 1994 are discussed, and a variety of faculty development, tenure, and salary policy options to consider are outlined. (MSE)

Age and sex discrimination are addressed in two newsletter articles. In "Age Discrimination in Faculty Employment," Stuart H. Bompey reviews employment litigation issues and their impact on the collective bargaining process. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) stipulates that individuals may be mandatorily retired at age 70;…

The debate about the "cashability" of faculty pension benefits raises questions about intent, fairness, and who controls what. Boards must weigh whether to allow faculty and staff to withdraw or transfer pension funds such as TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund). (Author/MSE)

Changes in retirement patterns at colleges and universities can be expected because of demographic reasons and because of federal and state legislation uncapping mandatory retirement. Institutional policies that will encourage reluctant older faculty to retire need to address the three fundamental components of successful employee retirement: (1)…

The opinion of a three-judge panel in a court case involving the validity of gender-based mortality tables and the right of women to receive equal pensions from the Teachers Insurance Annuities Association and the College Retirement Equities Fund is presented, including references to the earlier, related Norris case. (MSE)

Proposed alternatives to the current tenure system are administratively, legally, and ethically unsatisfactory. If uncapping the retirement of faculty presents significant problems, which is not yet clear, the academic community would be better advised to explore voluntary early retirement programs and policies. (Author/MSE)

This group of articles discusses a variety of studies related to social security and retirement benefits. These studies are related to both developing and developed nations and are also concerned with studying work conditions and government role in administering a democratic social security system. (SSH)

Presents guidelines for colleges on selecting employee health insurance carriers and retirement investment programs. Reviews types of insurance programs, presenting examples from several states. Discusses mechanisms for reducing insurance premiums, including claim reduction, self-funding, mail-order pharmaceuticals, and forming consortia with…