Board of Visitors Policy: 1709

Full-Time faculty (tenured or non-tenured) at the rank of Professor or Associate Professor are eligible for Emeriti status. Candidates for consideration will have served for a period of not less than 10 years as a faculty member; or as Chair of a department; and with noteworthy academic contributions and significant service to EVMS prior to retirement as evidenced by one or more of the following:

  • Research, scholarship, and/or creative work commensurate with national and/or international standards;
  • Noteworthy teaching and educational contributions including departmental or institutional awards for the same;
  • Significant service to SOM or SHP recognized by peers and the institution.

The ranks for Emeriti are Professor Emeritus/Emerita or Associate Professor Emeritus/Emerita and shall be based on the corresponding faculty rank at retirement.

The privileges associated with having Emeriti status are as follows:

  1. Emeritus/Emerita will be added to the faculty rank.

  2. Lifetime listing indicating the appropriate rank of Professor Emeritus/Emeritia or Associate Professor Emeritus/Emerita; in applicable catalogues and directories.

  3. In person and online library privileges.

  4. emeritus email address and technical support for salaried faculty including listing applicable directories for 5 years with renewal based upon contribution/activity/engagement with the institution. Email accounts that have been inactive for more than a year will be eliminated.

  5. With the permission of the department, usage of department main phone number for contact number.

  6. Parking within the Medical Center may be provided by the department.

  7. Participation in institution public ceremonies.

  8. Based on availability and the recommendations of the Department Chair with the concurrence of the Executive Vice President ("EVP"), use of office and/or lab space, equipment, and other campus facilities to support scholarly work and/or educational activities.

  9. With permission of the Department Chair and EVP, authorization to serve on thesis and dissertation committees or engage in other research or educational activities at the institution.

  10. Be eligible for up to 8 hours/week of paid administrative or educational consultation service needs within the Department as determined by the Department Chair (e.g., Chair's Fund) as an independent contractor as long as the work being performed would quality as consulting.

  11. With approval of the Department Chair and the EVP, Emeriti Faculty are welcome to:

    1. Advise medical students, health professions students and residents. Co-author papers with them and other faculty members within or outside of the institution using institutional affiliation;

    2. Teach classes as an emeriti faculty member;

    3. Participate in sponsored research, as approved by the sponsor and the institution;

    4. Attend departmental and collegial open meetings, as a guest, subject to the bylaws of said unit;

    5. Eligible to serve on an Institutional Standing Committee as an ad-hoc or regular member.

Application for Emeriti status may be initiated by the candidate, Chair, or Dean with the understanding that granting of emeritus requires approval by the EVP, President, Board of Directors, and Board of Visitors, and requires a 3-6-month process.

To initiate the process, the faculty member must submit a letter requesting Emeriti status and supporting evidence of academic contributions, including a current Curriculum Vitae, to the Department Chair by December 1st of the year of retirement.

The Department Chair will meet with all departmental faculty to review the faculty's request for Emeriti status. Upon full concurrence by the departmental faculty, the Department Chair shall notify the Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development (FAPD) in writing that the faculty member has applied for Emeriti status. The Department Chair's recommendation, and all supporting materials, must be received by the Vice Dean for FAPD by January 15th.

The Vice Dean for FAPD shall convene the Emeriti Review Committee, as described below. The Committee shall deliberate and deliver its recommendations to Vice Dean for FAPD by February 15th.

The Vice Dean for FAPD shall make a recommendation and forward same, along with the Committee's recommendation, to the EVP by March 1st.

The EVP shall make a recommendation and forward same, along with all prior recommendations, to the President, who shall forward their recommendation to the Board of Directors, which shall recommend to the Board of Visitors for approval.

Candidates whose rank of Professor Emeritus/Emerita or Associate Professor Emeritus/Emerita have been approved by the Board of Visitors shall be notified by FAPD, and shall also be recognized during the Graduation ceremony in May.

The above-referenced timeline may, at the EVP's sole discretion, be modified or accelerated in circumstances where the faculty member's illness, disability, or other personal events result in abrupt retirement, and/or if the institution deems that other factors make the following of such timeline impractical.

Candidates who are denied Emeriti status shall be notified of the reason(s) for such denial by FAPD. The candidate may request reconsideration by following the application process described above and resubmitting the application to the Department Chair by December 1 of the year in which the application is denied. A candidate may only request reconsideration once.

The Emeriti Review Committee consists of two representatives from clinical departments, one from a basic science department, and one from the SHP, who are appointed by the Vice Dean for FAPD for a term of three years. One or more of the Committee members should be an Emeritus faculty member. The Emeriti Review Committee operates under the jurisdiction of the EVMS Faculty Assembly who will appoint a representative from its membership to be Chair of the Committee for three years. After its deliberations, the Chair will report briefly to the EVMS Faculty Assembly on the operations and the recommendations of the Committee.

This Policy may be amended and the privileges changed from time to time at the discretion of the EVP through the appropriate processes and procedures, including with the advice and consent of the EVMS Faculty Assembly. Such amendments shall be promptly communicated to all Emeriti faculty.