03:03:07:00 Faculty Emeritus

Purpose:

The purpose of this policy is to establish the criteria and process regarding faculty emeritus status at Dyersburg State Community College.

Scope:

The following policy allows all faculty, having served DSCC for a sufficient length of time to be eligible for state retirement benefits, to be considered for emeritus faculty status upon retirement from the institution.

Process:

  1. Nominations for emeritus status for retiring faculty shall be made in writing and originate within the academic area.
  2. Self-nominations will not be accepted.
  3. The nomination will provide documentation of years of service and describe distinguished service to the institution.
  4. The nomination will be forwarded to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success.
  5. The Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success will invite endorsements for the nomination from Faculty Assembly.
  6. The Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success will make a recommendation to the President.
  7. Designation as emeritus faculty shall be at presidential discretion.

Policy:

  1. Emeritus faculty status is not automatic upon retirement.
  2. Emeritus faculty status is an honor bestowed for distinguished institutional service.
  3. The President may recommend a retiring/retired faculty member for faculty emeritus on a quarterly basis; such recommendation must include justification for awarding such status. A memo detailing such request must be routed through the on-line routing and approval system, to include signatures from the President and HR Officer at the institution, followed by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the System Office, prior to reaching the Chancellor’s Office.
  4. In consultation with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Chancellor will make the recommendation to the Board for approval.
  5. The title of Faculty Emeritus may be revoked if the emeritus faculty member engages in any of the following:
    1. Dishonesty in teaching or research;
    2. Conviction of any felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude; or
    3. Capricious disregard of accepted standards of professional conduct.
  6. The President must submit a written request to recommend revocation of the emeritus status using the on-line routing and approval system to include signatures from the institution President, HR Officer at the institution, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and the Chancellor. The Chancellor will make such recommendation for revocation to the Board for determination.
  7. Emeritus faculty shall be entitled to such privileges and benefits, other than monetary compensation, as their institution designates insofar as such privileges and benefits are within the limits of the institution’s discretionary authority.
    1. Such privileges and benefits may include an identification card designating the holder as emeritus faculty and entitling the holder access to certain institution facilities and services commonly available to faculty.
    2. The privileges and benefits carry with them the same responsibilities required of regular faculty.

Compliance:

All DSCC faculty members and administrative staff must adhere to this policy.

Definitions:

Faculty – 

  1. The term “faculty” shall be limited to regular, full-time personnel at Dyersburg State Community College whose regular assignments include instruction and who hold academic rank as professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor.
    1. The term “regular, full-time personnel”, as used in the definition of “faculty”, is limited to those persons whose appointments are for a complete academic or fiscal year.
    2. The term “faculty” shall not, for the purposes of this statement, include members of the DSCC instructional personnel defined as “adjunct faculty”.  Adjunct faculty are defined as professional staff members of businesses, industries, and other agencies and organizations who are appointed by DSCC on a part-time basis to carry out instructional functions.
  2. If not otherwise included within the above definition of “faculty,” the term faculty may include, provided they hold academic rank, academic department or division chairpersons or directors, academic deans, and academic vice presidents who have direct line authority over faculty as herein above described.  Included are associates or assistants for the previous listed positions provided they also hold academic rank. In addition, the term “faculty” may include persons previously designated as members of the faculty who are assigned to other positions at the institution.
  3. Academic rank is an element of faculty status and shall be limited to faculty within the above definition. Academic rank may only be assigned to faculty who meet the minimum rank criteria under Board Policy No. 5:02:02:10 and 5:02:02:30. Those policies shall control any promotion in rank.
  4. Exceptions to this policy can be made upon recommendation by the President and approval by the Chancellor.

Revision History:

Policy approved by Administrative Council on April 26, 2019; approved by Administrative Council February 23, 2023.