Executive Summary

Introduction

The Emeritus Faculty Council in October 1999 sent a questionnaire to 490 emeritus faculty to solicit their views about their current relationships with the University and their desires for change. By early November 48% responded. At the same time a somewhat similar questionnaire was sent to 118 deans and departmental executive officers to determine their experiences and attitudes toward the participation of emeriti in collegiate and departmental activities. The return rate.was 64%. The dean/DEO survey dealt almost exclusively with teaching and service functions, those questions being identical with those asked of the emeriti.

Both surveys were returned to the University Evaluation and Examination Service for processing and remained anonymous to the members of the Council. Respondents to both surveys failed to answer a number of questions or parts of questions. In both instances the calculated percentages are based on the total number of respondents to the questionnaire, not just the number answering the particular question or portion of a question.

Emeriti Attitudes Toward the University

Generally, emeriti are satisfied with their relationships in retirement with the university and with their former academic units, almost three-quarters expressing at least cordial relationships with their departments and colleges. Only one-fifth think the university should be doing more than it is for the emeriti, and one-seventh feel some current things could be done better.

Demographics of Emeriti

The several questions dealing with various facets of the demography of the emeriti elicited a number of interesting observations. Most faculty were employed by the university for many years before retirement. Some 70% retired after 20 to 39 years on the faculty, with 12% working 40 or more years. The majority (64%) retired during the decade of the '90s. The age at retirement reflects the long employment - 86% retiring at age 60 or later, with one-quarter of those working to age 70 or beyond. Just slightly over one-third of the retired faculty earned their academic degrees at UI, a healthy statistic many believe. Three-quarters are married and only 3% divorced. Though expected, but still disheartening, only 12% of emeriti are women. Unexpected, but heartening, three-quarters of respondents continue to live in the environs of  Iowa City. At first one might guess that those who responded to the survey would be more likely to live in this area, as opposed to emeriti living far away, thus slanting the data. Not so. A check of the entire emeritus faculty database reveals that 78% of all emeriti live in the Iowa City area. These data suggest a great opportunity for the University to tap into a wealth of talented people, most of whom have warm feelings for the university, and develop important programs that will benefit the University and the community at large.

Support Services for Emeriti

In response to a question listing thirteen "wish list", items such as offices, labs, secretarial help and e-mail, an average of 29% replied they already have one or more of these privileges, with a range of 51% with office mailboxes to 6% with laboratory or studio space. Offices and computer access is enjoyed by almost one-third of emeriti and travel funds by 7%. However, one in ten do not have some or all of these privileges that they would like to have. For example, one-third receive FYI and one-quarter of those who do not would like to. Interest in FYI suggests a continuing interest in the university, one the university should cultivate. It will not take great resources or effort to extend many of these perquisites to those who desire them.

Teaching

A. Involvement

The number of University emeriti who continue to teach after retirement is impressive. Nearly half of those responding to the survey report they have taught or are presently teaching in retirement. One in eight have done or are doing so in other institutions. The emeriti were asked to indicate which, on a list of thirteen teaching activities, they have performed in retirement. Most often cited are, in descending order, conducting a short course or giving an occasional lecture, serving on thesis committees, teaching regular semester or summer courses, and supervising theses. The range of positive responses over all categories is from 2 to 21 percent, with an average of 8 percent.

The deans/DEOs reported on the utilization of emeriti in the same 13 activities. Participation of emeriti range from zero percent to 29% in the various categories, with a mean of 13%. The most often reported activities are essentially the same as listed by emeriti.

B. Desire to Teach

Of those emeriti who have thus far not taught in retirement, a small number indicate they want to teach, with a range of 1 to 9 percent selecting one or more of the proffered choices.

Quite a proportion of deans/DEOs express a willingness to consider using emeriti in instructional activities. An average of 44% (range 21 to 72) look favorably upon the prospect for at least one of the options.

C. Perceived Advantages and Disadvantages

The emeriti are sensitive to the possibility that their involvement in teaching might cause problems. The major reasons are, in descending order: lack of current knowledge, delay in hiring tenure track faculty, resistance from the units, weakening of active faculty's commitment to teaching (range 18 to 39%). One-quarter see no problems but a great majority agree emeriti should not teach regular courses except in emergencies. Only 2% feel there is no value in emeriti teaching; most see potential for good.

The administrators express the same concerns and essentially in the same order as the emeriti, lack of current knowledge leading the list. However, 43% feel there are no problems of significance. On the other hand, they cite highly positive possible outcomes by emeriti helping in specialized fields (90% of respondents), emergency vacancies (82%), enrichment of curriculum (67%), and promoting interest of emeriti in UI (43%).

D. Paying Emeritus Faculty for Teaching

This potentially contentious problem turned out to be a non-issue. Both surveys presented the respondents with a matrix of 8 types of instructional settings and 4 modes of pay, ranging from that before retirement to no pay. The overwhelming choice in both surveys is pay at a negotiated rate - selected by 51% of deans/DEOs and 44% of emeriti. Only a small percent in both groups opt for no pay for any of the settings, with the exception of 29% of administrators suggesting no pay for directing graduate research.

Service to the University

A. Reported Involvement

Approximately 27% of emeriti indicate they are involved in one or more of the service areas, ranging from 1% giving campus tours or meeting legislators to 9% fund raising for their department or college. The deans/DEOs are again in substantial agreement noting that 21%of them have used emeriti in fund raising and only 1% in conducting campus tours. For most of these activities the actual number of emeriti participating in the individual activities or administrators using emeriti is small.

B. Willingness to Become Involved

An additional 14% of emeritus faculty are willing to help with service functions, with committee assignments and attending receptions the most popular choices. The administrators express considerable interest in having emeriti assist with service functions. Greatest interest is in fund raising (71%), talking with alumni (68%), and attending receptions (65%) and least interest in having emeriti serve on committees (27%).

Research

A substantial number of emeriti are continuing to contribute to the academic reputation of the University through their scholarly work. Almost 40% of those responding to the survey replied that they are still engaged in some type of scholarly activity or research, an impressive proportion.

Conclusions

1. The emeritus faculty responding to the survey are generally satisfied with their relationships with the university and their former academic units.
2. There remain, however, a small proportion of emeriti who are either unhappy with the relationships with their former academic units or who do not have some or all of the services available to the active faculty.
3. Although one-third of emeriti do not wish ongoing involvement with their former departments, a substantial number want to maintain some type of activity with the university, such as some form of instruction, committee assignments, or even fund raising.
4. A gratifyingly large number of retired faculty continue to do research, thus contributing to the academic environment and reputation of the institution.
5. The responses of deans/DEOs to questions similar to those asked of emeriti about teaching and service do not reveal any striking differences between the feelings or experiences of the two groups.
6. Although the experiences of deans/DEOs with emeriti in teaching or service activities are somewhat limited, the attitudes toward using emeriti in these activities are positive, including providing compensation for teaching.
7. There is considerable variation among academic units in the experience and interest they have in involving emeritus faculty in departmental or collegiate activities.
8. About three-quarters of emeriti continue to reside in the Iowa City area.

Recommendations

1. The University should move aggressively to establish formal links with emeritus faculty, including forming an Office On Emeritus Faculty within the academic administrative structure.
2. The University should encourage the leaders of all academic units to utilize the considerable body of talent within the emeritus faculty to further research, teaching and service activities of their units.
3. In this process, the University should seek to minimize the variations in attitudes and actions of the individual academic units toward emeriti.
4. The University should seek ways to provide support services to the small number of emeriti - who do not have some of these services and have expressed a need for them.
5. The University should realize that there is a large body of emeritus faculty living in proximity to it, containing many loyal emeriti who are willing to be of continuing service to the University in a variety of ways. It is in the University's interest to cultivate this group.