Faculty Retirement
Retirement is a significant milestone, both exciting and challenging. The University of Arizona offers valuable assistance to help you confidently manage this transition, allowing you to retire on your own terms and savor every moment.
If you are thinking about retiring, please contact your HR specialist to determine if you qualify for retirement. Please also watch this Introduction to Retirement for Faculty video. It explains U of A's available resources, procedures for phased retirement and research retirement agreements.
Webinar: Preparing for Retirement
Human Resources presents versions of these live workshops for the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) participants. The sessions cover the steps to retire, initiating distributions, retiree health insurance options, Retiree Accumulated Sick Leave Program, Official University Retirement Status and more.
Invitations will be sent to your official university email address each year after you turn 50.
The Phased Retirement Program enables participants in the ORP to gradually retire over a maximum period of three (3) years.
* Please note that a tenured faculty member or professional with continuing status irrevocably relinquishes all status rights at the end of the phased retirement period.
The Faculty Affairs and Human Resources websites have valuable information and helpful resources to guide you on your retirement plan.
Emeritus Status
Emeritus is an honorary status granted to faculty members who have made exceptional contributions to the University of Arizona and their respective disciplines. Faculty who retire from the U of A in good standing, have served a minimum of 15 years and receive approval from the President are given the title of Emeritus.
* Special exceptions to the years of service requirement are considered on a case-by-case basis for those who have made significant contributions to the university. Please refer UHAP 3.1.05 and UHAP 4A.1.01 for more information.
Emeritus status allows faculty who are retired to continue participating in university activities, if they choose, including continuing to mentor students, occasionally teach and participate in grants or finish specific research objectives.
Instructions for Requesting Title Change to Emeritus/Emerita
It is strongly recommended that faculty request emeritus status early within their final year before retirement.
- The faculty member submits a request and their current CV to the department head, chair or unit director. At the College of Information Science, please submit the request and your CV to the interim dean.
- The interim dean or senior administrator provides endorsement of support with a signature, or a separate approval memo addressed to the Provost.
- The unit representative (not the faculty member) submits the request via Arizona Cultivate and attaches the above documents (faculty’s request, current CV, department letter of support and the dean/senior administrator’s endorsement). View a video on the Arizona Cultivate submission process.
For further details and questions, please visit Retiring Faculty Resources and Emeritus Status Requests or send an email to facultyaffairs@arizona.edu.