The information below pertains to faculty and librarians with emeritus appointments and re-employed retirees. For academic personnel-facing content, employees can be directed to Leaving the UW.
Emeritus
Upon retirement from the University, both faculty and librarians may be considered for emeritus status, a lifelong designation that recognizes achievements of those with meritorious records.
It is expected that consideration of an emeritus appointment will be made by an appointing unit at the time of retirement. Emeritus appointments require an affirmative vote of the unit faculty and concurrence by the dean/chancellor and the provost. Generally, emeritus status criteria include having at least 10 years of service as a faculty member and holding the rank of professor or associate professor. Under certain circumstances the president may grant emeritus status to deans, vice presidents, or others if deemed appropriate (UW Faculty Code Section 24-34 B.13).
Emeritus appointments for librarians may be recommended by the University Libraries for eligible librarians at the time of retirement, with approval by the Dean of University Libraries and the President of the University. Generally, emeritus status criteria include having at least 10 years of service as a University Libraries employee and holding the rank of librarian or associate librarian (UW Librarian Personnel Code Chapter II Section B 4.a).
Academic Titles Eligible for Emeritus Status
| Appointment Prior to Retirement | Emeritus Appointment |
| Professor Professor WOT* |
Professor Emeritus |
| Associate Professor Associate Professor WOT* |
Associate Professor Emeritus |
| Research Professor | Research Professor Emeritus |
| Research Associate Professor | Research Associate Professor Emeritus |
| Teaching Professor | Teaching Professor Emeritus |
| Associate Teaching Professor | Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus |
| Principal Lecturer | Principal Lecturer Emeritus |
| Senior Lecturer | Senior Lecturer Emeritus |
| Lecturer | Lecturer Emeritus |
| Clinical Professor | Clinical Professor Emeritus |
| Clinical Associate Professor | Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus |
| Librarian | Librarian Emeritus |
| Associate Librarian | Associate Librarian Emeritus |
* Without Tenure (WOT) by Reason of Funding
Workday Entry for Emeritus Appointments
Once an emeritus title is conferred, the emeritus academic appointment will exist in Workday for the rest of the appointee’s life. When in paid status, the emeritus employee should have an emeritus position in Workday. When unpaid, the emeritus appointee should have an unpaid academic position. See the Hire Emeritus and Hire and Change Job For Unpaid Academics user guides and the Emeritus Employee Type Decision Tree for more information.
Required Documents for Emeritus Appointments
Award of Emeritus Status: Faculty
- Documentation from faculty member stating intention to retire
- Chair/ director/campus dean’s letter indicating the faculty vote and recommending emeritus title
Award of Emeritus Status: Librarian
- Documentation from librarian stating intention to retire
- Dean of University Libraries’ letter to provost recommending emeritus appointment
Re-employing Emeritus Academic Personnel
- Documentation identifying appointment percent and length of paid appointment must be uploaded to Workday anytime an emeritus faculty member or librarian is re-employed.
Re-Employed Retirees
UW faculty and librarians who retire, but who do not hold emeritus status, may partially re-employ after retirement using the titles/ranks in the table below.
| Title/Rank Prior to Retirement | Title/Rank Upon Re-employment |
| Professor Professor WOT* Research Professor Teaching Professor |
Professor, Retired |
| Associate Professor Associate Professor WOT* Research Associate Professor Teaching Associate Professor |
Associate Professor, Retired |
| Librarian Associate Librarian |
Librarian Retired** |
| All other academic titles eligible for retirement | Retiree – Academic ** |
* Without Tenure (WOT) by Reason of Funding
**No corresponding academic appointment is required
Unless a faculty retiree maintains a vested right to re-employ, re-employment is at the discretion of the dean/chancellor who will take into consideration—among other things—the needs of the University and availability of funding.
Workday Entry for Re-Employed Retirees
To re-hire an academic retiree who has not been appointed to emeritus, consult the Hire-Academic Personnel user guide.
Other Details: Re-Employed Emeriti and Retirees
The salaries of academic personnel with emeritus appointments and other retirees who are re-employed shall be commensurate with the monthly base salary at the time of retirement.
Faculty and librarians can find additional information on OAP’s Leaving the UW and Working after Retirement web pages.