- Faculty member retires
- UCD Pensions provides a list of retired faculty to University Secretariat detailing:
- Title and Name
- Personnel Number
- Date of Retirement
- School
- University Secretariat contacts the relevant Head of School to confirm the following information in order to determine whether or not a faculty member is eligible for an Emeritus title:
- That the faculty member is retired and has not, to your knowledge, been employed on a post-retirement contract by the School or does not hold an ‘office of similar character’ at another institution.
- That the faculty member is eligible for conferring status as per the procedures outlined.
- The position held by the faculty member on retirement (i.e., Full Professor / Professor/ Assoc. Professor).
- Confirm which Emeritus title should be conferred.
- On receipt of the confirmation from the Head of School, University Secretariat submits the recommendation to the subsequent meeting of Academic Council or its Executive Committee for approval, noting the retirement date. Details of Academic Council meeting dates can be found on the Academic Council webpage and the Executive Committee webpage
- When the title is approved by Academic Council, correspondence will issue from the Registrar to the retiree to confirm the decision.
Emeritus
Emeritus
Page updated 6 July 2022
This webpage provides information on the process for awarding an Emeritus title and refers to the process for setting-up a Research & Teaching Active (RTA) Faculty Member post-retirement. Please note that these are two separate processes with separate timelines.
The title of 'Emeritus' may be conferred on or after retirement in recognition of meritorious service to the University. Learn how the title is conferred, the difference between Emeritus status and other titles and the roles / responsibilities of the various parties involved in the process.
Conferment of Emeritus Titles (Statute 25)
Statute 25 states that “the Governing Authority, on the recommendation of the Academic Council, may confer the title of “Emeritus” upon any Full Professor, Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor (or Lecturer) on or after retirement, in recognition of meritorious services to the University. The title of “Emeritus” shall be held only if the person concerned does not hold another office of a similar character. An Emeritus appointee shall not be entitled to membership of the Academic Council.” (Chapter 9, Section 16).
At its meeting of 12 December 2019, Governing Authority delegated approval of Emeritus to Academic Council.
Learn more about Statute 25 in the Governance Document Library.
When is the title conferred?
UCD Pensions provide lists of retired faculty directly to University Secretariat. On receipt of notification from UCD Pensions that a faculty member has retired, University Secretariat will contact the relevant Head of School to confirm that the candidate is eligible for an Emeritus title. Only on receipt of confirmation from the Head of School can the recommendation for an Emeritus title be put forward to Academic Council for approval. See below for a detailed outline of the process. Currently there is no requirement to nominate/be nominated although there are cases where a Head of School or College Principal makes a nomination to the Registrar.
Conditions & Titles
Before a Full Professor/Professor/Associate Professor/Assistant Professor (or Lecturer) can be conferred with the Emeritus title, they must be retired and can no longer be working in any paid capacity in UCD.
| Position at retirement | Emeritus title |
|---|---|
| Full Professor | Emeritus Full Professor |
| Professor | Emeritus Professor |
| Associate Professor | Emeritus Associate Professor |
| Assistant Professor (Lecturer) | Emeritus Assistant Professor (Lecturer) |
The conferral process in full
Emeritus v. Research & Teaching Active
Research and teaching-active retired faculty are a valuable resource for the University with a wide range of skills, knowledge and contacts that we wish to see encouraged and recognised. Active retired faculty can play a role on the national and international stage, greatly enhancing the reputation of the University through activities such as research and publication, mentoring and coaching (faculty & students), networking and advocating, and guest lecturing and tutoring. Please consult the ‘Research and Teaching-Active Retired Faculty Policy’ for complete and detailed information on this process.
While the awarding of an Emeritus title and the set-up of a Research & Teaching Active Faculty Member post-retirement may appear similar, they are in fact two separate processes.
Being set up as research & teaching active faculty does not automatically grant Emeritus status. As noted on this page, the conferral of Emeritus status is processed via the Academic Council and not on completion of a research and teaching active set up form.
The HOS should indicate that they have confirmed the award with University Secretariat on the Research & teaching active retired faculty application form If the HOS indicates they have confirmed the award with University Secretariat and signs the form then it will be processed by HR.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The title is conferred following a meeting of the Academic Council. There may be a gap of months between your retirement date and the next Academic Council meeting. Once the title has been conferred you will receive correspondence from the Registrar confirming it.
No. Awardees must be retired and can no longer be working in any paid capacity in UCD.
Emeritus awardees may still operate in roles under the Research & Teaching-Active Retired Faculty policy as these roles are voluntary and unpaid.
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