Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Emeritus College?
Whose idea was the Emeritus College?
Who benefits from the Emeritus College?
How do emeriti/emeritae benefit from participation in the Emeritus College?
Does the Emeritus College have facilities available for its members?
Are there By-laws for the College?
Who can become members of the Emeritus College?
Are there be membership fees or dues?
From where does the College receive its administrative and operational funds?
Isn't the term "Emeritus College" sexist?
What if I'm too busy to get involved in anything else?
How does the Emeritus College differ from other Colleges in the University?
What types of Centers exist in the College?
Do College members have to belong to a Center?
What about the Emeriti Faculty Association?
What is the Emeritus College?
The Emeritus College is an administrative unit within Arizona State University whose membership consists of professors emeriti/ae. It is administered by a Dean and classified staff. Assisting the Dean is an Emeritus College Advisory Council. The purpose of the Emeritus College is to give a home and focus to continued intellectual, creative and social engagement of retired faculty with the University. It serves its members, the University and the community as a clearing house for resources made available both by the membership and the University. It provides an organizational base for official University ties and emeritus policy development. It provides and sponsors various opportunities for public service and for the intellectual growth of its membership and their significant others. Return
Where is the Emeritus College?
The Emeritus College is housed in the newly renovated Emeritus College Center, Wilson Hall 101. In addition to College offices and the hospitable Mentoring Center, studies and carrels, fully equiped with computers and Internet access, are available to members for casual and long term use. Drop in and have a cup of coffee. Return
Whose idea was the Emeritus College?
There had been recent publicity in the Chronicle of Higher Education about emeritus colleges, so the idea may have occurred to several individuals. But a letter from Richard Jacob to President Crow in February, 2003 initiated the chain of events that led us to the present. President Crow handed the matter over to Provost Glick, who arranged for meetings in his office with Jacob and the leadership of the ASU Emeriti Association. This resulted in a proposal to establish a Steering Committee. Both President Crow and Provost Glick gave strong support for the concept and encouraged the Committee to come up with an Emeritus College that would help to distinguish ASU among America's universities. We believe we have done just that and invite all ASU emeriti and emeritae to join us in making a distinctive emeritus college a reality. Return
Who benefits from the Emeritus College?
Everyone, we hope. The University, the faculty, the student body, the community and, most importantly, the emeritus faculty. Return
How do emeriti/emeritae benefit from participation in the Emeritus College?
There are numerous ways, many of them implied by the questions in the recent survey the Committee conducted of ASU emeriti/emeritae. But they all boil down to increasing the ability of an emeritus or emerita to continue engagement with the University, with his or her discipline and with opportunities for intellectual growth and creativity. Return
Does the Emeritus College have facilities available for its members?
The physical facilities include the College offices, a seminar and conference room and a Mentoring Center. Also within the Emeritus College Center are carrels and studies, furnished with desks and computers with Internet access. The carrels are available on a day-to-day basis and the studies, by competitive application, for longer periods of time. Return
How does membership in the Emeritus College benefit emeriti/emeritae who do not live in the Phoenix metropolitan area?
In this age of instant electronic communications, the benefits could be considerable. For example, opportunities are being developed for emeriti/ae to serve as on-line advisors and to teach on-line courses. All members, regardless of place of residence, are eligible for the College's research awards program. And such members would have a "place" here on campus whenever they were actually able to visit. Return
Are there By-laws for the College?
The By-laws were adopted by the Emeritus College Council and ratified at the first membership meeting at the First Annual Emeritus College Symposium in May, 2006. Return
Who can become members of the Emeritus College?
Any ASU emeritus or emerita, from any of its campuses, may apply for membership and be accepted without having to meet additional qualifications. Admission to membership must be requested by application. Certain qualified emeriti/ae of other institutions of higher learning may be accepted as Associate Members of the College. See the next question.) There is also an Affiliate Member classification for retired ASU instructors who do not have emeritus status. Return
Can emeriti/emeritae from other colleges and universities who live in the area become members of the Emeritus College?
This was the essence of one of the questions in the survey, and a large majority of respondents were in favor of allowing this category of membership. Associate Membership is open, upon application and review, to retired faculty who have emeritus status from other institutions with similar accreditation to ASU. Return
Are there membership fees or dues?
There are no dues at present, but there is an annual voluntary tax deductable contribution of suggested amount $30 or more. The College's service and scholarly programs are supported from these funds. Return
From where does the College receive its administrative and operational funds?
The College receives institutional budgetary support for its basic operations and facilities. Other sources of funding are also sought through development, as with any existing unit in the University. Return
Isn't the term "Emeritus College" sexist?
No. Our research tells us that it is not. In the phrase, "emeritus college," "emeritus" is an adjective. Dictionaries give "emeritus" as the adjective for all genders, singular or plural. We try to be careful to use the correct forms of the noun: emeritus and emeriti respectively for the singular and plural masculine gender and emerita and emeritae for the feminine gender. Return
Isn't the Emeritus College just a way for the University to get some free service from its retired faculty?
While some emeritus faculty may welcome the opportunity to give pro bono service to the University in various capacities, others have different motivations for supporting such an organization, including the possibility of performing services for monetary gain. The Emeritus College tries to serve the interests of all of its members, regardless of their motivations for affiliation with it. Serving as a clearing house for service opportunities, pro bono or for fee, is only one of the principal functions of the College. Return
What if I'm too busy to get involved in anything else?
Membership in the Emeritus College does not obligate one to participate in any of the College's programs or opportunities. Participation is totally voluntary and a matter of individual choice. In many respects, the College is an "opportunities exchange." Membership assures that you will receive information on all the opportunities that are offered through us. On the other hand, the membership of busy and influential people provides the College with the leverage to develop more significant opportunities. Return
How does the Emeritus College differ from other colleges in the University?
The Emeritus College is a college in the more classical sense of a community of scholars. It has no curriculum, no student body and awards no degrees. (Happily, there are no annual performance reviews of its members.) Rather than departments, the College structure involves "Centers" that serve as administrative focal points for several different types of studies and creative effort. The College also differs from other colleges in the types of services it provides its members and the University. Return
What types of Centers exist in the College?
Centers are designed to bring together emeriti/ae from several academic backgrounds who have common interests in issues, research or creative activity. Several different Centers were described in the Proposal. Three of these, the Center for K-12 Issues in Education, the Center for ASU History and Tradition and the Center for Innovation in Instruction, are now being organized. In addition, the Emeritus Center for Creative Writing is also being organized in cooperation with the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. A Center for Mentoring and a Center for Arts are being planned. Other Centers will be created as interest is expressed. Although not a Center, the College supports the ASU Emeritus College Press, which serves the membership by providing assistance in manuscript preparation and submission as well as the publication of (adequately reviewed) monographs and books. This is an electronic press with no facilities for producing commercially suitable hard copy finished products. As long as there is interest, there is no limit to the number of Centers that can exist. Center directors serve pro bono (unless they receive salary support through grants) and are ex officio members of the College Council. Return
Do College members have to belong to a Center?
No. In fact, many, if not most, of the benefits of membership will be independent of Centers. A member may belong to none or as many Centers as he or she wishes. In fact, membership in a Center is not required for participation in many of the Center's programs. In any event, Center membership is free and Center members will receive the regular communications from the Center. (If you submit a grant proposal under the auspices of a Center, you will automatically be included on the roster of Center membership.) Return
What about the Emeriti Faculty Association and the Arizona State University Retirees Association?
The Emeriti Faculty Association at ASU has a great tradition and provides an important function for all ASU emeriti/emeritae. The Emeritus College proposal owed much to the active support of the leadership of the Emeriti Association. Last year's President, John Bell, serves on the Advisory Council. The ASU Retirees Association is an independent organization among whose members are both retired faculty and retired staff. ASURA serves vital functions in political circles as well as providing social opportunities. Both of these organizations are essential, but do not have the academic and scholarly thrust of the Emeritus College. Some universities have emeriti/ae organizations that couple the functions of these three in various degrees. But at ASU, it is hoped, they will find many opportunities for mutual cooperation and support. Return