Tenure Reduction Option

This retirement option is the option most frequently chosen by faculty.  It provides a six percent increase to the faculty member’s salary base, a guarantee of up to three years of full-time employment prior to retirement, and eligible for up to five years (three and a half for Law faculty) of employment post-retirement.

Eligibility

Any tenured faculty member who expects and agrees to retire from the University within the next three years is eligible. Faculty who are ORP participants must read the ORP Retired Participant Information.

Important notice for ORP participants

Duration of Full-time Employment

Faculty members are eligible for up to three years of full time employment prior to retirement. The three year period begins based on the timeline in the tenure reduction program letter of agreement signed by the faculty member and the Senior Vice Provost. The effective date of tenure reduction is typically at the end of a term or semester even though the actual retirement date may not be.

Duration of Part-time Employment

Under the TRP, a faculty member is eligible to continue to work for the University using TRP appointments not exceeding 1039 hours per calendar year for no longer than five years following retirement. No more than five (three and a half for Law faculty) TRP appointments are permitted, and all TRP appointments must be taken within the time period in the faculty member's original letter of agreement. One TRP appointment (one term at 1.0 FTE or two terms at 0.5 FTE) equates to a maximum of 0.33 annual FTE for 9- month employees and 0.25 annual FTE for 12-month employees. For Law School faculty, one TRP appointment (one semester at 1.0 FTE or two semesters at 0.5 FTE) equates to 0.50 annual FTE for 9-month employees and 0.375 annual FTE for 12-month employees.

During part-time employment you will be paid at the defined TRP FTE for the term or semester you are working, times your monthly base rate. For example, if a faculty member is scheduled to teach one class in Fall term, they would receive .50 FTE for Fall term. The term and semester dates are listed below.

Term Dates Fall: 9/16-12/15 Winter: 12/16-3/15 Spring: 3/15-6/15

Semester Dates (Law School JD Program) Fall: 8/16-12/31 Spring: 1/1-5/15

Salary Increase

A one-time salary increase amounting to six percent of the faculty member’s base salary will be effective based on the timeline in the tenure reduction program letter of agreement signed by the faculty member and the Senior Vice Provost. Twelve-month employees can have the increase applied on January 1 or July 1 after signing. The six percent increase in base salary will apply only if the application is made at least one full term (three months for Law School faculty) prior to retirement.

Future Salary Increases

Faculty members signing tenure reduction agreements will be eligible for salary increases per the collective bargaining agreement and the university salary increase guidelines.

Incorporating Awards and Stipends Into (Post-Retirement) TRP Base Salary

Award/Stipend Roll into TRP Base Salary?
  • Knight Chair
  • Other endowed chairs beside Knight Chair
  • Other Awards 
  • Temporary or positional stipends (i.e. Dept Head, Director)
  • Dean/Provost approval required
  • Dean/Provost approval required
  • Dean/Provost approval required
  • No, Not allowed