Emeritus and emerita appointments

Faculty and academic staff appointments

The title emeritus or emerita may be granted to any tenured member of the faculty, full-time non-tenure-track faculty member (Clinical or Research), or academic staff holding tenure or Employment Security Status who retires after at least ten (10) years of employment at Wayne State University. Emeritus appointments are recommended by appropriate faculty or academic staff committees (normally those responsible for tenure and Employment Security Status) via the Department Chair and Dean. Chairs and Deans may provide an independent review and recommendation and the Dean shall forward all materials to the Provost. Following review, the granting of Emeritus/Emerita status must be approved by the Provost. In making recommendations for the title, consideration is given to the individual's overall contributions to the University and his/her accomplishments as a member of the faculty/academic staff.

Emeritus ranks involve no duties and provide no stipend. As long as it is feasible to grant them, all persons holding emeritus rank shall have the following rights and privileges in the University:

1. Their names shall be listed in the University Bulletin and on the unit web page.
2. They shall have the library and parking privileges of the regular faculty and academic staff.
3. They shall have access to the university email system.
4. They shall receive appropriate university mailings and electronic messages which are directed to all members of the faculty.
5. They shall be given a university One Card that indicates their status as emeritus or emerita.
6. They shall be entitled to attend all appropriate faculty social and honorary functions.
7. They shall be entitled to the privileges of the university dining facilities, bookstore, and ticket office.
8. They shall receive other feasible courtesies and privileges which may include, but are not limited to, office or lab space, if available, the use of other research facilities, and the ability to participate in applications for extramural funding with approval by the dean and provost.

With the approval of the Provost, a unit may add criteria or privileges as part of their Bylaws, but may not reduce the minimum criteria or privileges in this policy.

Submission instructions

A single-file PDF should be compiled with the following documents:

• A letter of recommendation from the department chair (if applicable),
• A letter of recommendation from the Dean, and
• The faculty member’s WSU professional record.

The appropriate faculty or academic staff committee recommending emeritus should be mentioned and included in the recommendation letter provided by the department chair and/or dean.

Once all materials have been compiled, submit the final PDF to the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development. 

Dean appointments

The deans of the schools and colleges play a pivotal role in the academic mission of our university. It seems only appropriate that Deans who have changed the very nature of their college and the university, contributed in innovative ways, and led the path to excellence should be approved for emeritus/emerita appointments. The title dean emeritus/emerita may be granted to any dean who has been employed as a dean at WSU for at least 10 years and who is recognized for outstanding accomplishments (i.e., started a college, led both college and university initiatives, made significant programmatic contributions, etc.).

At the conclusion of their tenure, a dean may be nominated by a chair or the provost for an emeritus/emerita appointment. A one page nomination letter should be submitted to the president for consideration. The president with the approval of the Board of Governors would then grant dean emeritus/emerita status. Their recognition would be approved in the personnel report to the Board of Governors.

Revised May 2024.