Retired Faculty and Staff Programs and Services

March 26, 2012

Members of the Rutgers Community:

Rutgers has long valued the many ways in which retired faculty and staff contribute to the university.  Through the years, new retirees have been encouraged to remain connected and continue their involvement with their individual units.  Although Rutgers provides an array of related services, much more can be done to strengthen ties between the university and its retirees.

Toward this end, the University Center for Organizational Development and Leadership (ODL) has worked with a small group of staff and retired faculty from all three campuses to study existing university-wide practices, policies, and perceptions; to gather information on programs and services offered by our peer institutions; and to seek the views of retired faculty and staff.  The committee’s recommendations include formalizing and coordinating university-wide programs and services for retirees, forming a university-wide advisory committee to help create and implement programs and services, and establishing a university office to coordinate retiring/retired faculty and staff relations. 

We have begun to implement the committee’s recommendations.  I am pleased to announce that Vivian Fernandez, Vice President for Faculty and Staff Resources, will assume formal responsibility for providing a single point of focus for policy development, planning, and coordination of programs related to retired faculty and staff.  Integrating a retiree program within Rutgers’ infrastructure will institutionalize our commitment to our retiree community and help to provide effective, mutually beneficial, and consistent policies and services throughout Rutgers.

I have also appointed a Faculty and Staff Retiree Advisory Council composed of retired faculty and staff, and several current faculty and staff representing critical programs and services within the university.  The committee, which is chaired by Dr. Gus Friedrich, former Dean of the School of Communication and Information, will work closely with Vice President Fernandez to create programs that will enhance the connection between Rutgers and its retirees.  Gus brings many years of senior academic leadership to the committee, and I am grateful for his continued service. 

With these and future advances, Rutgers hopes to strengthen its valued relationships with its retirees.  In so doing, we will express our appreciation for their years of dedicated service and will create new collaborations with retirees that will benefit us all.

Richard L. McCormick
President
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey