The campus recognizes the significant value and contributions of emeritus professors to the life of UC Berkeley, and intends to support emeritus professors in their ongoing scholarly and professional activity. However, the increase in enrollment and concomitant addition of faculty positions have added to the intense pressure on campus space created by the seismic strengthening and facilities renewal programs. In current circumstances, new faculty members require space that is sometimes held by emeritus professors. This Policy on Allocating Office Space to Emeritus Professors is intended to replace the campus policy established in 1990 and provide clear criteria for departmental decisions on office space allocation to emeritus professors. A policy for research and laboratory space is yet to be developed. Future long-term planning for the campus should include consideration of space for emeritus faculty
1. Introduction
The highest priorities for space in academic departments are offices for regular faculty, research laboratories, and offices for administrators, Graduate Student Instructors & Researchers, etc. Space is also used for study facilities, computer rooms, departmental shops, commons, and other special uses that support particular departmental needs. Of necessity, the assignment of space to emeritus professors is discretionary, and it should not adversely affect the quantity or quality of space provided for regular faculty members or other key departmental activities.
Deans and department chairs are responsible for the equitable distribution and optimal use of space for academic programs. They must evaluate space assignments to emeritus professors in comparison with alternative uses and determine priorities within available resources. All assignments of space to emeritus professors should be evaluated annually. Campus-wide space assignment committees and officers will similarly evaluate such assignments when considering reassignments among units
2. Policy
As a campus standard, emeritus faculty may occupy a shared office on campus when they are actively engaged in substantial ongoing work that serves the university. Eligible work that could justify the need for office space is as follows:
- Teaching - Teaching of undergraduate or graduate courses that requires the emeritus professor to hold regular office hours for students
- Research - Research primarily involving UCB students that involves regular meetings on campus with these students
- Publication - Where the on-campus location is essential for the emeritus professor to continue to be productive in the publication of archival research reports and monographs
- Service - Frequent active involvement in service to the campus community through participation in departmental, college, or university committees or other university activities
The assignment of a private office to an emeritus professor should be considered an exception to policy and should be based on a level of activity comparable to that of a full-time faculty member. Such an office should not exceed the size of a typical faculty office in the department.
It is expected that an emeritus professor should be offered continued use of his or her office for one year after retirement. Thereafter, emeriti faculty desiring campus office space will be expected to move to a shared office.
To implement the policy in an equitable manner, it is recommended that departments formulate their own internal process based on broad participation with ladder faculty and active emeriti faculty. In cases of disagreement, or if otherwise advisable, the dean may appoint a faculty committee to review the professor's request.