Thinking about retirement?

Congratulations on exploring retirement!  The College of Arts and Sciences wants to support you through this important and exciting milestone. This milestone is exciting and the College of Arts and Sciences wants to support you through it. This page provides pertinent resources to support your well-being during this life transition and help you begin the process of retirement.

On this page:

Get started early

As you consider retirement, begin planning as soon as possible. Retirement plans and benefits are administered by the CU System Employee Services Office. See contact information and quick links below to get started:

CU Boulder retiree perks

As a retiree on the Boulder campus you are eligible for:

  • E-mail: Retirees are eligible to keep their campus e-mail accounts. Automatically with slight delay during transition.
  • Norlin Library: Retirees maintain their library privileges. Access remains the same, automatically.
  • Parking: Retirees are eligible for retiree-parking permit. Contact the Parking Services Business Office at (303) 492-7384 for more information.
  • Stay Connected: Be Well and CU Retired Faculty Association
  • Emeritus Status: According to the Faculty Handbook, "Upon retirement, any administrative officer or any professional member of the faculty, in accordance with normal faculty review procedures or by approval of the Board of Regents, may be allowed to retain his/her title with the description 'emeritus'." Requires request from department chair based on department approval to the Dean, and approval by the dean and faculty affairs.

Buffalo Spirit

American Buffaloes, and those who protect them, signify determination and the wherewithal to make clear and wise decisions. The buffalo survives, even in the rapidly changing world to which it must adapt.

As a valued member of the College of Arts and Sciences we honor your contributions and recognize the buffalo spirit within you as you transition to your next adventures.

Retirement options

You will find policy information regarding faculty retirement and retirement agreements on the Office of Faculty Affairs website. 

Standard Retirement

The faculty member continues with standard workload until the final semester. The faculty member may request the final semester be free from teaching or continue with the standard workload. 

Process

  • Faculty member discusses plans with department, program or center chair or director.
  • Faculty member submits request for retirement in a Word document to the department chair/director. 
  • The chair/director forwards the request for retirement document to CAS-Faculty@colorado.edu.
  • The College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Affairs submits a form to the unit, dean, and the Office of Faculty Affairs* for signature with a copy to the Graduate School or the Research and Innovation Office (if applicable), Human Resources Service Center and Department Coordinator.
    • * The Office of Faculty Affairs will create the faculty retirement agreement

Phased Retirement

Tenure or tenure-track faculty members may request to work 50% time for a maximum of three years. This option does not include a semester free from teaching, but the university continues to pay retirement and insurance plan contributions for someone on a 50% phased retirement as if the faculty member was working at 100%. 

Faculty member should notify department chair via Word document approximately one year before the planned retirement date (please refer to process outlined below). Faculty may request to be considered for emeritus status at the same time, or separately. 

Prior to the academic year of retirement, nine-month faculty that previously chose to be paid over 12-months should consider whether they want to change the method of salary disbursement.

The Faculty Election to Defer Receipt of Salary Payment form to change from 9-pay-12 (being paid over twelve months) to 9-pay-9 (being paid over 9 months) must be submitted to the campus Human Resources Service Center by June 30 for any upcoming academic year. Faculty continuing to be paid over 12-months will receive a lump-sum payout on the final date of employment, which might result in a higher dollar amount being withheld from the payout.  Faculty may wish to consult a tax professional regarding income tax implication.

Nine-month faculty, which includes most tenure or tenure-track faculty and instructors, are not paid for any portion of unused sick leave remaining at retirement and do not accrue vacation time.

Process

  • Faculty member discusses intent to separate with department, program or center chair or director.
  • Faculty member submits request for retirement in a Word document to the department chair/director. 
  • The chair/director forwards the request for retirement document to CAS-Faculty@colorado.edu.
  • The College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Affairs submits a form to the unit, dean and the Office of Faculty Affairs* for signatures with a copy to the Graduate School or the Research and Innovation Office if applicable, Human Resources Service Center and Department Coordinator.
    • * Office of Faculty Affairs will create the retirement agreement.

Faculty member’s responsibility

Parking

Retirees are eligible for retiree parking permit. Contact the Parking Services Business Office at (303) 492-7384 for more information.

Staying Connected

Retirement is a new beginning. This is a time to use experience and expertise in a new way to focus attention on the evolving CU Boulder campus landscape. We believe you would provide a significant contribution to the mission and objectives of the Boulder campus, and the Chancellor agrees. Consider joining the CU Retired Faculty organization.

Computer equipment

Please note that tenured and tenure-track faculty, rostered instructors and senior instructors with less than one year remaining before retirement are ineligible for the faculty computer purchasing program or FCPP. Faculty members will be notified of eligibility in faculty computer purchasing program (FCPP) via email in July of the current fiscal year. Any declaration of an intent to retire may disqualify the terms of your eligibility. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please email fcpp@colorado.edu.

Faculty who continue to be officially affiliated with the university post retirement may continue to use university owned computers.

Note that the computer DOES NOT belong to the faculty person; it is University property. The academic unit is expected to collect all university property per closeout procedures upon faculty member’s last day.

Emeritus status

According to the Faculty Handbook, "Upon retirement, any administrative officer or any professional member of the faculty, in accordance with normal faculty review procedures or by approval of the Board of Regents, may be allowed to retain his/her title with the description 'emeritus'". If faculty member is requesting emeritus status, department vote is required.

  • The Chair will then send a request for emeritus status in a Word document to the Dean with justification.
    • This request must include the department vote with roll call of yeas and nays
  • The College of Arts and Sciences Office of Faculty Affairs will route final document for approval with copies sent to the Dean and the Office of Faculty Affairs, and to the HRSC for entry. The effective date will align with the retirement date.

Wellness resources for faculty

Wellness Definition

Congratulations on your career milestone! The College of Arts and Sciences appreciates your work and dedication to our students and campus community. As you transition into retirement, the College of Arts and Sciences is committed to supporting your holistic wellness as well as to the well-being of its community members.

The Be Well program utilizes eight dimensions of wellness—emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, spiritual—to support holistic health for those exploring retirement. Stay connected via the Be Well website and take advantage of the resources offered.