3.10 - Severance
3.10.1 - Retirement
The minimum retirement age is 62. There is no mandatory retirement age. The normal retirement age is the age specified by Social Security (which depends on one's birth date). Retirement benefits are described in Chapter 7.
3.10.1.1 - Emeritus Status
The Board of Trustees confers emeritus status on retiring faculty members and administrators with faculty status. Emeritus status is an honor for meritorious service in teaching, research, and administration. This status is not automatic, but is awarded by an act of the Board of Trustees. Nominations for emeritus status come from the president of the college. In the case of teaching faculty, these nominations normally come in response to advice from the academic deans and the provost in consultation with the relevant department; and in the case of administrators, with advise from the relevant divisional vice president.
3.10.1.2 - Eligibility
In order to be eligible for emeritus status, the nominee must present the following attainments:
- normally ten years of service to the college in a ranked faculty position or an administrative position with faculty status,
- a commendatory record of service and conduct,
- no current disciplinary proceedings, and
- retirement from the college in a faculty appointment or administrative appointment that has faculty status.
3.10.1.3 - Privileges
As valued ongoing members of the college community, emeritus faculty and administrators are encouraged to maintain association with the college and continue their studies. The following privileges exist to support emeriti/ae in these efforts:
- invitations to attend annual academic and all-campus events, such as the fall conference, convocations, Christmas and awards banquets, and departmental socials:
- a standard faculty/staff parking permit;
- a library card and full library services;
- admission to events where faculty normally receive courtesy admission and opportunities to purchase tickets to events at faculty ticket rates;
- emeritus faculty rank equivalency and pay for those engaged to do part-time teaching; and on a space-available basis, assigned working space on campus for those who have active projects, with priority given to those with assigned duties.
3.10.1.4 - Exceptions
Only the president may seek exceptions to these guidelines, by means of a recommendation for action by the Board of Trustees.
3.10.2 - Loss of Appointment for Tenured Faculty
A teacher with tenure may be separated from service in the following situations:
3.10.2.1 - Institutional Factors
Staff reductions may be made owing to demonstrable financial exigencies, or elimination of programs. The impact of proposed staff reductions upon the college and department programs shall be reviewed by the Priorities Committee before a final determination of the matter is made by the administration. The claim of fiscal necessity should be demonstrably bona fide; i.e., not contrived.
When staff reductions are thus made, they shall normally be made first in affected departments from among non-tenured staff. If staff reductions are to be made from the tenured staff, they shall be made in affected departments, normally on a last-appointed-to-tenure-first-to-go basis as the earliest consideration. The impact of each proposed reduction upon the welfare of the college and the welfare of individuals concerned shall be reviewed by the Professional Status Committee before a final determination is made by the administration. A faculty member who is released may appeal the case, through the president, to the Board of Trustees.
The college will make an attempt to employ in another useful position the tenured faculty member whose teaching position has been eliminated, but such employment is not guaranteed nor, if so placed, is he or she guaranteed the salary of the former position.
A tenured faculty member whose appointment is terminated by the college for reasons given above shall be offered a return to a tenured position in the department if, within three years after leaving Calvin College, his or her former position is restored.
3.10.2.2 - Personal Factors
A teacher with tenure may be separated from service following the procedures of one of the following policies:
- Procedures for Addressing Allegations of Misconduct (Chapter 6, Section 6.1),
- Procedures for Addressing Allegations of Unacceptable Performance of a Tenured Faculty Member (Chapter 6, Section 6.2),
- Procedures for Handling Allegations of Confessional Unorthodoxy (Chapter 6, Section 6.3),
- Procedures for Handling Allegations of Scientific Misconduct (Chapter 6, Section 6.5).
3.10.3 - Termination of Employment for Cause
3.10.3.1 - Principles Governing the Judicial Process
Calvin College, as an agency of the Christian Reformed Church, is assigned the task of carrying out the implications of the Lordship of Christ in the area of teaching, scholarship, and research in higher education. The governing body of the Church enables and encourages the college to develop and promote the truth in all areas of thought and knowledge. The college, in turn, assists the Church in making an effective educational witness to the world. The integrity of both must be preserved.
Calvin College is more than a legal, corporate enterprise. It is a community of Christian professionals. The Christian character of this community governs relationships at the institution more effectively than do purely legal considerations, but it does not disregard that which legal codes seek to establish.
The occasions for the exercise of judicial process will be very infrequent, but, should they arise, the judicial procedures should reflect the Christian character of the institution. Therefore, there should be manifest a concern for each individual staff member, a concern for the community, and a concern for the Church. These concerns require that the judicial process be conducted according to standards of fairness, compassion, and integrity.
3.10.3.2 - Judicial Procedure in the Case of Termination of Appointment
3.10.3.2.1 - The Role of the Board of Trustees, Faculty, and Administration
Since the interests of the individual, the community, the educational enterprise, and the Church are concerned, the judicial process normally should involve the faculty, the administration, and the Board of Trustees. Any case involving charges aimed at punitive action against a member of the teaching faculty, whether these charges emanate from within the college itself, the constituency, or from a synodical session, shall be referred to the Board of Trustees if it cannot be settled by the procedures in Chapter 6. The Board of Trustees shall appoint an advisory committee of investigation constituted of an equal number of members of the Board of Trustees and members of the Professional Status Committee, plus the president of the college. The function of this committee is to act as a hearing committee of the Board, the Faculty, and the Administration. This committee will present its findings and advice to the Board of Trustees, which will make a decision in the matter. The Board of Trustees will report its decision to the next Synod of the Christian Reformed Church.
3.10.3.2.2 - Statement of Rights
The investigation and hearing shall be conducted with fairness and consideration to the accused. The accused faculty member shall have the right:
- To be present in person at every stage of any hearing,
- To be represented by a colleague if so desired,
- To have witnesses examined in his or her presence, and to question them himself or herself, and
- To appeal to the Board of Trustees.
3.10.3.2.3 - Hearing Procedures
The accusations against the faculty member shall be set forth in writing and a copy of it presented to him or her prior to the hearing.
The hearing shall proceed as follows:
- The member of the committee chosen to officially bring the complaint before the hearing shall briefly state the reasons for the complaint against the accused faculty member.
- The accused faculty member and/or a colleague-advisor shall then concisely state a defense.
- The Committee member chosen for this purpose shall thereupon produce evidence or witnesses in support of the allegations; thereafter the respondent and colleague- advisor may produce the evidence, and both sides may produce rebuttal evidence.
- When the evidence has been presented, both sides may present arguments either orally or in writing or both.
- The proceedings at the hearing shall be recorded either by a stenographer or by an appropriate recording device. The record, including all exhibits, papers, and evidence in the case, shall be the basis of any appeal which may be made and shall be made available to the accused faculty member for use in preparing any appeal.
3.10.3.2.4 - The Matter of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction for Christian Reformed Ministers on the Staff of Calvin College
If the case involves an ordained minister on the staff of Calvin College who is under the ecclesiastical rule of the Christian Reformed Church, the minister is also subject to the jurisdiction of the consistory in which the ministerial credentials are lodged.
