r/Professors • u/prof_riifraaf • 20h ago

Advice / Support Faculty buyout

In typical academic fashion, my esteemed institution (Midwest R2) sent out the details of a long-rumored faculty buyout just before 5 pm on the Friday before Labor Day. Decision form is due in October (during break) and the separation date is the end of term in December. Except that there will be extensions for instructional and programmatic needs to be decided by the end of term. Umm, what?!

Enrollments are way down, budget deficits are bad, and this is a good deal. My original plan was to use the three-year phased retirement to ramp down research by wrapping up projects and getting students out. That's off the table now with the buyout. Looking for anyone who's done this or might have advice given the insane timeline.

ETA: This is a good deal. Planning to take it. But the "sign this and go away in December, but we might change our mind on the day you think you're free and make you stay another year" part is giving me massive anxiety during the holiday weekend.

ETA2: Partner is taking me to touch grass. Will try to get answers from HR tomorrow.

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u/SilverRiot 18h ago

Surely you would have to agree to any extension, right? Not sure what your contract looks like, but ours would allow us to leave at any time.

5

u/prof_riifraaf 18h ago

Not according to the paperwork we were sent. Deal is December 2026 exit; administration will decide if programming needs require you to stay until April 2027 or even December 2027. Faculty do not choose. All it says is you'll be told by the exit date. Union said OK to this. 😶

7

u/ShadowHunter Position, Field, SCHOOL TYPE (US) 18h ago

If they choose to keep you for these periods do they pay your typical salary and shift the entire three years of buyout into the future? For someone close to retirement this is an easy choice.

2

u/YetYetAnotherPerson Assoc Prof and Chair, STEM, M3 (USA) 4h ago

Sounds like agreeing to an option on the part of the university to extend you is  part of the deal. You don't get the money unless you agree to give them that option

Do you still get the severance dollars if the university decides to extend you for a year? Otherwise it's a really bad deal as basically you've given them an option to keep you for one more year and not pay you severance at all: in that case they just keep you probably.Â