Miami University's Strategic Priorities Task Force (STP) has recommended the retire/rehire program be evaluated in order to help cut Miami's budget. The program allows recently-retired tenured professors who have taught for at least 30 years to return for one semester per year for three years.
The editorial board of The Miami Student supports the STP's decision to consider each retire/rehire teaching application on a case-by-case basis. Miami's faculty is comprised of many knowledgeable, experienced professors. Having these retired professors come back to teach benefits both students and departments, but the retire/rehire program is expensive to run because of the retirement benefits and teaching salary the professors make when teaching for this program.
Bringing in new tenure-track professors to teach the majority of the classes that would be taught by retire/rehire professors is a strong compromise between running the retire/rehire program and integrating new faculty. The retire/rehire program is best used when another professor needs to go on a short-notice leave and a quality professor is needed to replace him or her very quickly. Each retire/rehire case must be carefully considered and reviewed by the department to insure the program is an investment in Miami's future.
The retire/rehire program should not be eliminated because it is a solid alternative for departments in need of an experienced, quality professor. However, to balance quality education and Miami's budget crisis, each program application must be processed and approved not just because the department needs a teaching hole to be filled, but because the department specifically needs the help of a retired professor.
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