Albright College Receives Award for Innovative Faculty Retirement Practices

June 19, 2012

Reading, Pa.  – Albright College is receiving a $100,000 grant from the American Council on Education and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for its innovative work in faculty retirement.

Along with 14 other institutions honored, Albright demonstrated a best practice in three stages in culmination of faculty careers: the development of a legacy, the transition into retirement and the continuing involvement of faculty in the academic community post-retirement.

Albright plans use the grant to expand existing initiatives related to faculty retirement, including its phased retirement program, transition support and planning, and office space for retired faculty. In addition, the College will develop new programs focused on helping faculty identify activities they would like to pursue during retirement, such as offering a study away course or volunteering in the local community.

“Our commitment to faculty should not end once they have retired,” said Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Albright’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. “That’s why we are interested in and committed to initiatives that ease the transition of our valued colleagues and help them stay connected to the College. We are grateful to ACE and the Sloan Foundation for recognizing our efforts.”

“With the generous support of the Sloan Foundation, ACE is pleased to recognize institutions like Albright College for creating win-win solutions that involve faculty in meaningful ways before, during and after retirement,” said Gretchen Bataille, senior vice president for Leadership and Lifelong Learning at ACE.

“Our intent in funding these awards is to broaden the national conversation and the agenda within higher education to take into account the full scope of the culminating stage of faculty careers,” said Kathleen Christensen, Working Longer program director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

“We are hopeful these award winning institutions can provide examples for our community of thoughtful approaches that can be modeled.”

The names of the other institutions honored, along with summaries of their award-winning activities can be found on the ACE website (acenet.edu). In addition, each of the winners will draft a chapter about their campus practices which will be included in an upcoming ACE monograph. They will also have the opportunity to disseminate their best practices at conferences and in other venues.

“Transitioning into retirement marks an important phase in a faculty career,” Senior Advisor and Project Director Claire Van Ummersen said. “These 15 colleges and universities are to be commended for their recognition of and positive actions in addressing this major milestone.”

Founded in 1856, Albright College is a nationally ranked, private college with a rigorous liberal arts curriculum with an interdisciplinary focus. The College’s hallmarks are connecting fields of learning, collaborative teaching and learning, and a flexible curriculum that allows students to create an individualized education. Albright College enrolls more than 1,660 undergraduates in traditional programs, another 800 adult students in accelerated degree programs, and 100 students in the master’s program in education. Albright College is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, about 60 miles west of Philadelphia.

Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations, nationwide. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on Twitter @ACEducation.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic, not-for-profit grant making institution based in New York City. Established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of the General Motors Corporation, its Working Longer program is expanding understanding of aging Americans’ work patterns.