The Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program (VRI Program) is a one-time, "window” program offered from October 1, 2025 through January 12, 2026 under which eligible tenure system faculty members may elect to voluntarily retire and relinquish their tenured faculty appointment at MSU in exchange for specific benefits.  Eligible tenure system faculty who elect to participate in the VRI Program will be required to sign a VRI Program Election Form and a General Release of Claims in exchange for these benefits. Retirements under the VRI Program are voluntary and the incentive offered under the VRI Program is greater than the financial benefits offered through ordinary retirement or other faculty retirement agreements.

The University is offering a substantial one-time retirement incentive to eligible, tenure system faculty members in exchange for relinquishing tenure. This will enable the University to re-allocate tenure lines to emerging areas of scholarship and scholars, create an orderly process for teaching/research succession, and offer a retirement option for interested tenure system faculty members.  This program fosters conditions for a respectful transition for long-term tenure system faculty members, while fostering conditions to re-invest in our University’s academic preeminence.

You are encouraged to consult with your tax advisor and private attorney before agreeing to participate in the VRI Program. Any costs or fees for such consultation are your responsibility.

A “window” program of this nature offers separation incentives during a limited time to eligible tenure system faculty who are interested in transitioning out of active academic duties or in exploring new endeavors outside their current institution. The VRI Program affords participants an easier transition because they make the decision to participate on their own after careful consideration (including with the guidance of financial or retirement planners or legal counsel), they have a longer notice period, with pay, to prepare for their transition out of the institution, and they receive a financial incentive that would not otherwise be available if they waited to transition through ordinary retirement.

The VRI Program offers eligible tenure system faculty different retirement options so that they must customize their retirement experience.

Tenure system faculty that are eligible for a terminal consultantship year (appointed into the tenure system prior to January 1, 1992) may select from the following options:

• Option 1: (i) A lump sum payment equal to 80% of their annual salary rate and you waive and forfeit your right to a Terminal Consultantship preceding your retirement 
• Option 2: (ii) Enhanced Emeritum Status and a terminal consultantship
• Option 3: (iii) Enhanced Emeritum Status

Eligible employees that were not appointed into the tenure system prior to January 1, 1992 are eligible for:

• Option 4: (i) A lump sum payment equal to 40% of their annual salary rate
• Option 5: (ii) Enhanced Emeritum Status

You will receive your Option 1 or Option 4 lump sum payment within one month of your last day of employment with MSU and will be subject to all required deductions and withholdings, provided that you have returned and not revoked your executed Release Agreement.  The date and structure of payment is not subject to change, and the University will not consider splitting the payment between two different tax years.

You cannot elect to defer the Option 1 Payment (or any portion of it) to MSU’s retirement plans; nor can MSU contribute the Option 1 Payment (or any portion of it) to its retirement plans on your behalf.  The terms of the plans prohibit this. 

You will receive your Option 4 lump sum payment within one month of your last day of employment with MSU and will be subject to all required deductions and withholdings, provided that you have returned and not revoked your executed Release Agreement.   The date and structure of payment is not subject to change, and the University will not consider splitting the payment between two different tax years.

You cannot elect to defer the Option 1 or Option 4 Payment (or any portion of it) to MSU’s retirement plans; nor can MSU contribute the Option 1 or Option 4 Payment (or any portion of it) to its retirement plans on your behalf.  The terms of the plans prohibit this

Your “salary rate” is your base full-time salary rate as a faculty member.  If you are an eligible employee with an administrative assignment and elect the Terminal Consultantship, your “salary rate” is not your salary rate as an administrator, nor does it include your administrative increment (if applicable), even if there is language to the contrary in your appointment letter or other documentation (if applicable). If you have an administrative assignment, you will not receive your salary rate as an administrator and/or your administrative increment for any period of time following termination of your administrative assignment including during the Terminal Consultantship.

Participation in either Option 1 or Option 4 does not preclude you from receiving the emeritum privileges under the Emeritum Policy; however, you must submit the Emeritum Request Form in accordance with the process specified on the form itself at the time of your retirement.  You will not be eligible for Enhanced Emeritum Status which provides privileges that are in addition to normal emeritum privileges under the Emeritum Policy.

If you elect the Terminal Consultantship (Option 2 of the VRI Program), you will retain your full-time appointment status, so there will be no change to your benefits as a result of your participation in the VRI Program.  During the Terminal Consultantship, you will perform duties that are mutually acceptable to you and the department chairperson/school director and dean of your college; those duties will involve at least a 50% assignment. You will remain subject to all university policies and procedures applicable to tenure system faculty.

If you have an administrative assignment and elect the Terminal Consultantship, then your administrative assignment will end no later than immediately prior to commencement of your Terminal Consultantship.

You will continue to be paid your salary rate as in effect immediately prior to the commencement of your Terminal Consultantship.  Your “salary rate” is your base full-time salary rate as a faculty member.  If you are an eligible employee with an administrative assignment and elect the Terminal Consultantship, your “salary rate” is not your salary rate as an administrator, nor does it include your administrative increment (if applicable), even if there is language to the contrary in your appointment letter or other documentation (if applicable). If you have an administrative assignment, you will not receive your salary rate as an administrator and/or your administrative increment for any period of time following termination of your administrative assignment including during the Terminal Consultantship.

Eligible employees who were appointed into the tenure system prior to January 1, 1992 may serve their final year before retirement on a Terminal Consultantship basis. In all cases the Terminal Consultantship must end on your last day of employment with MSU.  The Terminal Consultantship may not exceed one year in length and eligible employees may elect to take a partial year terminal consultantship. Eligible employees that elect a partial year Terminal Consultantship must select one of the following start dates for the Terminal Consultantship: July 1, 2026, August 16, 2026, or January 1, 2027.

Enhanced Emeritum Status is a post-retirement volunteer engagement initiative. The initiative is to recognize and support sustained academic, scholarly, or creative engagement by retired faculty, and to encourage continued contributions to the university community through mentorship, creative activity, and service.  Individuals who elect Enhanced Emeritum Status (i) are eligible for the benefits provided under the Emeritum Policy and (ii) remain subject to the revocation provisions of the Emeritum Policy.

Enhanced Emeritum Status is designed to establish a community for emeritum faculty who wish to remain active in research, teaching, mentorship, or creative endeavors after retirement. If Enhanced Emeritum Status (Options 2, 3, and 5) is selected as part of the VRI Program, upon retirement, you will be appointed to the title of Emeritum Academy Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, or Professor (depending upon your rank), which is a non-compensated honorary title and you will receive an unpaid, volunteer appointment at MSU for a term of three (3) years.

In addition to the honorary title, you will receive access to up to a Professional Development Fund of $16,667 annually, for a total of $50,000 in funding support over a three-year period.

You also will be provided access to university office space, as determined by the unit administrator, which may be shared among other Enhanced Emeritum Status participants. In addition to standard emeritum privileges as outlined in the “Rights and Privileges” section of the Emeritum Policy, you will receive access to institutional technology resources, subject to your individual request and the unit’s approval. You may be invited to serve in an advisory capacity on university-level initiatives sponsored by the Office of the Provost. Engagement may also include participation in lectures or seminar series hosted by the Office of the Provost, fostering intergenerational learning and advancing the university’s academic mission. Your participation in any of these activities is voluntary and is not compensated by the University.

Access to the Professional Development Fund requires a formal request from you identifying the amount of the expense(s), the reason, and the benefit to the institution. Access to the funding is contingent on University approval and compliance with applicable MSU policies and the Enhanced Emeritum Status. The Enhanced Emeritum Status summary documentation details the permissible use of funds, limitations to the funds, and the request process.

The Professional Development Fund is designed to support activities undertaken by those with Enhanced Emeritum Status that directly benefit Michigan State University (MSU) and advance its mission. While Enhanced Emeritum Status is entirely voluntary, the University may provide funding for costs associated with these activities in accordance with University Manual of Business Procedures policies, which may be modified by the University from time to time. More information can be found in the Enhanced Emeritum Status summary documentation provided with the VRI Program documentation.

Enhanced Emeritum Status participants will receive the standard privileges granted to faculty with a no-pay status that includes access to their MSU email and Office 365 Online. EES participants may utilize the Professional Development Fund for additional technological resource licenses and software.

While holding Enhanced Emeritum Status, you are prohibited from accepting re-employment at the University. Further, your Enhanced Emeritum Status will cease if, at any time during the three-year duration, you become ineligible under the Conduct Ineligibility Clause or the revocation criteria outlined in the Emeritum Policy. In such cases, your honorary appointment and all other benefits that are associated with Enhanced Emeritum Status will be terminated.

An employee who is otherwise eligible for the VRI Program will not be eligible for Enhanced Emeritum Status if prior to the employee’s retirement date: (i) the employee has been found responsible for a Title IX violation at any point during the employees’ employment at MSU; or (ii) the employee has received serious disciplinary action, as defined in the Discipline and Dismissal of Tenured Faculty for Cause Policy, within the past five years.

Yes. Employees with Enhanced Emeritum Status remain subject to the revocation criteria outlined in the Emeritum Policy.

Eligible tenure system faculty that elect Enhanced Emeritum Status but become ineligible at any point in the future on or prior to their retirement date under the Conduct Ineligibility Clause will not be permitted to participate in Options  3 and 5. In such cases, your participation in the VRI Program will automatically convert to Option 1 (i.e., the 80% payout option) or Option 4 (i.e., the 40% payout option) and your selected retirement date will remain the same.

Eligible tenure system faculty that elect Option 2 and become ineligible under the Conduct Ineligibility clause on or prior to their retirement date will not be awarded Enhanced Emeritum Status and their retirement date will remain the same.

If a retired faculty member with Enhanced Emeritum Status has such status revoked pursuant to the revocation criteria in the Emeritum Policy, their honorary appointment and all other benefits described that are associated with Enhanced Emeritum Status will be terminated.  The retired faculty member is not eligible for any payment under Option 1 or Option 4 in such situation.

Eligible employees who select Enhanced Emeritum Status will be unpaid volunteer appointees and will be classified as a no-pay appointment for MSU administrative purposes only. Enhanced Emeritum Status is a non-compensated honorary title with a three-year appointment.

Eligible tenure system faculty are those who as of their selected retirement date in the VRI Program (i) are active tenure system faculty members and retirement eligible as outlined in the Retirement Eligibility Requirements Policy, specifically that they

• (i) have 15 years of service and are at least age 62, or (2) 25 years of service at any age,
• (ii) are not a party to a written agreement, pursuant to which they are contractually obligated to retire from (or otherwise cease employment with) MSU;
• (iii) have not have submitted a Retirement Form or a Special Retirement Form unless it was revoked within 7 days of its submission; AND
• (iv) must maintain their full-time appointment status up until their selected retirement date

Employees may review their eligibility for retirement at the MSU Retirement Eligibility Requirements Policy.

If you think you are eligible to participate in this VRI Program, but you did not receive information on how to participate, please contact the Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs at fasaffairs@msu.edu.

If you previously submitted a Retirement Form and did not revoke your submission within seven days, you are not eligible for the VRI Program. If you submitted a Retirement Form and revoked your submission within seven days of submission, you are eligible for the VRI Program, so long as you satisfy the remaining eligibility criteria.

If you have already taken your consultantship year, you are not eligible for Option 2 under the VRI Program.

The retirement dates offered pursuant to the VRI Program are not negotiable.  If you elect to participate in the VRI Program, you must select one of the provided retirement dates based on the option you select.

No, the VRI Program is voluntary.  If a faculty member believes and/or says that he/she is getting pressure to participate or not participate in the VRI Program, please contact the Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs at fasaffairs@msu.edu. 

Participation in the VRI Program does not automatically confer emeritum status. The standard process for requesting and approving emeritum status remains in place. You may review the policy that governs Emeritum decisions, and the process to request Emeritum status. Eligible tenure system faculty who select Enhanced Emeritum Status as part of their participation in the VRI Program will be awarded Emeritum status, subject to the conduct ineligibility requirements and revocation procedures in the Emeritum Policy.

The election window for the VRI Program will open on October 1, 2025 and will close on January 12, 2026.  The window is not subject to extensions and all documents must be received by January 12, 2026. To participate in the VRI Program, interested tenure system faculty members must complete and submit their

• (1) VRI Program Election Form,
• (2) the MSU Special Retirement Form,
• (3) the General Release of Claims Agreement, and
• (4) if electing Enhanced Emeritum Status, the Enhanced Emeritum Status Participation Agreement (EES Participation Agreement) no later than January 12, 2026.

• October 1, 2025 – Formal VRI Program invitation sent to eligible tenured faculty together with all Program documents, including Participation Agreement
• January 12, 2026 – Deadline for return of the VRI Program Election Form, MSU Special Retirement Form, General Release of Claims Agreement, and if applicable, the EES Participation Agreement

No other incentivized retirement programs are contemplated for the eligible tenure system faculty for the immediate future, though individual faculty members and their schools may enter into phased retirements and other individually-negotiated retirement arrangements.

No. All eligible tenure system faculty may elect to participate in the VRI Program so long as they meet all requirements.

The VRI Program will only be open for eligible tenure system faculty from October 1, 2025 through January 12, 2026. After that date, the benefits offered under the VRI Program will no longer be available.

Instructions for how to participate in the VRI Program will be provided on or before October 1, 2025.  To participate, you must complete and submit the required paperwork no later than January 12, 2026, and not revoke your election and release within the 7-day revocation period (see below). The January 12, 2026 deadline is not subject to extension or reconsideration.

The “required paperwork” consists of:

• (1) the VRI Program Election Form,
• (2) the MSU Special Retirement Form, and
• (3) the General Release of Claims Agreement, and if applicable
• (4) the EES Participation Agreement

The General Release of Claims Agreement includes a general release of claims against the university and its affiliates including, without limitation, employment-related claims. The Special Retirement Form along with the VRI Program Election Form and the General Release of Claims Agreement, and if applicable, the EES Participation Agreement, must be sent to MSU Human Resources (via email to SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu; via mail to MSU Human Resources, 1407 S. Harrison Rd, Ste 110, East Lansing, MI 48823; via fax at 517-353-1869; or via HR Drop Box located at the MSU HR building). 

You may revoke your election to participate in the VRI Program and your execution of the General Release of Claims Agreement, but only if you do so in writing within 7 days of submitting the required paperwork.  If you do not revoke your election within such 7-day period, then you will be bound to participate in the VRI Program on the terms and subject to the conditions in your VRI Program Election Form and your General Release of Claims Agreement will be effective.

If you elect to participate in the VRI Program, your retirement date will be based on which VRI Program option you select as set forth below:

Last Day of Employment*	Retirement Date
If you are selecting Options 1, 3, 4, or 5:
May 15, 2026	May 16, 2026
June 30, 2026	July 1, 2026
If you are selecting Option 2:
December 31, 2026	January 1, 2027
May 15, 2027	May 16, 2027
June 30, 2027	July 1, 2027

*As indicated in paragraph 6 of the VRI Program Election Form.

If you have a question about the General Release of Claims Agreement, you should contact your own private legal counsel, which will be at your expense.

benefits are the same as any other employee retiring from MSU. Review Preparing to Retire from MSU for more details about the MSU retiree benefits.

No, the lump sum payment you receive under the VRI Program following your retirement is not eligible for employer or employee 403(b) retirement contributions.

The IRS recognizes separation of service (including retirement) as a triggering event which gives you full access to your MSU retirement account balances.  It may take several weeks to update your status at your retirement vendor after your retirement date.

Yes, many MSU retirees continue to take advantage of the lower expenses negotiated by MSU’s employer sponsored retirement plans.

A retired faculty member who is listed as an Emeritum Academy Professor, Emeritum Academy Associate Professor, or Emeritum Academy Assistant Professor will have the same access to their MSU retirement plans as of their retirement date as other retired faculty members.  If as an Emeritum Academy Professor, Emeritum Academy Associate Professor, or Emeritum Academy Assistant Professor, you have any questions about or difficulties in accessing your MSU retirement plans you should contact MSU Human Resources at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu, 517-353-4434 or 800-353-4434.

You can visit MSU’s Retiree Benefits page for more information. 

Participation in any voluntary program that results in your separation from employment may disqualify you from receiving unemployment benefits. Eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits is determined by the applicable state, not MSU. For more information, contact your local office of the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency for benefits and eligibility information regarding filing for unemployment benefits.

If you do not live or work in Michigan, you can find more information about your state’s unemployment insurance process on the Career One Stop's web page, Unemployment Benefits Finder.

You should make arrangements with your department Chair/Associate Dean to return equipment to your department before your last working day on site. If you elect and are eligible for Enhanced Emeritum Status upon your retirement, you will not be required to return all of your MSU equipment, unless notified by your department Chair/Associate Dean or as set forth in the Enhanced Emeritum Status summary

If you participate in the VRI Program, you are prohibited from re-employment by MSU unless such employment effort does not exceed 20% (or such lesser percent that qualifies as retirement). You may not be rehired if such reemployment would cause your retirement not to be treated as a separation from service under Internal Revenue Service rules.  If you choose Enhanced Emeritum Status, you are prohibited from accepting employment from MSU while you hold Enhanced Emeritum Status.

No. Following your retirement, you are no longer working for MSU and your job responsibilities cease. In the event that you are approved for Emeritum status, through the University’s normal Emeritum processes, you may continue to participate in the life of your department to the extent that is customary for Emeritum faculty. If you elect and are eligible for the Enhanced Emeritum Status option through the VRI Program (Options 2, 3 and 5), you will be able to engage in certain activities as set forth in the Enhanced Emeritum Status documentation.

Prior to your retirement date, the department may work with you to put a transition message on your outgoing email and voice mail to indicate who should be contacted going forward once you are no longer with MSU.

Following your retirement date, you will no longer have work responsibilities with MSU and your building access will be disabled. You are welcome to come onsite under the same conditions as visitors to our campus and facilities, and if approved for Emeritum status, to participate in the life of the department to the extent that is customary for emeritum faculty in that department.  If you elect Enhanced Emeritum Status under the VRI Program, you will continue to have access to the campus, including office space, as set forth in the Enhanced Emeritum Status Summary.

Faculty retirees may purchase virtual parking passes by visiting the MSU Parking Services webpage, Parking Services - Retirees. Faculty who are granted Emeritum status  or who elect Enhanced Emeritum Status may be eligible for additional parking options. For more information on campus parking options, contact MSU Parking Services at 517-355-8440.