Retirement and FERP

General Information

There is no longer a mandatory retirement age for faculty under provisions of PERS (Public Employee Retirement System).  However, full-time faculty unit employees may retire upon completion of five years of service and after reaching age 50. 

Retirement & FERP Checklist

Please view the linked PowerPoint for more information:

Retirement Presentation

Pre-Retirement Reduction of Workload

Full-time faculty who have reached the age of 55 with ten years' service in the CSU (the last five in continuous full-time employment) may reduce their workload to 1/3, 1/2, or 2/3 time during the five years immediately preceding retirement.  Those participating in the reduction in workload program retain full retirement, health and other benefits normally provided full-time employees.  Faculty interested in this program should submit a written request to the Academic Personnel Office (AD-102) at least six months in advance of the effective date of the reduction in workload.

Retirement Documents

Resignation

Faculty not planning to return the following academic year should submit a letter of resignation to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and inform the department chair and college dean  as soon as possible.

Emeritus Status

Emeritus status is conferred upon a faculty, librarian, academic administrator or SSP,AR  who is retiring from service at the California State University, San Bernardino as a means of expressing appreciation for service to the institution.  To qualify for the title, a retiring candidate must have achieved the rank of Professor or the equivalent and served for a minimum of 7 consecutive years on this campus; or have served in the capacity of administrator on this campus for at least 7 years and retire directly from that post.

Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP)

Faculty and librarians upon reaching the age of fifty-five (55) may retire but continue to be employed for a period equivalent to one academic term per year not to exceed a total of ninety (90) workdays or fifty (50) percent of the employee's regular timebase in the year preceding retirement.  Participation in this program is limited to five (5) consecutive years and participants shall be paid at rank and salary at the time of retirement.

FERP 2026/2027 Deadline

FERP Powerpoint Presentation

If you are considering retirement and plan to participate in the FERP starting with the 2025/2026 Academic Year, (per Article 29 of the CBA) the deadline to notify the University is February 16, 2027.

In order to begin this process you must send a letter to President Morales stating your intent, including the effective date of your retirement.  You should also copy your Department Chair, College Dean, Provost and the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development.

Next, complete the FERP form and submit the completed form to your Department Chair for review and approval.

Additional information about this process is located in the CBA Article 29  that governs the FERP 

For additional information for those considering the FERP who were hired on or after 1/1/2011 please see below.

Restrictions on Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP) Participation for Individuals with CalPERS Retirement Formulas of 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62.

This is additional information for those considering the FERP who were hired on or after 1/1/2011.

Such individuals are CalPERS members whose retirement formula is either 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62. These two retirement formulas apply to individuals who were hired between 1/1/2011 and 12/31/2012 (2% at age 60) or on or after 1/1/2013 (2% at age 62).  

The collective bargaining agreement between the California State University and the California Faculty Association states that eligible tenured faculty members who have reached the age of 55 may participate in the FERP. However, this language predates the 2011 and 2013 changes to retirement formulas. State and federal law place additional restrictions on post-retirement employment for individuals who have not reached “normal retirement age”, which tracks with the retirement formula age. As a consequence, those hired on or after 1/1/2011 will not be eligible to enter the FERP until they reach the age of their respective retirement formula (age 60 or 62). 

If you have questions about your retirement formula or retirement benefits, please contact Human Resources Benefits Office at 909-537-5143. For questions regarding FERP please contact the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development 909-537-5029.

Retirement/FERP Timeline