Process

The Retirement Assistance and Exit Interview Process of Montana State University is a formal process for facilitating communication between the institution and a retiring faculty member or retiring academic administrator.  The purpose is to enable transfer of knowledge and experience to and from retirees during their transition to retirement status.  The process provides information for helping retirees cope with retirement policies and procedures and for helping the university gather important evaluative information.  The process provides a mechanism for identifying mutually beneficial post-retirement links between the university and the retiree.

Retirement Questionnaire

The Retirement Assistance component of the process will be initiated by the Office of the Provost at Montana State University within one month after receipt of a resignation or other official notice of retirement from the faculty member/academic administrator.  The Office of the Provost will ask the retiree to complete and return within four weeks theMontana State University Retirement Questionnaire.  Responses to the questionnaire will identify the assistance needs and expectations of the retiree, provide retirement management information to the university, and initiate discussion of potential post-retirement associations.  Immediately upon receipt, the Office of the Provost will transmit a copy of the completed questionnaire to the President of the MSU Association of Retired Faculty, the organization responsible for many retirement support services.

Post-Retirement Exit Interview

By means of the Retirement Questionnaire, the retiring faculty member/academic administrator may request a face-to-face Post-Retirement Exit Interview.  The exit interview will be conducted by a two-person committee with the following representation: (1) faculty member nominated by the Chair of the Montana State University Faculty Senate and (2) retired faculty member or retired academic administrator nominated by the President of the MSU Association of Retired Faculty.  The nominated and subsequently appointed members of the Post-Retirement Exit Interview Committee for each retiree will be subject to approval by both the retiree and the Provost.

The Post-Retirement Exit Interview will be initiated by the President of the MSU Association of Retired Faculty within one month after receipt of the completed University Retirement Questionnaire.  The President of the MSU Association of Retired Faculty will convey the retiree’s request for an exit interview to the Chair of the MSU Faculty Senate.  The Chair of Faculty Senate and the President of the Association of Retired Faculty will: (a) nominate the interview committee, (b) secure the retiree’s approval and the Provost’s approval of the nominated committee and (c) appoint and direct the committee to conduct the interview.  The interview will take place no later than one year following the official date of retirement.  The Post-Retirement Exit Interview Committee will submit a written summary of the exit interview to the President of the MSU Association of Retired Faculty within two weeks after the interview.

Annual Report of Data from Retirement Questionnaires and Post-Retirement Exit Interviews

Data from the Retirement Questionnaires and the Post-Retirement Exit Interviews completed during each fiscal year will be aggregated and compiled into a formal Annual Report of Data from Retirement Questionnaires and Post-Retirement Exit Interviews.  The report will be prepared by a committee appointed by the President of the Association of Retired Faculty.  The report will be submitted to the President, Provost, and Faculty Senate of Montana State University.  The report will not disclose the names of the retirees who submitted questionnaires or were interviewed.

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Rationale for the Retirement Assistance and Exit Interview Process 

The offered retirement assistance will help make the retirement transition process as understandable and non-traumatic as possible.  Exit interviews are an opportunity for the university to enable transfer of knowledge and experience from the departing faculty and administrators.  Many universities have found that retired faculty and administrators are delighted to participate in exit interviews, share their knowledge, help their successors, and offer suggestions.  Exit interviews yield useful information about the university, including suggestions for improving the quality of the university.  Experience indicates that retired faculty and administrators generally are more forthcoming, constructive, and objective than staff still in their jobs.  Perhaps because retirees are liberated from university politics and promotion & tenure policies, they are willing to provide more candid, objective feedback than do employees when interviewed during annual evaluations.  The many reasons for instituting the Retirement Assistance and Exit Interview Process include:

  • It will help to support the university’s reputation as an excellent employer.  Retirement assistance and exit interviews are viewed as positive indicators of effective personnel management.  Exit interviews are advocated by professional institutes and accrediting bodies concerned with quality management of people and services. 
  • By soliciting critical evaluations and suggestions, it shows that the university is dedicated to improved quality and efficiency. 
  • It will identify previous decisions and strategies that proved successful and elicit suggestions for new academic enterprises that are ripe for development at Montana State University. 
  • It will identify retirees who wish to remain professionally active within the university community.  Many faculty members retire because of the aging process and the resulting loss of physical strength and energy, not because they have lost enthusiasm for teaching, learning, research, service and/or technology transfer.  The university should support and facilitate its continued association with such retirees. 
  • Excellent people sometimes seek early retirement, perhaps planning to move to a different university.  If university policies make it difficult for them to attain their professional goals here, the issues they describe during the exit interview may help the university adjust policies to improve retention. 
  • It will encourage the transfer of knowledge, contacts, insights, and experience from the departing faculty to successors and the institution.  Most retirees are happy to help, if the university will provide a suitable mechanism.  The exit interview has proven to be an efficient knowledge transfer method. 
  • It will provide an opportunity to assuage disgruntled retirees.  Because the exit interview process demonstrates an appreciation for their knowledge and experience, they may leave with a more positive, possibly cooperative, attitude towards the university.

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Retirement Questionnaire – Tentative Outline 

The questionnaire will be available in both a web form for submission on-line and printed form for submission by mail. The retiree may choose not to answer a question; however,the questionnaire must be submitted with name, affiliation, and anticipated retirement date, even if no questions are answered.

  • Name, MSU affiliation, anticipated retirement date, email address, telephone number

  • Ask the retiree if she/he desires information about retiring and the retirement process.
    [This question implies that the university and ARF will arrange to provide appropriate and readily available sources of information and guidance to retirees.]
  • Invite the retiree to participate in an Exit Interview.
    [The retiree will be referred to the Retirement Assistance and Exit Interview Process for a description of the exit interview.  ARF will manage the logistics of the interview process.]
  • Invite the retiree to give a “Capstone Lecture” seminar presentation.
    [This invitation requires that MSU establish a new, honorary lecture series.  Each lecture would be delivered by a retiring faculty member upon retirement.  It could include the most important thoughts from the retiree’s intellectual pursuits packed into one lecture.  The Capstone Lecture could serve as the culmination of the retiree’s academic and professional career at Montana State University, part of the retiree’s legacy to the university community.  The person/office responsible for organizing a retiree’s Capstone Lecture might be the Vice President who managed the retiree’s position, Dean, Department Head, Center/Institute Director, or ARF.  The appropriate forum would be guided by the lecture topic, anticipated audience, etc.]
  • Ask whether the retiree wants to be nominated for an Emeritus title.
    [If so, the university must be prepared to follow-up by seeing that the appropriate authority submits a nomination or documents the reasons for denial of a nomination.]
  • Invite the retiree to join the Association of Retired Faculty.
    [ARF should be prepared to provide information about the history, mission, activities, and potential future initiatives of the Association of Retired Faculty.]
  • Ask the retiree to identify the ways, if any, that he/she plans to be associated with Montana State University during retirement.
    [The university and ARF should prepare sources of information about avenues for participation and service.]
  • Ask the retiree to list the main reasons for retirement.
    [This is an open-ended discussion question.]

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Interviewer Preparation for an Exit Interview 

Exit interviewers need guidelines, just as job interviewers need and use guidelines.  Interviews are inherently sensitive, emotional situations which require the ability and maturity to manage properly, especially if interviewees are anxious or volatile.  Exit interviewers must understand that retirement is a traumatic experience for many academic professionals.  The Montana State University Retirement Assistance and Exit Interview Process is an effort to make the transition to retirement as comfortable and rewarding as possible.  A face-to-face interview facilitates knowledge transfer, suggestions, and candid evaluations.

Prepare for the interview.  Identify topics for which the retiree has specific experience and knowledge.  Employ conventional interview procedures such as: (a) arranging a suitable time and place, (b) avoiding interruptions, (c) taking notes, (d) being aware of body-language and feelings of the retiree and (e) adjusting your approach as necessary.  Let the retiree know that his/her time and effort are appreciated.  Identify your action items, then follow-up and report back as necessary.  Meet the established time line for analyzing and reporting exit interview information.

The conversion of the retiree exit interview feedback into action is a critical factor in justifying and maintaining a serious process.  For many universities, retiree exit interviews provide a major source of high yield development ideas and opportunities.  A diligent interview team is necessary to the success of this system.

The following are suggestions for managing the interview:

  • Listen rather than talk. 
  • Give the retiree time and space to answer. 
  • Interpret, reflect and understand without necessarily agreeing. 
  • Keep calm, resist the urge to defend, argue, or impose your own ideas.  Your aim is to elicit information, constructive criticism, and suggestions. 
  • Identify decisions, policies, or strategies that worked well in the opinion of the retiree. 
  • Ask open - what/how/why - questions not closed - yes/no - questions; unless you require confirmation about a point. 
  • Who questions should be used with care to avoid the appearance of witch-hunts.  For example, many retirees will be uncomfortable if asked to name people or allocate personal blame.  Exit interviews are not about blame, the allocation of which usually is not constructive.  Very serious complaints/accusations should be followed-up outside the exit interview process.

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Retiree Preparation for the Exit Interview 

The retiree may discuss any relevant topic, including policies, procedures, administration, teaching, research, service, technology transfer, outreach, the retiree’s desires concerning continued affiliation with the university, and the retiree’s concerns about retirement.  The following are suggestions for use by the retiree in preparing for the Exit Interview:

  • Identify basic information that you would like to convey; e.g.,
    What are your reasons for retiring?
    What were the strengths of the university that you would like to see continued or enhanced?
    Are there any circumstances under which you would like to return to the university?
    Did you enjoy the working conditions?  If not, what steps can be taken to improve them?
  • Prioritize the various issues you would like to discuss so that you can focus on the most important and easily implemented suggestions.
  • Prepare, perhaps by making a list to which you can refer during the interview.  It might feel awkward, but it’s better to give a concise, prepared statement than be unable to articulate your ideas.
  • How much you offer during an exit interview depends on what you have to say.  By sharing your insight and suggestions for improvement, you can help the university enhance the workplace for your working colleagues.  If you have negative comments, keep the tone professional and constructive.

The exit interview may seem like a good opportunity to off-load frustrations that were held back for years, but the interview isn’t time for a harangue. It is not unusual for retirees to have mixed emotions when leaving a university position. It is important to control those emotions. Engage in a professional and intellectual conversation that produces constructive criticism “for the record.” An exit interview is a chance to provide candid feedback, while departing the campus on a positive note.

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