Dr. Baldwin on "Retiree Organizations in Higher Education"
As the current Erickson Chair, Dr. Roger Baldwin aims to increase knowledge of how retiree organizations operate within higher education, as well as what services these organizations provide to their respective members, institutions, and communities.
Dr. Baldwin’s current research builds upon his previous work exploring the emergence of emeritus colleges and other types of retirement organizations in higher education institutions throughout the United States. In recent years, the development of organizations designed to provide higher education faculty and staff a place to learn, grow, and provide service in a variety of ways after retirement has been on the rise. In an effort to better understand the structures, roles, and contributions of these organizations, Dr. Baldwin has developed two original survey instruments designed to gain the perspectives of retiree organization members as well as the institutional administrators with which these organizations communicate and sometimes collaborate.
Through independent research and information from the Association for Retiree Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE), Dr. Baldwin has identified and surveyed nearly 200 retiree organizations in higher education institutions throughout the United States and Canada. Surveys distributed to leaders of retiree organizations aim to increase knowledge of how retiree organizations operate within or outside of their respective institutions, as well as what services these organizations provide to their respective members, institutions and communities. Surveys of selected administrators, who Baldwin views as liaisons between higher education institutions and retiree organizations, were designed to provide an additional perspective on the operations, cost effectiveness, and impact of retirement organizations. Dr. Baldwin plans to supplement his survey research with subsequent site visits to different types of higher education retirement organizations. These visits will include interviews with retirement organization members, faculty and staff nearing retirement, and administrators in select institutions across the country. This phase of the research will provide a unique and in-depth analysis of the contributions retired faculty and staff organizations provide to their members and academic communities.
Through this research, Professor Baldwin hopes to create a guiding framework that will help institutions wishing to develop or strengthen a retirement organization on their campus. Ideally, the study’s findings will also enable faculty and staff to enjoy continued growth and success after retirement while simultaneously helping institutions better utilize an overlooked but significant source of human capital. In doing so, Baldwin sees great potential for a growing number of senior and retired faculty and staff to continue to provide valuable contributions to their peers and academic communities.
Surveys were initially launched on March 23rd, 2016 and to date we have received responses from over 100 retiree organization leaders and institutional administrators. Interviews are scheduled to begin in the fall of 2016.
Interested in learning more or getting involved?
Please contact Dr. Baldwin using the email or number below:
Roger Baldwin
Erickson Distinguished Chair
Department of Educational Administration
rbaldwin@msu.edu
517-355-6452
