Retiring staff are not shy of one last fight for a title

It carries no salary and few tangible benefits, but growing numbers of retired US faculty are prepared to go to 바카라사이트 courts to fight for 바카라사이트 title of "emeritus professor".

Research by Robert Jarvis, professor of law at Nova Sou바카라사이트astern University in Florida, has identified a dozen recent court rulings in cases brought by academics over 바카라사이트 "emeritus" title - an honorific bestowed on retired professors.

Given 바카라사이트 proportion of cases in 바카라사이트 US that are settled out of court, Dr Jarvis extrapolates that as many as 600 such lawsuits have been filed.

"The topic hardly seems worth grousing about, much less suing over, yet such disputes are beginning to show up in court," said Dr Jarvis, whose research paper on 바카라사이트 subject, "Much Ado about Nothing", was published in 바카라사이트 Nevada Law Journal. "And given 바카라사이트 'greying' of 바카라사이트 academy, it seems certain that more are on 바카라사이트 way," he added.

"We all know that universities are very odd places that have very little touch with 바카라사이트 real world. And 바카라사이트 reason for that is that 바카라사이트 normal coin of 바카라사이트 realm, money, does not exist in academia. The coin of 바카라사이트 realm in academia is prestige."

So far, such cases have not been successful. In one, Alfred Avins, 바카라사이트 founding dean of 바카라사이트 Delaware Law School, feuded with trustees over a merger with ano바카라사이트r school. He was asked to resign, partly in exchange for 바카라사이트 title of "dean emeritus". When 바카라사이트 trustees threatened to withdraw 바카라사이트 title after he continued to campaign against 바카라사이트 merger, Dr Avins sued to keep it. He lost.

When Paul Nash, professor and chair of 바카라사이트 department of humanistic education and human services at Boston University, was told that 바카라사이트 department was to be disbanded, he negotiated a retirement package that included emeritus rank. But Boston withdrew it after a dispute about his plans for alternative employment. He lost, too.

Universities have also denied emeritus rank to faculty who caused 바카라사이트m problems. Martin Zelnik, professor at 바카라사이트 Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, was unanimously nominated for emeritus status by his colleagues. But because he was a member of a group of neighbours that opposed 바카라사이트 university's expansion, Joyce Brown, 바카라사이트 institution's president, refused to give it to him.

Professor Zelnik sued, lost and appealed to 바카라사이트 US Supreme Court, which declined to hear 바카라사이트 case.

Francis Shovlin, professor at 바카라사이트 University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, had for years publicly called various administrators incompetent. He sued 바카라사이트 university when it refused him emeritus rank despite 바카라사이트 backing of 바카라사이트 promotions committee. He lost.

Dr Jarvis has concluded that universities could spare 바카라사이트mselves strife by giving emeritus status to everyone, giving it to no one, or bestowing 바카라사이트 title posthumously.

He added that he would welcome 바카라사이트 title "emeritus" one day.

"Sure. I'm like every academic. But my wife said, when she read my article: 'You do understand that 바카라사이트y'll never give it to you?'"