A record 32 professors retire, spurred by incentive program

Published Jan. 21, 2016

Several Princeton giants are among 32 members of the faculty transferring to emeritus status this year — a record number that reflects the impact of the University’s 2010 retirement-incentive program. The professors have served a total of more than 1,000 years on the faculty.

The program allowed participants to teach for up to three years to allow departments time to plan for their departures. According to Dean of the Faculty David Dobkin’s office, 26 of the 32 professors retiring this year signed up for the program.

The University said at the time the program was announced that it was not a budget-savings initiative, but rather a way to boost Princeton’s hiring of junior ­faculty. Dobkin said that some professors already have been replaced, and others will be soon. “Almost all will be replaced with junior faculty,” he said.

The average age for Princeton’s full professors was 57.2 in July 2012, according to the dean’s office. Federal law in 1994 eliminated a mandatory retirement age for college professors.

In recent years, 12 to 15 faculty members have retired each year. Following is this year’s list, along with the number of years on the faculty:

  • LEONARD H. BABBY, Slavic languages and literatures, 25 years
  • MARK R. COHEN, Near Eastern studies, 37 years
  • MARTIN C. COLLCUTT, East Asian studies, 37 years
  • JOHN H. CONWAY, mathematics, 26 years
  • EDWARD C. COX, molecular biology, 46 years
  • FREDERICK L. DRYER *72, mechanical and aerospace engineering, 32 years
  • THOMAS J. ESPENSHADE *72, sociology, 25 years
  • JACQUES R. FRESCO, molecular biology, 53 years
  • CHARLES G. GROSS, psychology and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, 43 years
  • ANDRÁS P. HÁMORI ’61, Near Eastern studies, 46 years
  • MARIE-HÉLÈNE HUET, French and Italian, 14 years
  • MORTON D. KOSTIN, chemical and biological engineering, 49 years
  • HEATH W. LOWRY, Near Eastern studies, 20 years
  • RICHARD B. MILES, mechanical and aerospace engineering, 41 years
  • CHIARA R. NAPPI, physics, 12 years
  • SUSAN NAQUIN, history and East Asian studies, 20 years
  • EDWARD NELSON, mathematics, 54 years
  • JOHN A. PINTO, art and archaeology, 25 years
  • ALBERT J. RABOTEAU, religion, 30 years
  • FRANÇOIS P. RIGOLOT, French and Italian, 39 years
  • DANIEL T. RODGERS, history, 33 years
  • GILBERT F. ROZMAN *71, sociology, 43 years
  • PETER SCHÄFER, religion, 15 years
  • JOSÉ A. SCHEINKMAN, economics, 14 years
  • ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER ’80, Woodrow Wilson School, 11 years
  • ROBERT H. SOCOLOW, mechanical and aerospace engineering, 42 years
  • ZOLTÁN G. SOOS, chemistry, 47 years
  • ERIK H. VANMARCKE, civil and environmental engineering, 28 years
  • MAURIZIO VIROLI, politics, 26 years
  • FRANK N. VON HIPPEL, Woodrow Wilson School, 30 years
  • ANDREW J. WILES, mathematics, 30 years
  • MICHAEL G. WOOD, English and comparative literature, 18 years

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