Universities must do a better job preparing academics for retirement, argues Harvey J Graff (Ohio State University). Graff writes that while retirement can be intellectually, psychologically, and financially difficult for professors due to poor preparation or a strong psychological identification with their work, institutions rarely offer retirement guidance. Graff encourages universities to support professors as they near retirement by sharing advice in the form of books or conference sessions to help with these transitions or by creating systems that allow professors to gradually step away from their duties as they transition into retirement. “The need is urgent and increasing given the political economy of universities around the world and the rising crises of the diminishing professoriate,” underlines Graff.
