ORCID
Stadtlander: 0000-0002-8149-7236 Sickel: 0000-0001-7279-3509
Abstract
Aging, an often-neglected aspect of diversity in universities, is an important issue, as the rate of people working who are 75 and older is growing faster than the rate for any other age group. The present sequential explanatory mixed-method study explored 129 older online faculty’s attitudes and opinions on work and retirement in an online survey and in 13 faculty interviews. Data were examined cross-sectionally to assess differences by decade: 50s, 60s, and 70s and above. The results indicated that while older faculty were collecting some form of retirement payment, money was not a primary motivator for working. These individuals enjoyed their work and saw it as providing mental stimulation and giving their lives meaning. Older faculty indicated they did not want traditional retirement, but instead planned to work part time as long as they physically and cognitively were capable. Further, they indicated that online faculty’s retirement should be based on their own judgment of their mental and physical capability to do the job adequately. Results may be used by academic institutions to better serve their aging faculty.
Included in
Developmental Psychology Commons, Geropsychology Commons, Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons, Social Psychology Commons
