Khilah RandleUNC professors, including some from N.C. Central University, are participating in an early retirement agreement that will be offered until the end of the Spring semester.
The Faculty Realignment Incentive Program (FRIP) allows eligible tenured faculty to receive a one-time payment of a year’s salary in exchange for a year’s early retirement until June 2025.
To be eligible for the program, you must be at least 55 years old, employed as a tenured with UNC for 10 years, not retiring under the state’s disability program, not be subject to any actions that would result in resignation from their university and not receiving any workers compensation benefits.
According to the UNC Policy Manual, the goal of the program is to pinpoint opportunities to save and redirect money that will benefit the universities long term.
The priority institutions to help target this goal include NCCU, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Greensboro, Winston-Salem State University and East Carolina University.
In 2024, it was anticipated that the system would spend at least $4.9 billion on salaries. This accounts for 45% of the systems overall budget, according to the Board of Governors.
Professors taking this offer have mixed feelings about their decision to participate in the program.
Professor James Pearce has been teaching for 44 years.
“Teaching has been great,” he said. “I feel bad about selling out. I will miss the students and some of my colleagues. Being with students keeps you young.”
He said he is taking the offer because it was only a matter of time.
“Nobody can say I was lazy,” Pearce said. “I put my time in.”
“I will miss my students, but I take care of elderly family members,” said Dr. Michele Ware, NCCU English and American literature professor. “I was torn between my work and home life.”
“When they offered me the incentive I figured I should step aside and let some young people take over the profession. I have been here a long time.”
