The department of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics expects to lose 8 of its 18 full professors to retirement in the next three to four years, not including the three who retired last year. A lot of people here now are at the peak of their careers. They're often the best teachers. They're the mentors. For the faculty members left behind, such as himself, he says, the work of recruiting new talent can consume a lot of time.
Most faculty feel the descending of a cloud of responsibility.
There are other downsides as well. Alumni might be less generous with their donations if they no longer recognize the names of faculty members. With some of the people passing out, we have the opportunity to shore up the space side. The Community College of Philadelphia sees the prospect of mass retirements as an opportunity to shore up the entire institution. About 75 percent of its full-time faculty members are over 55, and the college expects most of them to retire in the next decade.