Canadian Journal of Higher Education - Retirement in the Post-Revocation Context at One Canadian University - Experiences of Phasing and Delaying

Oct 15, 2026

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A phenomenological study examines academics at a Canadian university who either enter a phased retirement program or delay retirement beyond the normal age of 65. Based on face-to-face interviews with 24 professors aged 55–69 across multiple disciplines, the findings suggest teaching motivates retirement decisions, female academics coordinate plans with partners, and postponers perceive strong disciplinary respect. Given the small sample, the study serves as a starting point for further research on how gender shapes academic retirement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Retirement and the post-revocation context

University demographics and the Phased Retirement Program (PRP)

Scope: experiences at the University of Toronto

CSSHE SCÉES Canadian Journal of Higher Education Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur Volume 45, No. 1, 2015, pages 1-17 Retirement in the Post-Revocation Context at One Canadian University: Experiences of Phasing and Delaying Mia Quint Rapoport, Sara-Jane Finlay, & Edith Hillan University of Toronto Abstract This research study is a phenomenological exploration of academics from one Canadian university who either are participating in a phased retirement program or have delayed their retirement beyond the normal retirement age of 65. It is based on face-to-face interviews with 24 professors, male and female, between the ages of 55 and 69, from an array of disciplines. The results indicate that teaching may be a primary reason why academics choose to retire, that female academics seem to align their retirement plans with those of their partners, and that academics who postpone their retirement feel as though they possess a significant amount of respect within their fields. Since this research is based upon a small sample, it provides a starting point for future research studies, particularly concerning how gender affects the issue of academic retirement. Résumé Cette étude se veut une exploration phénoménologique des professeursd’une université canadienne qui participent à un programme de retraite progressive, ou ont repoussé leur retraite au-delà de 65 ans, l’âge normal delaretraite. L’étude est basée sur des entrevues en personne avec 24 professeurs des deux sexes âgés entre 55 et 69 ans et provenant de diverses disciplines. Les résultats indiquent que l’enseignement peut être la raison principalepour laquelle les universitaires choisissent de prendre leur retraite, que les CJHE / RCES Volume 45, No. 1, 2015 Retirement in the post-revocation context/ M. Q. Rapoport, S-J Finlay, & E. Hillan 2 femmes universitaires semblent planifier leur retraite au même moment que celles de leurs partenaires, et que les universitaires qui retardent leurdépart à la retraite estiment posséder une dose importante de notoriété au sein de leurs disciplines. Comme cette recherche est basée sur un petit échantillon, elle constitue néanmoins un point de départ pour de futures recherches, notamment sur la façon dont le sexe affecte la question de laretraite académique. Introduction Retirement, particularly as it transforms into what McDonald and Donahue refer to asthe “new retirement”(2011, p. 3), is an important issue within Canadian universities. In their article entitled “Retirement Lost?” they discuss the current research concerning retirement in Canada. In so doing, they make two important points: the age of retirement is increasing (beyond the “normal retirement age” of 65) (p. 10), and new patterns of retirement are becoming available to older workers, thus making the “traditional model” of total retirement from the labour force at age 65 increasingly less realistic for academics (p. 11) . At the same time, Clarke et al. (2009) cite inflation, competition, fiscal restraints, and expansion as transformative factors for Ontario universities, and identify faculty salaries asthe “largest single portion of higher education costs.” As a result of the revocation of mandatory retirement, faculty members are less likely to retire, thus “reducing the flexibility to lower costs through hiring junior replacements or by restructuring operations”(p. 111) . University administrators and planners have to balance the university’s need for experienced academics who have high reputational value with the need for junior faculty who provide fresh ideas. They must also contend with changes in research fields, disciplines, and modes of inquiry—all of which are connected to the demographics of faculty members in the contemporary academy. The end of mandatory retirement at age 65 (which occurred between 2005 and 2006 at most universities in Canada) is changing this demographic picture. The present study took place at the University

FAQs

What retirement situations are studied in this paper?

The study focuses on academics who participate in a phased retirement program or who delay retirement beyond the normal retirement age of 65.

How is the research conducted and who are the participants?

It uses a phenomenological approach based on face-to-face interviews with 24 professors (male and female) aged 55 to 69 from a range of disciplines.

What key factors influence academics’ retirement decisions?

Teaching may be a primary reason academics choose to retire; female academics appear to align their plans with their partners; and those who postpone retirement feel they have substantial respect within their fields.

Oct 15, 2026

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