Emeritus Faculty

Process for becoming Emeritus Faculty

Emeritus faculty at the College of Medicine are appointed in recognition of sustained meritorious academic service to the University. Award of Emeritus rank is governed by AC-25 Emeritus Status.

Phased Retirement

For faculty on phased retirement, work hours are reduced, and as long as the faculty member meets the criteria noted in the policy, phased retirement has no impact on eligibility.

Requesting Emeritus Rank

The process for requesting Emeritus Rank for retiring faculty members at the Penn State College of Medicine is as follows:

1. The Department Chair provides a request to the Office of Faculty Affairs, as well as the faculty member’s current CV. This request should be submitted prior to the actual retirement date to ensure a seamless transition to Emeritus status and continuity of faculty privileges. The request letter should address the candidate’s eligibility for Emeritus Rank, as defined in AC-25, and should specify the date of retirement. If the Chair is requesting an exception to the eligibility criteria specified in AC-25, this should be clearly stated and justified in the letter. Note that requests for exceptions are rarely approved by the University.

2. The Office of Faculty Affairs will review and confirm that eligibility requirements are met.

3. Upon confirmation and Dean’s review, the Office of Faculty Affairs will enter the emeritus designation into Workday for review and processing at University Park.

The Dean will review all requests for exceptions, and will decide whether to forward the request to the President of the University, who makes the final decision.

Upon approval at University Park, the President of the University will send a letter to the faculty member notifying that Emeritus status has been granted, along with a certificate. Any space accommodations for the recipient of Emeritus status are determined and coordinated by the Department.

All faculty with Emeritus status are welcome to the Emeritus Faculty Organization.

The objective of the organization is to utilize the wisdom and knowledge of the Emeritus Faculty members to benefit the College of Medicine's missions of education, research, and service. In addition, the EFO exists to serve the needs of all emeritus faculty, including keeping the group aware and up-to-date on the University and College of Medicine privileges that accompany the rank of emeritus. The EFO was established in 2011 in the Office of Faculty and Professional Development in the College of Medicine, and functions as a conduit for emeritus faculty who would like to continue their participation in the teaching, mentoring and faculty affairs of the college

Constitution and Bylaws

Revised October 11, 2018
Revised December 4, 2019
Revised December 8, 2022
Revised April 9, 2026

Article I. Name

The name of the Organization shall be The Emeritus Faculty Organization (EFO) of The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine.

Article II. Address

The address of the EFO is:
Office of Faculty & Professional Development
Penn State College of Medicine
PO Box 850
H-117
Hershey, PA 17033

Article III. Mission Statement

The EFO is an integral part of the academic fabric of Penn State College of Medicine.

The missions of the EFO shall be to support the College of Medicine and its leadership, and to promote the continued engagement and connection of Emeritus Faculty in support of education, research, patient care, and community service.

These missions of the Penn State College of Medicine EFO serve to celebrate the careers of our Emeritus Faculty by encouraging them to remain a part of the life of the College in new, interesting and important ways. These missions facilitate the transition to Emeritus Status as a natural and desirable step in an academic career.

Article IV. Goals

• To encourage and permit Emeritus Faculty to maintain a relationship with the Penn State College of Medicine.

• To initiate and coordinate activities that encourage and permit Emeritus Faculty to remain engaged in, and connected to, the community of scholars in the College of Medicine.

• To assume an advocacy position on issues related to Emeritus Faculty.

• To make available to the leadership of the College the appropriate background, experience, and skills of the Emeritus Faculty for future Institutional strategic planning.

• To encourage Departments in the College of Medicine to recognize and value their Emeritus Faculty, and to utilize their unique talents in furthering Departmental missions.

• To provide a vehicle for fellowship and interaction among the Emeritus Faculty and full-time Faculty in the College of Medicine.

• To encourage Emeritus Faculty support, both direct and indirect, of Penn State fund-raising activities and the establishment of endowments.

Article V. Membership

Section 1. Member Eligibility and Selection

Faculty who have been awarded Emeritus Status by the President of The Pennsylvania State University in accordance with University Policy AC25, Emeritus Status, shall have membership in the EFO.

The names of new EFO members shall be published on the EFO website and will be announced at the next general EFO meeting.

Associate Members

Retired faculty who provided meritorious service to the College of Medicine but do not meet the criteria for Emeritus Status as specified in Policy AC25 may apply to become members of the EFO as Associate Members. Faculty may apply by writing a letter to the Secretary of the EFO which then requires approval by a majority of the EFO Council.

Associate Members may participate in the educational offerings and social events of the EFO. They may not call themselves Emeritus, are not entitled to the privileges of Emeritus Status as stated in Policy AC25 and may not serve as an EFO Officer. All Associate Members are expected to pay the requested dues annually.

Section 2. Termination of Membership

The membership of any person may be terminated at any time by a letter of resignation from the member, or if Emeritus Status is revoked by the University as specified in Policy AC25.

Section 3. Meetings of the Members

The EFO will hold an annual meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania in a location and at a time as determined by the EFO Council. The Annual Meeting will provide an opportunity for the transaction of business that should properly be brought before the EFO.

In addition to the annual meeting, other meetings of the membership may be held. The Council may call special meetings of the membership at any time upon notice to the membership.

Article VI. Dues

The EFO Council, by a majority vote, may assess dues as necessary to fund and operate the EFO and to support specific events. All Members are expected to pay the requested dues annually.

Article VII. Officers

Officers of the EFO shall be President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate Past-President. All officers of the EFO shall serve without compensation.

• President: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the EFO and preside at all meetings, including meetings of the Council and EFO, and shall serve for a term of one year. The President shall determine the frequency of, and organize, the Council and EFO meetings. He/she shall not be eligible to serve for a second term, until at least three years after the previous term. The President will be a member of all standing committees.

• President-Elect: The President-Elect shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President. The President-Elect will serve a one-year term and automatically serve as President for the following term. He/she will be a member of the Nominating Committee.

• Secretary: The Secretary shall, with administrative assistance from the College of Medicine Office of Faculty and Professional Development:

  • Serve a term of three years.

  • Maintain a record of the proceedings of all meetings.

  • Arrange for all meetings of the EFO.

  • Prepare and distribute minutes of all meetings of the Council; distribute notices concerning forthcoming meetings.

  • Carry on all correspondence as is deemed necessary by the Council.

  • Notify Officers, Committee Chairpersons, and Council members of their election and responsibilities.

  • Maintain a list of all members of the EFO and their addresses.

• Treasurer: The Treasurer shall, with administrative assistance from the College of Medicine Office of Faculty and Professional Development:

  • Serve a term of three years.

  • Collect and monitor all funds of the EFO.

  • Report annually on the financial status of the EFO to the Council and membership.

• Immediate Past-President: The Immediate Past-President shall chair the nominating committee (see Article IX: Nominations and Elections) and be a voting Council member for one year following completion of his/her term as president.

Article VIII. EFO Council

Section 1. Name and Composition of Council

• The Council shall be known as The Penn State College of Medicine Emeritus Faculty Council.

• The Council shall be composed of the President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past-President, five to eight At Large Members from the EFO, and the Chair of the Program Committee.

• At Large Member term on the Council is three years.

Section 2. Council Meetings

• A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

• Any act or decision of Council members present at a meeting at which a quorum is satisfied shall be considered the act or decision of the entire Council.

• Meetings of the Council shall be held at times and places as called by the EFO President and published on the EFO website. Any member of the Council may request a meeting.

• Meetings may be adjourned if a quorum is not present.

Section 3. Functions of the Council

• The Council will function as the Governing Board of the EFO.

• The Council shall manage the affairs of the EFO.

• When requested, the Council will function as an advisory body to the Dean, Associate Deans, or Department Chairs on matters within the expertise and experience of the Emeritus members. Such matters may pertain to education, patient care, research, mentoring, Institutional strategic planning and fund-raising issues.

• The Council shall represent all Emeritus Faculty on issues related to Emeritus Faculty privileges afforded by the University and the College of Medicine.

• The Council may acknowledge the outstanding accomplishments of members of the EFO. The President will announce these accomplishments at a general EFO meeting and post them on the EFO website.

• The President shall fill vacancies for officers and At-Large Member positions that occur for any reason for the balance of the current term.

Article IX. Nominations and Elections

• The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the Immediate Past-President.

• The Nominating Committee shall nominate active EFO members in good standing for the offices of President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Council At Large Members.

• The nominees shall be approved by majority of the Council.

• The outcome of the nomination and selection shall be announced at the next general meeting of the EFO and will also be posted on the EFO website.

Article X. Standing and AD Hoc Committees

Standing Committees:

The standing committees of the EFO shall be determined by the Council and shall be created as needed by a majority vote of the Council. A new standing committee can be suggested by any member of the EFO.

The EFO shall have the following standing committees:

1. Nominating Committee: The Immediate Past President, President, and President-Elect will form the committee. The Immediate Past President is the Chair. The committee shall nominate individuals for the offices of President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and vacant At Large Member positions to the Council.

2. Program Committee: The Chair of the Program Committee is appointed by the President and will serve for three years. The President will be the second member of the committee. Other members may be appointed by the President as needed. The Program Committee is responsible for planning and implementing the Fall and Spring Scientific meetings, the Hinkle lectureship, and the EFO luncheon (PIPS).

3. Bylaws Committee: The Chair of the Bylaws Committee is appointed by the President and will serve for three years. The President may appoint additional members to this committee as needed. The committee shall review the Bylaws periodically and make recommendations to the Council.

Ad Hoc Committees:

The President, with approval of the Council may appoint temporary ad hoc committees deemed necessary or appropriate.

Article XI. Amending Bylaws

• The Bylaws Committee shall review the Bylaws periodically and make recommendations for changes to the President before sending to the Council.

• Changes can also be proposed by members of the EFO and submitted to the Bylaws Committee, which will review the suggested changes.

• Proposed changes will be circulated to the membership for comments.

• Bylaws changes must then be approved by a majority of the members present at the Spring EFO meeting.

• The changes shall become effective upon approval by the Dean of the Penn State College of Medicine.

Approved: Karen Kim, MD, MS, dean of Penn State College of Medicine, May 2026
Ratified: Eileen Hennrikus, MD, president of the Emeritus Faculty Organization, May 2026

The Penn State College of Medicine Emeritus Faculty Organization's objectives are to utilize the wisdom and knowledge of the Emeritus Faculty members to benefit the College of Medicine’s missions of education, research and service. Currently, EFO members serve in the following roles:

• Problem Based Learning (PBL) instructors

• Admissions department interviewers

• Admissions department screeners

• Lion Care clinic attendings

• Members of the medical student research committee (MSR)

• Planning committee members and moderators of the Mini Medical School program

• Members of the College of Medicine Alumni board

• Site leaders for the Penn State College of Medicine Global Health Scholars program

• Members of the Global Health Advisory board

• Planning committee members/moderators of the Global Health research conference

• Interviewers for the MS4 practice ‘mock’ interview program

• Members of the diversity scholarship committee

• Giving student lectures

• Giving resident lectures

• Contributors to Wild Onions literary magazine

• Members of the Emeritus Academy

• Grant reviewers

• And more

Naming of the Scholarship

Samuel F. Hinkle was one of the College of Medicine’s founders, with close ties to Penn State University, Hershey Chocolate Company, The Hershey Trust and the Milton Hershey School. Mr. Hinkle trained as a chemical engineer, came to work at the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1924. Initially, he was instrumental in developing successful new products such as Mr. Goodbar and Hershey’s syrup. In 1947, he became plant manager and in 1956 was promoted to company president. In addition to being an effective company leader, he had a broad vision of the Chocolate Corporation’s role in the community. It was at his urging that The Hershey Trust provided the $50 million gift to Penn State University to build a medical college and teaching hospital in Hershey. Mr. Hinkle viewed the founding of the College of Medicine as one of his greatest accomplishments, and as entirely consistent with Milton Hershey’s wishes. In 1975, he described the College as “a school that’s growing in prominence and is surely going to be one of the very finest in the whole world before very long.” Mr. Hinkle passed away in 1984. The EFO honors him with this scholarship starting in 2022.

Amount of the Endowment

EFO members established this scholarship with an initial endowment of $50,000. Through EFO philanthropy, the scholarship has grown to over $77,000.00 with the ability to currently award $2,800.00 to one medical student annually.

Eligibility for the Scholarship

First year medical students are eligible for the Samuel f. Hinkle Scholarship if they demonstrate financial need by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have demonstrated high academic performance. Academic performance will be judged on undergraduate grades, MCAT score, graduate degrees, advance courses of study, publications, creative accomplishments and research.

How to Contribute

To make a contribution to the scholarship, contact Mark Sunday in the Development Office at msunday@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or 717-856-5805.

Mark Sunday, Gift Officer, Penn State University Development, PO Box 852, Hershey, PA 17033

Scholarship Recipients

• 2025-2026: Chloe Adams

• 2024-2025: Liana Bigaud

• 2023-2024: Mizuho Obayashi

• 2022-2023: Chaitanya Nimmagadda