A few people have asked me recently about being Emerit Professor–rather than Emeritus or Emerita–so I thought I'd share some info here. Many people just assume it is a typo. I hope to spread the word and normalize the idea! @academicchatter
My reasons for preferring Emerit are well summed up by Jennifer Freyd: https://dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/emerit.html
But the short answer is probably: I haven't had a gendered #academic title before; why now? And aren't we past fireman (firewoman?), postman (postwoman?), etc?
At the end of Dr. Freyd's webpage is the following statement:
"I also know that only when men start to use the title Professor Emerit will I feel my job is done. A man volunteering to use the non-gendered title - that would be a courageous act of allyship. I do ask for it from men who are on the verge of retiring. An already retired man who elects to switch to the nongendered title would surely lead by example. I think some day it will happen that a man shows such courage."
Any takers?
@cepaea Why not simply call these Merit appointments?
@jswilkins Sure, other names are possible. But Emerit is closer to what is already in use and is thus more recognizable.
@jswilkins That's great! UC Davis has me as "Emeritus" -- they didn't ask -- although my department has me as Emerit, upon my request.