Professors present an unusual problem when it comes to retirement: They actually like their jobs, and often do not want to leave them.These professors operate under the illusion that they are still productive and useful members of their departments past the age of 65, while younger academics try to lure them out of their prime office space and onto the golf course.
This leads to what The Chronicle calls the gentle push in which administrators kindly and lovingly push old people out of the way by bribing them to leave. Bribes include: Money, but also "free parking, library privileges" and "computer and e-mail access."
That's right, aging academics -- You can keep your library card! And for those of you who know how to use a computer, you can hang on to that .edu to make you feel like you still have a job even though you've been pushed out on account of being super old. Gentle enough for you, old man?
