History of the RFPA
The Retired Faculty and Professionals Association (RFPA) at UNC-Chapel Hill helps its members maintain meaningful connections to the University community through intellectual and social engagement, representation, and advocacy.
Established in 1986 as the Retired Faculty Association (RFA), the name was changed to the Retired Faculty and Professionals Association (RFPA) in 2023 to align itself more closely with its mission and bylaws. Senior administrative staff members have always been eligible to join, but the name change made the organization more welcoming to them.
RFPA is an independent membership organization with on-going relationships with the University through the Office of the Provost and the Office of Faculty Governance. The Association provides a vital link between retired faculty and professional staff and the University, advocating for members’ interests and concerns, fostering community, and providing access to a wealth of experience and expertise.
Dorothy Talbot (Public Health) was the first president. Other officers were vice president Paul Munson (Pharmacology), secretary Maurice Whittinghill (Zoology), and treasurer, Lloyd Yonce (Anatomy and Physiology). Since then, the leadership has included retired faculty and senior professional staff members from all of UNC-Chapel Hill’s schools and colleges as well as from numerous departments and offices.
Records show that the first time the association reached beyond local and state affiliations to participate in international activities for academic retirees occurred in 2002. In that year, its vice president, William Wood (Medicine), represented the Association at the first conference of the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE). This international association of academic retiree associations has as its mission the continuing productive participation of retirees in their institutions – and through the Association, UNC-Chapel Hill is a member.
The Retired Faculty and Professionals Association (RFPA) will celebrate its 40th year in 2026. Planning for that event is already underway, including the publication of a comprehensive history of the Association.
Updated 6/2024