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Employees hired prior to state transition (7/1/1977) made mandatory retirement contributions to either the City of Cincinnati Retirement System or the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Associate/College-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF). At conversion, all new staff employees contributed to the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) and new faculty made contributions to the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS). City and TIAA-Cref participants were given a one-time chance to change to the state systems. TIAA/Cref participants may still change to Vanguard or Fidelity.
In 1998 an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP) was offered to new full-time faculty and exempt staff and those with less than five years state service. In 2005 the ARP was extended to the non-exempt staff and students. The ARP, like the grandfathered TIAA/CREF, is a defined contribution plan--income only, based on return of investment.
NON-FACULTY NEW HIRES
Employees of Ohio public colleges and universities do not participate in the federal Social Security system, other than contributions to Medicare. The University of Cincinnati offers two retirement programs from which you can choose: the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) and the Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP). Note that the ARP is only available to those employees who are regularly scheduled to work on a full-time basis (100% FTE). The two programs differ in how your retirement benefits are determined. It is important that you understand how each program works so you can pick the one that best meets your retirement objectives. Prior to making a decision about which retirement plan is best for you, you should review the Retirement Plan Choices brochure. This brochure describes three OPERS retirement alternatives as well as the Alternative Retirement Plan.
Income, disability, and health care are offered by the retirement systems. For information, contact:
CITY OF CINCINNATI RETIREMENT SYSTEM
OHIO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM (OPERS)
STATE TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM (STRS)
Retirement Plan Beneficiairy Designation
Certain life-changing events will automatically void your previously filed beneficiary designation. Your marriage, divorce, dissolution, legan separation, birth or adoption of a child will voice our beneficiary designation. If you have had one of these life-changing events, contact your retirement system to submit a new beneficiary designation. If you do not, your beneficiary is determined by automatic succession (spouse, child, dependent parents, parents, estate).
The university offers retirees under the grandfathered plans (TIAA-CREF, Fidelity, Vanguard) the opportunity to participate in a group medical and dental plan. Information on this plan may be obtained from the HR Service Center or the Retiree Workbook.
To be classified as a Retiree of the University of Cincinnati you must meet certain qualifications based upon your retirement plan. Check Definitions of a Retiree to see the requirements for age and service. | 
