New Members

Higher Education — New Full-time Members

Timetable for Making a Decision

New Full-time Faculty Member Who is Working at an Ohio Public Institution of Higher Education for the First Time

How Much Time Do I Have to Decide?
As a newly hired full-time faculty member, you have 120 days from your first day of paid service to select between participating in STRS Ohio’s retirement plans or an alternative retirement plan (ARP). If you choose STRS Ohio, you will have an additional 60 days (180 days from your first day of paid service) to select an STRS Ohio retirement plan option.

New members who choose the STRS Ohio Defined Contribution Plan or the STRS Ohio Combined Plan have another opportunity to evaluate their decision before completing their fifth year of membership. You can choose to remain in the same plan or transfer to another STRS Ohio plan. All new members hired between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, will receive reselection materials and will be asked to make a final decision by June 30, 2014.

At that time, you must actively elect to remain in the Defined Contribution or Combined Plan; otherwise, you will automatically be moved to the Defined Benefit Plan, with an account and service credit created as if you had been in the Defined Benefit Plan from your first date of membership. The Defined Contribution or Combined Plan account — and any accompanying gains or losses — will be absorbed by the Defined Benefit Plan.

How Do I Inform STRS Ohio About My Plan Choice
First, complete the Retirement Plan Election Form available from your employer. You should use this form to choose between participating in STRS Ohio or an ARP. Return the completed form to your employer.

If you choose to enroll in STRS Ohio, you will also need to complete the STRS Ohio Retirement Plan Selection Form included in your plan selection packet. Return this completed form to STRS Ohio in the postage-paid envelope provided.

What Happens if I Don’t Make a Selection?
The deadline to complete and return the Retirement Plan Election Form to your employer is 120 days from your first day of paid service. If you do not respond by then, you will participate in STRS Ohio.

You will then have an additional 60 days (180 days from your first day of paid service) to complete and return the STRS Ohio Retirement Plan Selection Form. If you do not respond by this deadline, you will be placed in STRS Ohio’s Defined Benefit Plan.

If you choose or are placed in the Defined Benefit Plan, you will remain in it for all STRS Ohio-covered employment.

Other Member Categories
Full-time faculty members who leave one Ohio public institution of higher education for another are considered a “new hire.” The information below describes the plan selection options that are available to these individuals.

Newly hired full-time faculty member who is participating in the STRS Ohio Defined Contribution Plan or Combined Plan, but has not made a final election in the fifth year of membership.
You are eligible to remain in the STRS Ohio Defined Contribution Plan or Combined Plan in which you are currently enrolled or to choose one of the ARPs offered by your new employer through a private vendor. You will have 120 days from your first day of paid service with the new employer to make your decision.

To choose your plan, just complete the Retirement Plan Election Form provided by your employer. Unless you elect an ARP, you will remain in your current STRS Ohio retirement plan. However, you will still have the opportunity to reevaluate your decision and choose another STRS Ohio plan before completing your fifth year of membership.

At that time, you can choose to remain in the same plan or transfer to another STRS Ohio plan. You will receive information about the opportunity to change plans several months before your decision date. At that time, you must actively elect to remain in the STRS Ohio Defined Contribution or Combined Plan; otherwise, you will automatically be moved to the STRS Ohio Defined Benefit Plan, with an account and service credit created as if you had been in the plan from your first date of membership. Your STRS Ohio Defined Contribution or Combined Plan account — and any accompanying gains or losses — will be absorbed by the STRS Ohio Defined Benefit Plan.

Newly hired full-time faculty member who is participating in STRS Ohio with no reselection option.
You are eligible to choose between the STRS Ohio retirement plan in which your are currently enrolled or one of the ARPs offered by your new employer through a private vendor. You will have 120 days from your first day of paid service with the new employer to make your decision.

To choose your plan, just complete the Retirement Plan Election Form provided by your employer. Unless you elect an ARP, you will remain in your current STRS Ohio retirement plan.