Faculty, with the rank of instructor or above, who are employed by the University of North Carolina; field faculty of the Cooperative Agriculture Extension Service; the President and senior academic and administrative officers of the University of North Carolina who are appointed by the Board of Governors on recommendation of the President pursuant to G.S. 116-11(4), 116-11(5), and 116-14 or who are appointed by the Board of Trustees of a constituent institution upon the recommendation by the Chancellor pursuant to G.S. 116-40.22(b); and non-faculty instructional and research staff who are exempt from the State Personnel Act are eligible to participate in the Optional Retirement Program if they are permanently employed at least three-fourths time for nine or more months per year on a recurring basis.