April 2009 Board Minutes

April 2009 Board Minutes Wick Alumni Center

Members Present: Bob Fuller, Max Clegg, Jim Carr, Tice Miller, Kay Rockwell, Jack Goebel, Herb Howe, Jim Kendrick, Dan Lutz, Jim McShane, Mel Thornton, Walter Mientka

President Moser called the meeting to order at 1 p.m. at the Wick Alumni Center. Directors and officers present.Emeriti Assn. Webmaster Kendrick installed equipment and a screen capable of bringing up items from the website, including minutes of previous meetings, which proved very useful in reviewing past actions.
In demonstrating the equipment, the minutes of the March 3 board meeting were displayed. One change was made regarding the following statement: McShane discussed the proposed Oral History Report. The following was deleted: Mary Quinlan, Associate Professor of Journalism at UNL, will provide an update on the report status at the April membership meeting.

The minutes, as altered, were approved.
Andrea Cranford, representing the UNL Alumni Assn., presented an update on developments of interest to the Emeriti Assn. Commemorative coffee mugs, stored at the Wick Center, are available to be given to speakers at Emeriti Association Meetings or at other appropriate occasions. Cranford is the official liaison person from the Alumni Assn. to the Emeriti Assn.
She is in charge of media relations for the Alumni Assn., responsible for news releases, Good NUZ, and a Nebraska full color magazine produced four times a year. An upcoming issue features the Emeriti Assn. Cranford said the Alumni Assn. is developing a new Website, which will be open in May, with a link to the Emeriti Assn. website.
After considerable discussion, it was agreed that the proposed Collegial Membership category would be presented for final wording at the April 21 membership meeting, leading to a formal vote in September. A vote of approval by 2/3 of those voting by either method will be necessary to implement the proposal. Electronic voting will be available on the web with a hard copy proposal available at the meeting.
The Oral History program by Indiana University can be accessed on their website, http: www.indiana.edu~/ . Board members were encouraged to visit that website. The Oral History issue will be on the April membership meeting agenda. Fuller agreed to be the contact person on the board. It was moved by Thornton, seconded by Fuller, to move ahead with this project. Carried. McShane agreed to chair a committee which will include Fuller and Tice Miller.
Moser will check with CIT (Communications and Information Technology) regarding information on preparing and archiving Oral History and other presentations by the Emeriti Assn. and what costs would be involved.
Proposals and criteria for Emeriti awards were discussed. The executive committee would work on criteria leading to recognition of deserving individuals at an annual awards ceremony. Guidelines would be drawn up relating to service awards, and when and where such awards would be presented.
Moser noted that Zelma Wisherd, the last of the Wisherd extended family and who was directly responsible for establishment of the Wisherd Fund benefiting the Emeriti Assn., is buried at Wyuka Cemetery, but there is no gravestone. After brief discussion, McShane moved, seconded by Thornton, to finance an appropriate memorial stone at the stated cost of $600. Motion approved. It was suggested that $500 be drawn from the Emeriti Foundation and $100 contributed by the Emeriti Assn. With further discussion the Board thought it would be better to fund it by donations rather than using the Wisherd Fund. They agreed to ask for donations. At the April meeting following a visual presentation the membership will be advised that we likely will be asking for donations. Moved by Mientka, seconded by Howe, to pursue the program, carried.
Committee reports:
Jim Kendrick, Website committee chair indicated that recording of meeting programs and processing by CIT, that it will now cost $50 to $100 for a senior technician to process and post each program on the “Look and Listen” tab on the website. It was moved by Mientka, seconded by Howe that we go ahead and fund this new cost for all of the high quality programs, carried.
Membership Relations: Tice Miller describe the activity of the Membership Relations Committee. Kay Rockwell reported on the New Membership Connections: Next coffee will be held April 20 at Mo Java. A visit is proposed to Salt Creek Prairie, which would require a fee of $3 per person attending. A motion to have the Emeriti Association cover the $3 cost per person was made by Rockwell, seconded by Clegg, carried.
Membership report: Mel Thornton. Membership numbers by category are: Annual membership – 247; life members –145; new (2009) members—29; spouses—123. Total of these categories—544. Prospective Emeriti members—227; making a grand total of 771. 
Wisherd Fund – McShane, chair; Wisherd Award checks are being processed. No other report. 
Faculty Senate McShane: No report.
Benefits – Goebel: No report. 
There being no further unfinished or new business, the meeting was adjourned at 3 p.m.

Submitted By: Dan B. Lutz, Secretary