April 2010 Board Minutes

April 2010 Board Minutes Wick Alumni Center

Members Present: Jack Goebel, Herb Howe, Jim Kendrick, Tice Miller, Lowell Moser, Jerry Petr, Kay Rockwell, Dan Wheeler, and Delivee Wright.
Herb Howe, President, called the meeting to order at 1:00 pm. 

Two people were identified for the Memory Moments: Prof. Phil Henderson, Agricultural Economics, and Prof. Richard Mills, Agronomy and Horticulture. In addition, former Chancellor Clifford Hardin should be recognized. Additions should be sent to Herb Howe at hhowe1@unl.edu
March Minutes were approved as posted.
No Treasurer’s Report was made, as Agnes Adams was not available.
Andrea Crawford, representative of the Alumni Association, invited Emeriti to the “Spirit Fest”, 5:30 to 8:00 pm, April 16, 2010, in connection with the Spring Football Game. OLLI volunteers will assist with registration. Activities at the Wick Alumni Center are being planned for all ages. She also distributed an excerpt of the spring edition of The Alumni Association, which has an article on the “Emeriti in Action” display.

Old Business
1. Emeriti in Action Project. Costs for the color brochures for the “Emeriti in Action” display were discussed. Jack Goebel moved and Kay Rockwell seconded a motion to fund 250 copies at a cost of $139.95. A friendly amendment was suggested by Lowell Moser and seconded by Kay Rockwell to fund 500 copies for $159.95. The amended motion passed with one opposed.
2. Oral History Project. Tice Miller has one Emerita who has been interviewed. 
3. Wisherd Eligibility Criteria. Discussion of issues related to Wisherd grants eligibility was continued. At the March Board Meeting a motion was made and seconded as follows:
Be it so moved that grants from the Maude Wisherd Fund be awarded only to retired UNL emeriti faculty members who are paid-up, dues-paying members of the Emeriti Association or their surviving spouses.
This motion was discussed at the March Member Meeting to provide opportunity for input; which was supportive. It was reviewed, and the Board passed the motion unanimously. The fall letter inviting proposals for Wisherd grants will restate that this is the last year that applications from non-dues-paying emeriti will be accepted.

Name tags. Herb Howe distributed lanyard nametags to Board members at the beginning of the meeting. He suggested we purchase up to $200 worth of lanyards, with pockets for nametag use at member meetings, to be returned and reused at each monthly meeting. Jack Goebel moved and Lowell Moser seconded the motion to use up to $200 for the nametag materials. The motion passed unanimously. Herb will ask Stan Vasa to manage this process. 
New Business 
1. Emeriti Membership Criteria. The question of how Emeriti status is extended was discussed. The NU Board of Regents web page policy information was examined as well as Emeriti Association Bylaws. An effort will be made to encourage this title be assigned on a Personnel Action Form at the time of retirement so there is documentation which is not just based on personal assumption. 
It was proposed that Article III-Membership of the Emeriti Association Bylaws be Lincoln and dues paying collegial members.”
To: changed: 
From:
“Membership shall consist of dues paying emeriti of the University of Nebraska-
“Membership shall consist of dues paying retired academic-administrative personnel (Regents Bylaws 3.1.1.1) who have been granted emeritus/a status and dues paying Collegial Members.”
Next month we will vote on this change and if it passes, it will go to the membership for approval in September if approved by the Board.
Committee Reports:
1. Benefits: Jack Goebel reported that a member had inquired about whether the Emeriti Association was lobbying for fair treatment of Emeriti in regard to health insurance. The UNL Health Insurance benefit is available to Emeriti if they choose to stay with it at time of retirement; however, NU cannot subsidize the premium of anyone who is no longer employed. It was suggested that Keith Dietze, Director of University-wide Benefits, (Risk Management) could be invited to speak to the Board concerning the rights of Emeriti. He will be invited to do so.
2. Wisherd Fund Committee: Bob Diffendahl reported that checks were mailed to recipients of Wisherd grants. Those receiving study grants were advised they should report results by December 31, 2010.
Member Relations: Kay Rockwell reported the next New Emeriti Coffee would be at MoJava at 9:15 am, April 23, 2010, followed by a tour of the Library storage facility.
Other tours being considered are walking tours of Wyuka Cemetery history or Nine-mile Prairie.
Membership: A question was raised about whether there were new nominations for “Collegial Membership”; this must be an emeritus/a from another institution.
Web Site: Jim Kendrick requested that recommendations be made for someone to be a trainee for work with Jim on the Web site.
Member Meeting: Dan Wheeler announced that the next member meeting would be 
11:30 am, April 15, 2010, at East Campus Union with the program, "Spring Has Sprung!” by Kim Todd, Moderator of Backyard Farmer and UNL Prof. of Agronomy and Horticulture. Dan invited additional ideas for fall programs.
The meeting adjourned at 1:50 pm. Members of the Board then went to Love Library North to view the “Emeriti in Action” display.

Submitted By: Delivee L. Wright, Secretary