February 2008 Board Minutes Wick Alumni Center
Members Present: Kay Rockwell, Herb Howe, Howard Ottoson, Gene White, Lowell Moser, Jim Kendrick, Rose Marie Tondl, Max Clegg, Walter Mientka, Jim McShane, Dan Lutz
President Robert Fuller called the meeting to order at 1 p.m. Minutes of the January 8 board meeting and the treasurer’s report for the period January 1- 31, 2008 were approved by acclamation in separate board responses. After brief discussion, The proposed budget for 2008 was approved following a motion by Mientka, second by McShane.
McShane presented a report on behalf of the Wisherd Fund Committee. Grants of $1,000 each in the research-scholarly activity area were awarded to Bob Raymond for an Accountancy project and to Bill Splinter, Director of the Larsen Tractor Laboratory to preserve early documents for historical and archival purposes.
In the health support area, an Emeritus was awarded $1,000 toward unreimbursed medical costs.
The fact that the amount disbursed is well below the amount available in the Wisherd Fund. The committee cited the possibility of raising the upper limit of awards, funding scholarships, or for other purposes. It was noted that $1,000 limit to aid an eligible individual with serious medical bills, modest insurance and relatively low income is not very helpful.
All Emeriti are eligible to apply for grants. In discussion, this was defined to be within a 50-mile radius of Lincoln. For discussion purposes, it was proposed that a grant would be increased to $2,000 for an eligible individual, and the ceiling of an individual’s income be raised from $30,000 to $50,000. After some discussion, these issues were referred back to the committee to discuss and come back to the board with recommendations.
Kay Rockwell presented an update on the newly-launched Newcomer Emeriti Connections (NEC) program. The first gathering did not draw Emeriti, other than the host couple (Kay and spouse). She suggested that a coffee chat be scheduled once a month, invitations starting with 2007 designated Emeriti, and then working back to previous years. Information cards will be passed out at membership meetings. She asked for assistance from board members in making personal approaches to prospective attendees.
Mientka suggested an operational change to notices of upcoming Emeriti Assn. membership meetings. Rather than sending out a postcard announcement to greater Lincoln area Emeriti, date, location and name of speaker and presentation would be sent to those Emeriti with e-mail addresses. The cost of printing and mailing the postcards is fairly expensive
McShane handed out a detailed document (22 points) regarding proposed changes in the wording in the Regents’ Policy regarding awarding Emeritus status (Click HERE to View). On a motion by Kendrick, seconded by Moser, and approved, the board instructed McShane to go to the Senate meeting and tell the Senate of the problems with the document. The motion indicated that the one point the board thought most significant, most imperative to achieve, was the suggestion that a faculty member’s final PAF include a notion of whether the retiring faculty member was to be awarded Emeriti status, and if not whether the issue was ineligibility or something else. Fuller said he would work on a letter to Provost Linda Pratt indicating the Emeriti Association’s issues with the present draft.
McShane also distributed a 5-issue document indicating problems with the proposed UNL by-law change that would take from the statement on the Dean of Graduate Studies obligation of a formal search, the designation of the sr. VCAA as the appointing officer and as the officer to whom the Dean of Graduate Studies was responsible (Click HERE to view). The board told McShane to advise the Faculty Senate about the board’s concerns on these issues.
A motion for McShane (Emeriti Assn. representative) to go to the Faculty Senate with the recommendations was made by Kendrick, seconded by Moser; approved.
Committee reports:
Membership Committee: Chairman Mel Thornton was not present at the meeting, but following is an up-to-date report, including new memberships reported by Mientka at the meeting:
204 annual members - 179 of whom are current in 2008 dues.
148 Life members
103 Surviving spouse members
31 new 2008 members
34 members added to the rolls from old records
175 persons on the membership rolls, not included in above categories
Total on data base: 695
Website Committee: Chairman Kendrick reminded that other Emeriti Assn. committee chairs need to turn in reports for posting on the website.
The question regarding establishment of a memorial for recently deceased longtime Emeritus and board member Dick Boohar was raised. Emeriti were encouraged to attend his memorial service. A decision to establish a formal memorial for him will be discussed at the next board meeting.
There being no further unfinished or new business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m.