February 2010 Board Minutes

February 2010 Board Minutes Steinhart Room, Wick Alumni Center

Members Present: Agnes Adams, Jim Carr, Jack Goebel, Herb Howe, Jim Kendrick, Jim McShane, Walter Mientka, Lowell Moser, Stan Vasa, Dan Wheeler, and Delivee Wright.
Herb Howe, President, called the meeting to order at 1:00 pm.

Gordon Culver was identified for the Memory Moments. Any additions should be sent to Herb Howe at hhowe1@unl.edu
January Minutes were approved as posted.
Walt Mientka, outgoing Treasurer, reviewed his report for December 2009 and January 2010. He also submitted and explained an Income and Expense Analysis for 2009 as well as a Proposed Budget for 2010. The report was approved with minor punctuation corrections. Agnes Adams, the new Treasurer will accept payment of dues at meetings or at: Agnes Adams, 822 Dale Drive, Lincoln, NE, 68508.

Old Business

1. Emeriti in Action Project . Bob Fuller will be absent when the library display opens, it was agreed that the reception should be postponed since he has been chair of this project. Herb Howe will arrange the date of May 6th or 7th for the reception. A discussion of inclusion of spouse activity was discussed and it was agreed they could be invited to participate. 
2. Faculty Senate Report. Jim McShane, Faculty Senate Representative, reported that the Faculty Senate is considering a set of “Rules of Misconduct” for UNL faculty. These rules respond to federal requirements. Jim will provide input for the senate to consider in their deliberations.
3. Oral History Project. Tice Miller is out of town but asked that we provide recommendations for two to three names of Emeriti who should be interviewed for the project. The purpose of the project is to capture the history of individual emeriti at UNL such as Agronomy has done for Rosalind Morris.

4. Name tags. Herb Howe checked into the costs of lanyard tags and they were going to be expensive. An alternative system will be explored.
5. Dues Structure and Financial Report. Mel Thornton and Jim Kendrick brought a proposal to the board for dues adjustments beginning in 2011. While the Board has approved the following new fees structure, input will be sought from the membership at the next meeting.

New Fee Structure

Effective for 2011 dues: Annual Dues shall be $10 per year. A three-year membership is available for $25. Checks for dues are made payable to the University of Nebraska, and will be deposited into the Emeriti Association’s company center at UNL.
A lifetime membership is offered for a $200 donation and is tax deductible with a check made payable to the Emeriti Association Fund at the University of Nebraska Foundation.
Management of the finances of the Emeriti Association will move away from a checking account at the Cornhusker Bank to an internal UNL cost center with a possible small checking account via the Alumni Association.
6. Wisherd Foundation Funds. Keith Miles, NU Foundation General Counsel, examined the requirements of the Wisherd Foundation Funds to determine any limitations or boundaries for the use of these funds by the Emeriti Association. It was his opinion that “It is reasonable for you as an Association to choose to limit certain programs or benefits to members only (and/or member spouses), and since the Wisherd Fund is for the benefit of the Association generally, it can also be used to benefit members only, or more broadly for all emeriti as the Association determines.” And “that the Association through its Board does have some latitude to decide how … to use the Wisherd Fund.” He will file this information for further reference.
Herb Howe raised the issue of the cost of mailings to all Emeriti concerning these funds ($400/yr). Seventy-five percent of the members have email addresses. He asked Board members to think about this and the alternatives: (a) mail to every emeriti; (b) mail to members only, but have funding open to all; (c) make information accessible by email and web site, or (d) limit eligibility for Wisherd funds to annual, life and honorary members of the Association. This year we will operate as we have in the past.

New Business

Emeriti Awards – Bob Fuller suggested that the Emeriti Association generate two awards that could be given at Spring UNL Honors Convocation to provide recognition and visibility to the Association. Discussion resulted in a general consensus that we not do this.

Committee Reports


Benefits: Jack Goebel reported no new actions.
Membership: Mel Thornton’s email raised an issue regarding subsidized lunches and whether only paid members and spouses should get the $5.00 lunch. Others should pay whole cost. The Vice-President/Program Chair and the Treasurer each need the current list of paid members (Mel can provide these). Jim Kendrick moved and Lowell Moser seconded a motion to accept this recommendation. The motion passed. An issue for future consideration is who is eligible for Emeriti status (i.e., administrators).
Member Relations: The next New Emeriti Coffee will be at “D’beans Coffee House” at 9:30 am, February 23, 2010.
Web Site: Jim Kendrick displayed the large number of hits from other countries on our web site.
The meeting adjourned at 2:30 pm.

Submitted By: Delivee L. Wright, Secretary