December 2007 Board Minutes Wick Alumni Center
Members Present: Kay Rockwell, newly-elected as a director, and Lowell Moser, newly-elected vice president. Rose Marie Tondl, Max Clegg, Irv Omtvedt, Jack Goebel, Gene White, Herb Howe, Bob Fuller, Dan Lutz, Mel Thornton, Walter Mientka, Jim Kendrick, Dick Boohar.
President Howard Ottoson called the meeting to order at 1 p.m.
Present and increased interaction between the Emeriti Assn. and the NU Foundation was discussed.: Foundation spokespersons present were Jane Tinkler and Bill Reece. Fuller announced that the luncheon, co-sponsored by the Emeriti Assn. and the NU Foundation, will be held at the Embassy Suites on September 26, 2008.
Reece discussed the potential of gift planning, an avenue for the relationship between the Foundation and the Emeriti Assn. to be broadened, and the bond between the two entities to become stronger and more coherent. One idea would be the creation of an Emeriti Scholarship Fund, which would sharpen the identity of the Emeriti Assn. and strengthen the relationship with the Foundation. The idea was discussed relating to details and implementation of a Fund. Reaction to the idea was favorable.
Ottoson suggested that the Emeriti Executive Committee discuss opportunities to broaden the relationship between the Association and the Foundation and bring a recommendation to the Emeriti Board at a later date.
The minutes of the November 6 board meeting were approved. The treasurer’s report, submitted by Walter Mientka, was accepted on a motion by Dick Boohar, seconded by Goebel. Mientka mentioned an Association expense item which he had paid. It was moved by Omtvedt, seconded by Tondl, that he be reimbursed by the Association for this expense, carried.
Omtvedt stressed that ways to develop a closer relationship between the NU Foundation and the Emeriti Assn. need to be explored and discussed. Within the discussion, it was noted that the University of Nebraska Foundation is not a part of the University per se and thus is not listed in the Centrex directory.
Fuller said a letter has been sent to the 31 newly-designated Emeriti, inviting them to attend the luncheon January 17 at the Champions Club. NU President Milliken was invited to attend the luncheon, but his schedule will not permit. Fuller reminded that the first board meeting of 2008 will be held January 8. The membership meeting will be held January 22 at the UNL East Union, with Greg Snow, UNL Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, speaking on the topic “Most Famous Scientific Formula of All Time.”
Committee report: chairman Goebel – progress report at a later date. It was noted that new Emeriti are not receiving the UNL Alumni magazine. This will be checked into.
Dee Aguilar, newly-designated coordinator of OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) handed out program materials and a copy of the current issue of Lincoln 55+, which contains the full program/class schedule for OLLI coming up in 2008.
Aguilar reported that OLLI currently has 580 members, compared to 200 a year ago, growing to 537 in June, 2006. The next goal is to have more than 600 members, in an attempt to secure a $1 million grant, for which an application will be submitted April 28, 2008. Relating to the fact that newly-designated Emeriti are eligible for a year’s paid membership to OLLI, it was noted that 11 new Emeriti live outstate or out-of-state, which prevents them from participating in OLLI classes. It was suggested that the possibility of posting OLLI lectures on the web. It also was suggested that Rod Bates be contacted regarding the possibility of OLLI lectures being circulated via telecommunications.
OLLI courses begin on January 28. New Emeriti can sign up at the upcoming luncheon.
The conflict between the fact that OLLI is operated on a July-June (of the following year) fiscal year basis, while the Emeriti Assn. operates on a calendar basis makes complimentary payment of OLLI fees complicated. However, Aguilar said spouses of Emeriti can purchase 18 months of participation for $50. Also, an Emeriti participant in OLLI, or his or her spouse, can purchase a NET card for $40 instead of the usual $50.
Returning to the issue of Emeriti Assn.-sponsored scholarships to UNL, it was urged that a scholarship fund document be developed and circulated to members. An emphasis would be that no gift is too large or too small. An estate gift also could be arranged to fund this type of scholarship. More study is required, but the possibility of $1,000 and $2,000 scholarships was mentioned. A long-term effort to raise funding for Emeriti-sponsored scholarships would be possible through estate planning.
Criteria for awarding Emeriti-related scholarships would be determined by the Emeriti Assn. board or an appointed committee, although individual donors can tailor or designate some criteria. Emeriti Assn.-recommended criteria for scholarship awards would state an preference but in some instances might not be the final word.
It was noted that the Maude Wisherd Fund now contains $35,000, which does not earn interest. It was moved by Omtvedt, seconded by Kendrick, that a portion of the fund be moved to a status wherein it could earn interest, a move related to generation of scholarship funding. Carried. It was suggested that increasing the $1,000 limit per application for a grant from the Wisherd Fund be considered.
James McShane, chair of the Wisherd Fund Committee, was absent, but he requested that the following report be included in this set of minutes:
Three requests have been received: one for medical report, one for academic research report, and another request for academic report lacks support letters. A December 15 deadline has been set for receipt of these letters.
Since the committee is concerned about the amount of Wisherd Account money earning interest for others than the Emeriti Assn., and because responding favorably to all three applications would not affect fairness of the process, the deadline for receiving the letters was set.
Membership Committee report – Boohar. While all data is not entered on the computer, the following figures were reported: 267 paid annual members, 142 life members, 100 widows or widowers, and 157 others—not members for a total of 666 persons on the master list.
It was moved by Mientka, seconded by Fuller, that the board express strong appreciation for the dedication of Boohar to duties of a membership chair. Carried.
Member Relations Committee – Gene White was introduced as chair.
Benefits Committee – Jack Goebel, chair; no report at this time.
Website Committee – Jim Kendrick.
Visitors to the website in November: Unique – 436, total 677. Tabs clicked: 3,187, A total of 52 absentee ballots were recorded for the November election, and the top five foreign visitors in rank order: Spain, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Mexico and Denmark.
The board expressed appreciation for the dedication and hard work of outgoing president Howard Ottoson during his term, and welcomed his continuance on the board as past president.
There being no further unfinished or new business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 3 p.m.