December 2009 Board Minutes Wick Alumni Center
Members Present: Max Clegg, Herb Howe, Jim Carr, Mel Thornton, Kay Rockwell, Bob Fuller, Bob Diffendal, Jim McShane, Jerry Petr, Delivee Wright, Walter Mientka, Tice Miller, Jim Kendrick, Dan Wheeler, Dan Lutz, Stan Vasa.
Following the Wisherd Grave Marker Ceremony at Wyuka Cemetery at 11 a.m., and luncheon at 12:00 noon at the Wick Center, President Lowell Moser convened the Retreat at 1 p.m.Following the Wisherd Grave Marker Ceremony at Wyuka Cemetery at 11 a.m., and luncheon at 12:00 noon at the Wick Center, President Lowell Moser convened the Retreat at 1 p.m.
Newcomers to the board are requested to read the Emeriti Assn. Constitution.
The minutes of the November Emeriti Assn. membership meeting were approved as posted on the website. The following documents prepared by treasurer Mientka were approved as presented:
Treasurer’s report – Nov. 1-Nov. 30, 2009; summary of 2010 dues received from members; new 2010 life members and donations to the Emeritus Fund; Analysis of 2008 actual income and expense, proposed 2009 budget.
Discussion led by McShane regarding disbursements from Wisherd Fund: Three Emeriti requested funds last year. Requests for funding health insurance and research projects were at a higher level previously. In 2005, a limit of $1,000 was in effect for both requests for medical expenses and research projects.
The possibility that a Project Committee rather than the Wisherd Fund Committee consider proposals, not all related to underwriting awards. Discussion led by McShane regarding disbursement of Wisherd Awards.
In earlier times when retirement was less and Medicare unavailable, Wisherd funds went primarily to support health insurance. This changed over time, and currently the guidelines for Wisherd Fund Awards are as follows:
“Through the UNL Emeriti Association the Maude E. Wisherd Fund currently provide grants to retired UNL faculty. Specifically, it provides support for:
a) partial reimbursement of costs arising from health care or from catastrophic events and
b) for research or other scholarly or creative activities.
“A maximum of $1000 may be awarded to any one person within a given year.
“Any Association member is eligible to apply for support for their research or creative activity.
“Health or catastrophic event assistance grants for Association Members are intended to provide financial assistance for several situations.
A) We prioritize support for those faced with financial stress due to high health care costs (e.g., health insurance premiums, unreimbursed medical or pharmacy expenses, costs of custodial care, high costs of living unit heating or cooling, etc.) Yearly income of recipients of health care applicants cannot exceed $30,000.
B) We support those faced with financial stress due to some catastrophic event(s). Association Members, independent of any income limit, who have experienced some event or series of events, reaching to catastrophic dimensions are eligible to apply — irrespective of income level.” (From the 2009 Award Announcement)
Three Emeriti requested funds last year. Requests for funding health issues and research projects had been previously at a higher level.
The Wisherd Fund, according to EA Treasurer Walt Mientka, held a spendable $28,404.87 in the Foundation, and generated about $6850 per year.
The Awards used $3000 this year. Grants from the Wisherd Fund, approved by the Board, have been used to purchase two display cases and underwrite UNL library displays related to Emeriti in Action Project. The remainder of the Wisherd funds was deposited in our expendable income account.
The Wisherd Award Committee was asked to propose to the Board a suggested distribution of Wisherd accumulations, keeping in mind that the Association has in recent years become more active and its expenses have grown commensurately.
Several matters were posed for Committee Consideration:
1. The Committee should keep make its suggestions, mindful that the expendable account has been diminishing over recent years, both because of the fallen markets and because of recent draws for more general Association purposes (e.g. luncheons and display cases). Any proposal should reflect the need to keep a healthy balance in the fund in case the market dives again or inflation rises.
2. The Committee should consider recommending what might be a healthy balance in terms of percentage of the annual Wisherd income disbursements between banking it, using it for support of traditional award applications, and spending it for other association purposes.
3. The Committee should consider recommending making larger individual grants and raising the income limits where they apply.
4. It would clearly be within the purview of the charge to the Committee for its deliberations to include a consideration about the level of dues.
5. The committee was asked to report its recommendations in time for the February 2, 2010 Board meeting.
The possibility of raising dues and providing discounts if payment is received for multiple years was discussed. A proposal relating to dues was assigned to Kendrick and Thornton, to be submitted to the board by February 2.
A draft of a proposal regarding data base sharing policy was presented to the board for discussion. Records kept by the Association contain information on almost 800 living Emeriti or their surviving spouse/partner. Pertinent data is available to the public on the Emeriti website. The draft policy contained background on the issue, previous sharing of data and a proposed policy stating how and with whom the data would be shared. Fuller moved and Thornton seconded a motion accepting the proposed policy on the availability of the data base data base sharing policy. Motion passed.
Moser brought up again the request by the Director of the CASNR Chapter of the Alumni request to use our e-mail addresses for CASNR emeriti who have been granted life membership in the ACSNR chapter of the Alumni Association for the purpose of sending out the Sower electronically each quarter. Fuller moved and Thornton seconded a motion for Moser to send the first Sower with a cover letter from the president explaining that e-mail addresses would be shared with the Chapter unless individuals did not want their address shared. Motion carried.
Tice Miller reported on the development of a new brochure which is oriented to new emeriti members. After suggestions, he will revise the draft and prepare to include a revised version to be sent with the invitation to new emeriti members for the January New Emeriti reception, luncheon and meeting. About 50 copies will be provided in two weeks. Perhaps a new photos can be taken at the New Emeriti Coffee chat December 8, or upcoming emeriti luncheon meetings for future use in the brochures. With the software Miller has it will be easy to revise brochures.
Emeriti in Action Project: Bob Fuller, project chair, is collecting ideas and materials that need to be gathered by March 1, 2010.
Oral History Project: Tice Miller reported that he met with Love Library Archivist Mary Ellen Ducey, who welcomed the addition of oral histories to the library collection. The library can receive any form, but need completed permissions. A digital format is preferred, such as a CD ROM. Our association could begin next semester with the list of interview questions based on those from the University of Indiana. The Association needs to determine who to interview and who could conduct the interviews. A leader is still needed for this project.
The final item on the agenda related to the handling of finances, with an update on changes and still needed changes in the overall operation.
A small gift and a big thanks were given to Dan Lutz to his many years of service (at last 10) as the secretary for the Association.
The meeting was adjourned.