May 2006 Board Minutes UNL East Campus Union
Members Present: Jack Goebel, Delivee Wright, Max Clegg, Dick Boohar, Walter Mientka, Jim Kendrick, Dan Lutz
President Irv Omtvedt called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.
The first item on the agenda was for the approval of the March, 2006 membership and board meeting minutes and the February board meeting. These minutes were approved by acclamation. The April membership meeting minutes were approved with no further suggestions by the board. Emeriti present at the next regular membership meeting in October will be asked to approve these minutes.
Treasurer’s report--April 1-April 30, 2006, presented by Walter Mientka. This report is posted on the Emeriti Assn. website. Highlights: Maude Wisherd Fund—book value, $55,066.83; spendable earnings, $31,087.85. Emeriti Assn. Foundation Fund—600.00. Income—balance carryover, $5,294.39, current income for period--$595.00; total--$5,889.39. Expenses--$786.02. Checking account balance--$5,103.37.
Committee reports:
Benefits Committee – no report.
Membership Committee: Dick Boohar:
Concern was expressed regarding low attendance at Emeriti Assn. monthly meetings. It was observed that Emeriti of East Campus academic units are in attendance more than those from City Campus. Advanced age and its limitations for many Emeriti is a factor in non-attendance. It was suggested that programs featuring questions regarding retirement benefits and related topics, with answers provided, might increase attendance.
Boohar said the master roster of members needs to be brought up to date to record new and paid-up members. The desirability of adding e-mail addresses for those Emeriti who approve of this listing was mentioned.
Membership Relations Committee – Robert Fuller, chair, not present. Committee representative—Delivee Wright. The need for support for the recognition event for newly-designated Emeriti and completion of the proposed revised Emeriti brochure were discussed. Wright will work with Max Clegg to design and produce sympathy card stock available for the committee to send to bereaved relatives of deceased Emeriti.
Website Committee – Jim Kendrick.
The number of visitors in April was about equal to those in March, with 136 total visits. The number of pages viewed, 4,518, was up from the previous month.
The growing outreach of the Website is evident with visitors from Belgium, Greece, Romania, South Africa and Argentina.
The top five pages viewed were: Look & Listen, Calendar, Members, Minutes of Meetings, and the listing of board members.
To increase technical accuracy and receptivity, Kendrick said there is a strong need for a skilled camera operator to record membership meeting presentations.
New Business
Current status of the OLLI proposal aired at the April membership meeting was discussed. Emeritus Deanna Eversoll expressed hope for a partnership involving the Emeriti Assn. OLLI, formerly the SAGE program, is now under the UNL umbrella. The Osher Foundation hopes for a $1 million Endowment to support programs in the future. A detailed resolution pledging UNL Emeriti Assn. support of the long-term goals of OLLI was approved at the April Emeriti Assn. meeting.
At the current board meeting, it was indicated that specifics of an OLLI-related proposal by the Emeriti Assn. are yet to come. It was reported that Eversoll suggests encouraging newly-designated Emeriti to enroll in OLLI-sponsored classes conducted on the UNL East Campus and Lincoln Community College facility located on the former Gallup Organization property.
The recommended annual membership fee for OLLI is $50, which includes the tuition fee for one 7-week class. Members will pay a tuition fee of $25 per class for each additional class taken during the year. The goal is to have 500 OLLI members by the beginning of the next fiscal year, and the current enrollment is about 200.
After considerable discussion, the following motion was made by Mientka, seconded by Goebel:
“Be it resolved that the UNL Emeriti Assn. will pay the OLLI program membership fee and the cost of one course for all faculty that participate in the program during the first year following their being granted Emeriti status by the NU Board of Regents.” Motion approved by voice vote.
Omtvedt expressed strong concern regarding the finding that parking permits in eligible lots on the two UNL campuses expire upon the death of an Emeritus, making the surviving spouse (widow or widower) ineligible to retain a permit. The Association considers the spouses of deceased Emeriti faculty to be honorary members. Goebel will check with appropriate Administration staff to seek clarification and continuation of the validity of the parking permits for deceased faculty survivors.
Omtvedt read the draft of a letter directed to delinquent members, verifying their status, and reviewing the membership options—life or annual member. Two editorial changes were approved. The letter will be sent to 67 Emeriti who have not paid dues.
A letter will be sent soon to Emeriti widows and widowers and life members.
The question was raised again regarding a proposed UNL-sponsored recognition luncheon this fall for newly-designated Emeriti. Omtvedt said he would check with Senior Vice Chancellor Barbara Couture and IANR Vice Chancellor John Owens. He noted that the Vice Chancellors would likely be very occupied and busy through the end of the academic year. Omtvedt said he would recommend that the function be held in October.
Board members were reminded that the NU President’s retiree luncheon will be held on May 23 at the Embassy Suites Hotel. An RSVP invitation will be sent to NU retirees, including UNL Emeriti.
It was mentioned that John Brasch, who has been in private business, has been reappointed to a UNL position by Vice Chancellor-Research Prem Paul. Brasch will head a task force charged with formulating steps to make Nebraska products more marketable. Brasch will meet with a few members of the board to determine how to most effectively involve Emeriti on a volunteer basis in the work he is doing to secure patents in the Office of Vice Chancellor for Research
There being no further unfinished, old or new business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:05 p.m.