October 2006 Board Minutes

October 2006 Board Minutes UNL East Campus Union

Members Present: Anita Leininger, Jim McShane, Jerry Petr, Dan Lutz, Max Clegg, Don Edwards, Howard Ottoson, Dick Boohar, Jim Kendrick, Irv Omtvedt, David Brinkerhoff, Delivee Wright and Walter Mientka.

President Irv Omtvedt called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.

Approval of the minutes of the September 14, 2006 board meeting minutes was requested. The minutes had been transmitted via e-mail to the administrative group, i.e., officers and directors. Moved by Edwards, seconded by McShane that the minutes be approved as submitted. Carried.

Following the September board meeting, the president appointed the Emeriti Assn. Executive Committee (President Irv Omtvedt, Vice President Howard Ottoson, Immediate Past President Don Edwards, Secretary Dan Lutz and Treasurer Walter Mientka) to serve as the nominating committee to develop a slate of two candidates for each of the positions to be on the November ballot for approval by the board and announced at the October membership meeting. The committee recommended the following Emeriti faculty, who have agreed to have their names on the ballot: Vice President/President- Elect: Bud Dasenbrock, Bob Fuller. Director (3-year term): Joe Aguilar, Rose Marie Tondl.

The slate of candidates for the office of vice president/president- elect and one director offered by the nominating committee was presented for discussion and formal approval. Nominees: vice president/president-elect: Bud Dasenbrock, Bob Fuller, director: Joe Aguilar, Rose Marie Tondl, to serve 3-year terms. Moved by McShane, seconded by Leininger to accept the slate as submitted. Carried.

Omtvedt reminded that the positions of secretary, assistant secretary and treasurer are filled by members appointed by the president. Dan Lutz has agreed to continue service as secretary; Anita Leininger as assistant secretary and Walter Mientka as treasurer. Elected and appointed officers and director will begin their terms on January 1, 2007.

Candidates will be introduced and each will be asked to make a brief statement at the October membership meeting, including the academic unit in which each served. Voting will be possible by either a paper or electronic ballot. Voting by paper ballot will take place during the November 16 membership meeting. An absentee electronic ballot will be available on the Emeriti website as an alternative voting method from October 23 through November 13.

The treasurer’s report, which had been e-mailed to officers and directors, and a hard copy distributed at the meeting, was approved on a motion by Petr and a second by McShane. It will be posted on the website.

It was agreed that a letter reminding members that dues are due will be sent out soon to annual dues-paying members.

Omtvedt reminded that mention needs to be made at the October membership meeting of Emeriti deceased since the May membership meeting. He asked that any information in this regard be sent to him via e-mail.

A great deal of discussion ensued regarding the status of the Emeriti membership list, being determined and validated by an ad hoc committee chaired by David Brinkerhoff. A major challenge is to determine the validity of a listing of newly-designated Emeriti. It was asked whether names of newly-designated Emeriti could be obtained on a quarterly or semiannual basis. Brinkerhoff said it is doubtful that names can be obtained other than on an annual basis. Differing data are included in the Emeriti Assn. membership rosters (both the list maintained by UNL printing/mail service, with contact from secretary Lutz, and the roster maintained by Dick Boohar of the membership committee); a roster compiled by the NU Foundation, a list maintained by IANR administration; and a listing compiled by Greg Clayton.

The process whereby retiring faculty are nominated to become Emeriti, and the movement through various administrative venues to reach final approval by the Board of Regents, was discussed. Examples are known in which possible eligible and deserving faculty were not nominated by the academic department head, or acted upon as nominations move up the chain for final approval by the Board of Regents. The committee will continue its work on this complicated project.

Board members were asked to submit any suggestions or comments relative to the matter to the chair of the Ad Hoc Committee, using the e-mail address: EMERITI-ADM@LISTSERV.UNL.EDU.

Reports from standing committees:

Benefits Committee: main effort is working on issues which might affect the present eligibility of Emeriti to park in designated “A” (formerly #10) lots, notwithstanding limitations such as several lots being closed at 10 p.m. on the day before a Husker football game.

Wisherd Fund Committee: Chairman McShane reported that two requests had been received for funding research projects and two for medical funding assistance. He also reported a $100 donation had been received.

There was no report from the committee concerned with refinement of the Emeriti Assn. brochure.

Emeriti participation in OLLI courses continues to be encouraged. All Emeriti have the privilege of auditing courses and such a statement should be included in the revised brochure..

Wright was asked to summarize the program topic for the upcoming October membership meeting, which will center on approaches to family/genealogical research. There will be three presenters followed by table discussion.

Lutz was instructed to send out a postcard to Emeriti with greater Lincoln area mailing addresses, listing the program and also the voting procedure for vice president/director, utilizing either paper or electronic ballots.

There being no further old, unfinished or new business, the meeting was adjourned at 3 p.m.

Submitted By: Dan B. Lutz, Secretary