University of Southern California
Retired Faculty Association
Board Meeting Minutes
August 8, 2008
Agenda Item 1: Opening the Meeting
The University of Southern California Retired Faculty Association Board of Directors meeting was called to order by Immediate Past President, Steb Chandor at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 8, 2008, in Room 224 in the Andrus Gerontology Center at the University Park Campus. Chandor was presiding in the absence of the president, Dagmar Halamka. Members present were Steb Chandor, Bill Petak, Ruberta Weaver, Millie Milgrom, Howard Hansen, Jack Sanders, Bob Biller, Carole Gustin, Bob Cole, Bob Stallings, Kaaren Hoffman, Janette Brown, John Orr, and Phoebe Liebig. Mrs. Ramona Petak attended as a guest. Members excused were Natalie Cohen, Art Donovan, Dagmar Halamka, Frances Feldman, and Nancy Warner. In his opening remarks, Chandor thanked the Board for its gifts to him as he completed his term as president. He was especially pleased with the book, The Immortalists, from which he read an excerpt. He also acknowledged the long service of Bob Coffey, recently retired from the Board. Coffey will continue to serve the RFA as he has been appointed as a Board Advisor. Chandor also said that the RFA column in the forthcoming Retiree Community Newsletter was turned in on time for publication.
The agenda for the meeting was approved as presented. The minutes of the June 12, 2008, Board meeting were approved as presented. Bill Petak gave the treasurer's report, appended to these minutes as Appendix 1C. Before making the report, Petak announced that Bob Coffey's wife, Mrs. Helen Coffey, is in hospice care with a terminal illness. Telephone calls are not indicated at this time but cards are welcome from those who know Helen. Petak took the Board through the report, explaining the items in the report, the accounts and the endowment fund. The financial health of the RFA is robust, meeting and sometimes exceeding the numbers from last year. Petak also prepared and presented to the Board a memorandum entitled, 2007–2008 Financial Report, Year End Highlights, and Recap, appended to these minutes as Appendix 1Ca. He called attention to Section 8 of this memorandum regarding the contributions of the RFA to the Caldwell Program and the USC RFA Endowment account. The report was approved by the full Board. Carole Gustin said that the SRA had recently established an Endowment account of over $4,000.
Maricella Hinojosa, EC staff replacing Jennifer Ontai, was introduced to the Board. In turn, Board members introduced themselves to Hinojosa. She will work with Bill Petak in the treasurer's accounting and auditing. She said that Bob Scales has set up a data base that relates to RFA members, collections and deposits and where they are. Scales has instructed her in how to generate reports from the data base. Janette Brown said the Emeriti Center experienced difficulties with handling the RFA contributions, check deposits, recording and accounting since the RFA annual letter sending and contributions came at the same time as the EC was busy with year-end accounting. Brown suggested that the RFA Board discuss a change in the time when the RFA sends out its membership letters. One example of an accounting problem includes that the USC Credit Union can only process 20 checks at a time. Millie Milgrom suggested that the data base should list RFA members by their academic units in order to make personalizing the letters easier for Board members.
Agenda Item 2: Update on Dues
Bob Biller reported that two members of the Board had not entered the sweepstakes for the RFA membership renewal pool. They were given the opportunity to enter and did so. He said that the increase in dues for this year did not materially affect the members' contributions. The Emeriti Center and the RFA will send out separate dues letters again this year.
Agenda Item 3: Absence of Officers during 2008–09
Steb Chandor reported that Dagmar Halamka, RFA Board of Directors president, has asked to be relieved of her duties at least until January 2009. Natalie Cohen, vice-president elect, will be out of the state until late September or early October. There is a problem when the top two officers are unable to perform their duties. Chandor suggested that the Board will have to find someone to fill the positions temporarily. Bob Stallings will preside over the September Board meeting. Ruberta Weaver reported that she and Natalie Cohen are up to date on plans and preparations for the Provost's luncheon in November.
Chandor announced that Bob Coffey has resigned as chairman of the Lifetime Achievement Awards committee and asked the Board to suggest a replacement. Bob Biller pointed out that the Provost appoints the chairman of this committee and the chair must be a previous award winner. It is important that that Marty Levine, Vice Provost, be notified soon of these facts. Biller further stated that he would be unable to serve as chairman of this committee.
At this point in the meeting, Janette Brown spoke to the issue of appointments of RFA members to University committees, item 8 on the Agenda. The University endorses RFA members for service on University committees. Brown would like volunteers or suggestions for appointment to three of them.
Steb Chandor has asked Art Donovan to be the RFA Board delegate to the University Senate. Chandor serves as the board delegate in an ex officio capacity as the immediate past president but is unable to do so on a regular basis.
Agenda Item 4: :AROHE Conference Update-Role of RFA
Janette Brown showed the announcement of the AROHE conference on page two of The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fall-Winter Issue, 2008-09 to the Board. She passed around a draft of the conference schedule which, when completed, will be sent via email to the Board. Board members will be given a discount of $50 off of the $225 conference fee. (Ed. Note: The executive committee of the board authorized a reimbursement of the remaining $175 to the first 10 board members who register for the AROHE conference.) Brown would like to see a substantial number of Board members at the Conference and the 30th Anniversary USC Emeriti Center luncheon. She will ask some Board members to do specific duties, perhaps some as hosts for morning networking tables at 7:30 a.m. each morning. Board members will find it useful to meet and talk with retired faculty of other schools at the networking tables on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings.
Agenda Item 5: Liaison to the Emeriti Center
Bob Stallings, who serves as liaison from the RFA board to the Emeriti Center, gave a description of his duties. He prepares action reports from the board to the Emeriti Center and would like to have action reports from the Emeriti Center to the board. This largely eliminates special requests on an informal basis back and forth. He has developed a duty calendar which already has been found useful by Ruberta Weaver and Natalie Cohen in planning and preparing for the November Provost's luncheon. More, he is developing time lines, what needs to be done and when. Phoebe Liebig suggested that duty lists be available when recruiting new board members so that prospects can know what will be expected of them.
Agenda Item 6: Provost's Luncheon
This item was discussed by Ruberta Weaver, who is assisting Natalie Cohen on the planning and preparation of the luncheon. Weaver reported at several points previously in the meeting that plans and preparation are on schedule. Both women have been in frequent on line contact in carrying out their duties. Board member involvement at the luncheon will be discussed in future Board meetings.
Agenda Item 7: Visioning Sessions
Bob Stallings reported that focus meetings (Visioning Sessions) between the Emeriti Center constituents were held June 26 and 27. Janette Brown presented a summary report, USC Emeriti Center Mission, which is appended to these minutes as Appendix 7. She asked that members read it over and report back their suggestions to her. John Orr asked why the AROHE is listed as a constituent part of the Emeriti Center and suggested that it be listed as an achievement of the Emeriti Center instead. Brown said that a marketing consultant from the School of Engineering strongly advised the Emeriti Center to create an organizational chart and clarify what the Emeriti Center does in a simple straightforward manner.
Agenda Item 8: Assignment of RFA Members to University Committees
This item was fully discussed in Agenda Item 3, paragraphs 3 and 4.
Agenda Item 9: Other Committees and Activities
Transitions Seminar — Steb Chandor reported that the last transition seminars at the Health Sciences Campus and the University Park Campus started out with 25 persons attending but dwindled down to just a few at the end of the seminar.
Information/Communication — Bob Stallings reported that he is updating the AROHE information on the RFA Web site. He is working on an on line form for updating the data base for retirees, new and old. He is using the internet for planning purposes. He needs to update the Board roster for the RFA web site.
Agenda Item 10: Announcements
Emeriti Center Developments — Janette Brown reported that the renovations of the Emeriti Center are complete except for her office. She invited board members to visit the new offices in the center. Bob Scales was chiefly responsible for the design of the renovations. She said that the Emeriti Center is sharing an electric cart with the Davis School of Gerontology. It is parked in Parking Structure A, next door to the Gerontology building. Rules for use of the cart are being developed. The Emeriti Center has helped to update the Gerontology kitchen. This will be helpful to future Emeriti Center events and projects. Also, there is now a handicapped drop off parking area in front of the Gerontology building. This is for dropping off persons and allows for 20 minutes parking, no handicapped parking sticker needed. This provides a convenient place to park for short-term visits.
Staff Retirement Association Developments — Carol Gustin reported that the SRA is still meeting on Thursdays and their next meeting is on August 21, 2008, at the new USC Credit Union Building. Like the RFA, the SRA is having problems finding meeting places for future meetings. Gustin reported SRA future events:
Agenda Item 11: New Business
Bob Filep donated to the Board two copies of 2008 USC Football, which is a media guide. Filep is a former board member and now serves as an expert adviser to the board. Steb Chandor conducted an informal raffle for the copies, won by Bob Stallings and Jack Sanders.
Phoebe Liebig spoke to the Board about the Walkability Festival coming up on September 21, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. in Culver City. The Festival is concerned with making Culver City a more favorable place for people who walk in the area, particularly those with varying degrees of physical limitation. Safety, structure, and walking aids are some of the items that will be addressed. The Program Office at USC will be involved as well as other governmental and NGO civic organizations. The Web site is www.stopfalls.org and the organizers' e-mail address is culvercitywalks@stopfalls.org.
Agenda Item 12: Adjourment
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 11:55 a.m.
These minutes were taken and transcribed by Jack Sanders, RFA Board Secretary.