University of Southern California
Retired Faculty Association
Board Meeting Minutes
December 12, 2008
Agenda Item 1: Opening the Meeting
The University of Southern California Retired Faculty Association Board of Directors meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 12, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 224 of the Andrus Gerontology Center, University Park Campus. Natalie Cohen, Board Vice-President, President Elect, presiding in the absence of President Dagmar Halamka. Members present were Natalie Cohen, Kaaren Hoffman, John Orr, Carole Gustin, Ruberta Weaver, Bob Biller, Bob Stallings, Bill Petak, Millie Milgrom, Steb Chandor, Jack Sanders, Jack Wills, Jerry Walker, Art Donovan, Janette Brown, and Howard Hansen. Claude Zachary, University Archivist, attended as invited guest. Before the opening, Steb Chandor offered thanks to Carole Gustin for the splendid SRA-RFA joint holiday party on December 10 at the Galen Center. Carole, in turn, offered thanks to Steb for his part in making the party a success.
Natalie Cohen presented the agenda for the meeting. It was approved as presented. The minutes for the November 14, 2008, were presented. A correction was made in Item 10 to remove the word February for the announced plans for a basketball game in 2009. The minutes were approved as corrected. Bill Petak gave the treasurer's report. It was accepted and approved. He then suggested that the $1,201 in the spendable income account from the RFA Endowment be placed in the Endowment Account or else spend the money. Bob Biller questioned whether the money should be spent considering the strength of the treasury. This question was deferred to the January meeting. Biller then circulated an announcement of the memorial service for Jim Warf on December 13. Biller also circulated a copy of a monograph about the decline in college income due to the decline in endowment funds because of the current national and world economic downturn. The Harvard endowment is down eight billion dollars.
Agenda Item 2: Recognizing Retired Faculty Accomplishments
At the November meeting there was a discussion initiated by Bob Biller about recognizing the accomplishments of the faculty, active and retired. This came about by the unknown accomplishments of Jim Warf, late of the retired faculty. Claude Zachary was invited to attend this meeting to address that issue. He started off by stating that the purpose of the University Archives is to achieve a university memory, among other things. He went on to tell of the deplorable state of the university archives and their storage places when he was given a half-time appointment as University Archivist. He stated that the system of audio interviews and the Emeriti Center mini-biographies of university greats go a long way to preserve a university memory. He and his staff have done much work to sort out the biographical material and get it organized. At the moment he has run out of room to store archival materials but that there are plans to build a large modern storage facility.
Ruberta Weaver said that the University Women's Club had made a vast contribution to the Archives. Bob Biller felt that university deans made good use of faculty biographies on the schools' Web pages to promote their schools. He suggested that the archivists collect these biographies as far back as is possible. Mr. Zachary said that has been done for the past 2-1/2 years. Jack Wills suggested that the faculty biographies should be collected as part of the retirement process, and Art Donovan said that the board should encourage this. John Orr thought that the USC data base regarding faculty accomplishment was faulty and inaccurate. Janette Brown said that the Emeriti Center database was more accurate than the university database and that the university is investing in software to do this job better. Bill Petak called attention to the 80th anniversary of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development in 2009 and asked if the archivist is participating in the plans for the celebration. Mr. Zachary said that he is. Natalie Cohen suggested that all units should notify the archivist of events in their units. Jack Wills said that photographs are interesting and useful. John Orr asked if the Daily Trojan, El Rodeo, and the Trojan Family were digitalized in the University Archives. Mr. Zachary said that this is in the plans. At the conclusion of Mr. Zachary's remarks, the board showed its appreciation by a round of applause.
Agenda Item 3: Charitable Contributions in Honor of Helen Coffey
Bill Petak said that, in his conversations with Bob Coffey, Bob felt that memorial contributions in honor of Helen should be made to the USC RFA Endowment fund.
Agenda Item 4: Procedures for Emerita/Emeritus Appointments
(A) John Orr submitted a proposed letter to Deans and Department Chairs regarding Emerita/Emeritus appointments. It is attached to these minutes at Appendix 4. In stating the problem, Orr said that there were no procedures for equitable and consistent treatment of retirees seeking these appointments. He stated that amendments are needed in the Faculty Handbook regarding this matter. Jack Wills suggested that emerita/emeritus should be used instead of emeritus in the letter. In the second sentence, deans (and/or department chairs) should be changed to deans and department chairs. Bob Biller suggested that a list of the 2008 retirees with emeriti/emeritus appointments and a list of the 2008 retirees who do not have the appointment should be added to the letter. Kaaren Hoffman asked if this list would be prepared annually. Orr was asked to rewrite the letter incorporating these suggestions and to present it at the January meeting.
(B) Jack Wills stated that there needs to be a check list of procedures in obtaining emerita/emeritus appointments. He will propose such a list at the January meeting.
Agenda Item 5: Setting up a Ride Share Program
Janette Brown reported that the ride share program can be done, either by the RFA Web page or the Retiree Community Newsletter. First, it must be determined how many retirees need the ride share service, and then the Emeriti Center can start planning. Bob Stallings volunteered to work with Dick Martin of the SRA after a survey to determine the need for a ride share program is completed. Associated with those who need the service, the planners should seek out the persons who can drive and match up the drivers with the riders according to geographic location.
Agenda Item 7: Finding a Room for RFA Board Meetings
This agenda item was taken out of order. Janette Brown reported that GER 224 has been secured for use of the RFA Board for the school year on Fridays at 10:00 a.m. Jerry Walker stated also that he can obtain a meeting room on the first floor of the Gerontology building at the same times should the Board desire. A consensus developed that GER 224 was preferred.
Agenda Item 6: Provost's Luncheon-Recapitulation and Suggestions for the Future
Natalie Cohen reported on the Provost's luncheon held the latter part of November for the 2008 retirees. She gave thanks to Ruberta Weaver for her help in making the luncheon a success. Cohen said that 92 persons attended although 106 were expected. There were 46 benefits-eligible retirees for 2007-08, 27 of whom said that they would attend, but only 21 of them showed up with nine guests. This is an increase over last year's attendance of 16 retirees. There were 26 retirees from previous years and a few of their guests. The Dean of the School of Engineering and dean's representatives from four other schools attended. There was only one retiree from Engineering this year, and that person accepted the invitation to the luncheon but did not show up. It was suggested that, in the future, if a dean or surrogate attends the luncheon, then the luncheon committee is obligated to make sure that the retirees from the dean's schools do attend. Congratulations and thanks were extended from the board to Natalie and Ruberta for doing such a good job.
Agenda Item 8: Updates on Other Committees and Activities
Information/Communication — Bob Stallings reported that he has opened a blog capability for the RFA. He told how to access the blog. He will offer an online tutorial on how to access and use the blog for those who want to contribute to it, e.g., comments on retirement issues.
Jerry Walker announced a seminar on technology for seniors to start in early 2009.
Intergenerational Forum — Jack Wills commented on the success of the three forums earlier this fall, and they have turned into action agendas. As an example, do students know about using credit cards, their uses and problems? If not, they will receive instruction. In 2009 the seminars will meet monthly.
Agenda Item 9: Announcements/Updates
Millie Milgrom reported that there is confusion about holding Gold Cards for retirees in the School of Medicine and in the teaching hospitals, particularly those who have clinical appointments. She stated that some retirees who do not have Gold Cards felt that they should have the cards. It was stated that Gold Cards are given only to those retirees who have completed 10 years of benefits-eligible service and their spouses.
Carole Gustin reported the death of Sherman Gillespie, December 9, 2008.
Carole Gustin reported the success of the joint SRA/RFA Holiday Celebration on December 10, 2008. She gave thanks to Steb Chandor for his help in the effort. There were 186 people attending; 43 persons who made reservations did not show up, and 22 showed up without reservations. There was mild criticism of the musical program, but most everyone had a good time.
Carole is planning a joint SRA/RFA attendance at a USC basketball game at the Galen Center. The choices are February 19, 2009, against Washington State, or March 5, 2009, against Oregon. These are night games so it will be possible to meet for dinner at the University Club before the games. The consensus was that the March 5 date was desirable.
Gustin announced that there is currently a hiring freeze at the university. This affects the Trojan Encore program in that those involved will not be paid but asked to serve as volunteers.
Natalie Cohen said that the revised letter to Judy Garner regarding faculty mentoring has been completed and sent.
Janette Brown reported that the development of the online faculty directory is not promising. Anyone desiring such information should call the Emeriti Center.
Brown said that the annual Giving Campaign raised $7,000 from the Emeriti Center. She stated that the results of the survey included in the last Retiree Community Newsletter showed that 62 percent of the respondents want to keep the name of the Emeriti Center and not change it. Bill Petak said that the name of the Emeriti Center could cause confusion with emerita/emeritus appointments. Brown felt that if a large majority wanted to retain the name, it would not be appropriate to change it. She said that an Emeriti Center culture should be celebrated, thus retaining the name.
Brown announced that there are two volunteer recognition awards for retired faculty and staff. The staff award is the J. Tillman Hall award, to be given at the SRA meeting in March. The faculty award is the Paul Hadley award to be given at the Provost's luncheon in November.
Bob Stallings announced the death of Sylvester Whittaker.
Bob Biller expressed thanks to Janette brown for obtaining GER 224 for use of the RFA Board meetings.
Agenda Item 10: New Business
There was no new business.
Agenda Item 11: Adjourment
There being no further business, the meeting of the RFA Board of Directors was adjourned at 12:00 Noon.
The next meeting of the board will be on Friday, January 9, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. until Noon in GER 224.
These minutes were taken and transcribed by Jack Sanders, RFA Board Secretary.
Secretary's Note: On December 14, 2008, the secretary received a note from Nancy Warner concerning Agenda Item 4: Provost's Mentoring Program, November 14, 2008, Board of Directors Meeting minutes. She wrote, " . . . the name of the manual produced by and for women faculty at the School of Medicine was 'Survival Manual.' It was written to help women get on and stay on the right path for promotion, among other things. Survival and promotion were crucial problems for women in the School of Medicine in those days—and still are . . . ."
This note came after the November minutes were approved. Dr. Warner's comments will be added at the end of the minutes of November 14, 2008.