Visions and Voices: The USC Arts and Humanities Initiative

The RFA Board would like to call attention to the Visions and Voices program offered by the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences throughout the 2009–2010 academic year.  Though primarily planned to enrich student appreciation of the arts and humanties, these free programs are open to the entire academic community and are most appealing.  Signature events include an appearance by legendary Chilean-American novelist Isabel Allende and a lecture on the challenges of nuclear prolioferation by Thomas C. Reed, former nuclear weapons designer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Secretary of the Air Force under Presidents Ford and Carter.  Presentations from the School of Theatre and the Thorton School of Music range from classic Sophocles to the tap dancing of Savion Glover.  You can receive periodic updates when they are posted on Twitter @VisionsnVoices.  NOTE: These events are created for undergraduates.  Tickets for retirees may be limited or unavailable.  Complete information is available at www.usc.edu/visionsandvoices.

SRA Elects New Officers at June General Meeting

At its June 8, 2009, General Meeting, SRA members unanimously approved the slate of officers presented by Harriet Servis.  Elected were John Hisserich, President; Jeanne and Bob Church, Co-Vice Presidents; Helen Jones, Secretary; and Dick Martin, Treasurer.

(Left to right) John Hisserich, Helen Jones, Jeanne Church, Bob Church, and Dick Martin

The meeting also featured "Chair Dancing."  Members' feet kept time to the music, arms waved, and a good time was had by all.  Thanks to Lynn Williams, Program Chair, for introducing attendees to a "fun" way to get some exercise.

Also on the program was Diana Seyb (Employee Recruitment Services) and two of her colleagues, Gloria Gamboa and Carolina Castillo, who encuraged retirees to sign up for Trojan ENCORE.  Units currently are interested in hiring USC retirees for part-time and/or short-term work.  A background in how the university works is a big plus.  Carolina brought information about some real jobs that she has for this summer and fall.  For more information, contact Carole Gustin, Trojan ENCORE Coordinator, at cgustin@usc.edu.

[NOTE: Video highlights from the General Meeting may be viewed on YouTube in three parts: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.]

Dick Martin Receives 2009 J. Tillman Hall Award

The inaugural J. Tillman Hall Award for Service to USC was given to Dick Martin.  Dick served on the staff of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, of which he is also an alumnus, from 1989 to 2003.  He continues to serve as an active member of the Staff Retirement Association, spearheading all special events and coordinating joint programs with the USC Retired Faculty Association.  Dick begins a two-year term as SRA Treasurer in June 2009 in addition to serving as SRA data manager.  He generously donates his time and talents to the university retiree population.  He is shown here receiving the J. Tillman Hall Award from USC Emeriti Center Executive Director Janette C. Brown.

Recommended Reading on Successful Aging

Helen Dennis, keynote speaker at the 2008 Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE) conference in Los Angeles, has provided USC retirees with a list of recommended books on successful aging, brain health, etc.  The list is available at colleaguesforlife.blogspot.com.

Q&A About Retiring from USC

The USC Emeriti Center, in conjunction with the USC Benefits Office, has produced a list of “Commonly Asked Questions” for pre-retirees and retirees alike.  Thirty-two frequently asked questions (FAQs) and the answers to them are divided into seven categories: the retirement process, retiree privileges, finances, health issues, Social Security, Medicare, and information about the USC retiree community.  This Web page also features links to the resources discussed.

USC Retirement Savings Program Web Page

The USC Benefits Office has created a series of Web pages providing information about the newly-instituted Retirement Savings Program.  Among the features are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), forms for enrolling in the new program, and a resource library of videos and brochures.  Check out this page by clicking here.

Upcoming Events of Interest

Introducing the SRA

The USC Staff Retirement Association was founded to:

• Strengthen and promote ties between retired staff and the University in creative ways
• Develop and support programs of interest to retirees
• Help make retirement creative and rewarding
• Enhance the lifelong relationship of USC staff with each other and the University

Membership

All members of USC staff and their spouses/partners are eligible for membership. There is no age restriction. Active and retired staff are encouraged to join. Dues are as follows:

Single membership per year		$15.00
Joint membership per year		$25.00
Single life membership		$400.00
Joint life membership		$700.00

• Single membership: Any staff member or spouse/partner of staff member. Spouse/partner member may retain membership after the death of staff member.
• Joint membership: Any staff member and spouse/partner.
• Life membership is paid once and is non-transferrable.

Click here or at the left for an SRA membership application form in PDF format.

SRA Meetings, Programs, and Other Activities

The SRA holds three regular general meetings per year—September, December, and June. It also holds one annual Staff Recognition Luncheon sponsored by the Senior Vice President to honor recent retirees—usually in March.

Programs are included in each regular general meeting. In cooperation with the Retired Faculty Association, the Emeriti Center, and the Emeriti College, additional programs are held throughout the year. Click here to see examples of some recent SRA programs.

The SRA usually organizes two visits per year to places of interest in the Los Angeles area. There is normally a fee to cover expenses. Some recent day trips have included visits to the:

Disney Concert Hall
Getty Villa
Griffith Park Observatory
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Special events are also held from time to time. The last special event was “Carousel,” a play presented by students from the USC School of Theatre.

Communications

The Staff Retirement Association reaches out to its members in several ways including the following:

• A committee sends cards to recognize members’ birthdays and other occasions.
• An email Newsletter is sent monthly to members who submit email addresses to our editors.
• An Emeriti Center email system is being set up for those who have email access and want to receive important information in a timely fashion. The lists will be designated for those who live close to campus or those who live at a distance so that information will be more appropriately disseminated.

Organization

A Board of Directors meets monthly (except the months with a general meeting).  There are opportunities for serving on the Board as an elected officer, a committee/event chair, or a member-at-large.  Service on committees and participation in coordinating events is also available.  If you would like to serve, contact SRA President John Hisserich at hisserich@sbcglobal.net.

Last modified: 3 November 2009