UCI   EMERITAE/I   ASSOCIATION   MINUTES

MEETING of APRIL 5, 2004

 

     Present :      Justin Call, David Easton, Judd and Renée Hubert, Isabelle Hunt,

                           Sam McCulloch, Ron Miller, Kivie Moldave, Lyman Porter, Lorie Reed,

                           John Swett and Jerry Tobis
 
                          The meeting was called to order at 9:16 a.m.
 
I.  Lyman Porter welcomed Justin Call, Chair of the UCI College of Medicine Emeritae/I Association, as a new member of the UCIEA executive committee.  Call plans a talk entitled "How to Preserve your Brain" on May 19 at the Dean's conference room in Irvine Hall. It was suggested the UCIEA membership be invited to this meeting. Call said the medical Emeritae/i group was suggested by the Dean who wishes it success in fundraising as well .

 
II.  Minutes: The minutes of the March meeting were approved with the following changes:   The second sentence of the treasurer's report was changed to read: the EVC's contribution is usually about one third of the annual budget and is used primarily for staff salary.   Staff support is usually about 45% of the budget.  

 
III. Treasurer's Report:   Lorie Reed reported that our surplus is gradually diminishing.   Our expenses for the March 18 meeting exceeded revenues by $113. Our balance in the Foundation account is $2,174, and in the Academic Affairs account is $512.    We have outstanding invoices, leaving our balance approximately $2,000.  Telephone expenses are paid for by Academic Affairs at no cost to the Emeritae/i.   Jerry Tobis asked how many members paid dues this year. It was estimated that one quarter to one third of members pay dues each year.   Tobis hoped that we would find a way to increase the number of dues-paying members.    David Easton suggested another way to look at the matter is to feel fortunate there are as many paid members as there are, considering what is offered.  

 
IV.  Program Committee Report:   John Swett reported that Gregory Benford's talk was very well received by the 21 in attendance.   A speaker is yet to be scheduled for the June 15th meeting. Suggestions were made to consider Martin Wattenberg, Mark Petracca, and Kristin Monroe.   Isabelle Hunt stated that evening meetings held at UCLA, preceded by a social hour and dinner, have been very well attended. David Easton suggested that if the expense of the University Club were too great, dinner meetings could be held at Sam Woo's restaurant on Culver.  Kivie Moldave recommended a survey of Emeritae/i interest in possible dinner meetings.

 
V. Newsletter Editor's Report:   In the absence of Bob Montgomery, the group was advised news articles are being gathered for the next edition of the Newsletter which can be expected sometime during the month of May.   Sam McCulloch will conclude his series on the History of UCI.   Ron Miller noted that Eldon Foltz had offered at a previous Emeritae/i meeting to write an article for the Newsletter.   McCulloch said Foltz is expected to be the speaker at the next Forum meeting at the University Club.   Miller suggested an announcement be included in the Newsletter about a meeting to be held Saturday May 22nd at 1 p.m., sponsored by the new Interdisciplinary Center for the Scientific Study of Ethics and Morality, the Newkirk Center, and multiple UCI schools on stem cells: the science, clinical promise, ethics and politics.   This will be held at the Beckman Center.

 
 VI.  Report of the Retirees Association was not given as no representative from the association was present.
 
VII.  Awards Committee Report:    The Faculty Welfare Committee suggested the Academic Senate be involved in the mentoring award.   Tobis therefore so recommended in a letter to Abel Klein, Chair of the Academic Senate, as recommended by Masayasu Nomura, chair of the Senate Awards Committee.   Klein responded with four questions   to which he requested answers before proceeding.    The questions are:   (1) "Will the award be honorific only or will there be a monetary award?"   (2) "What are the criteria for nomination?"   (3)   "How will the award be presented?"   (4) "What is the relationship to current Senate awards?".    Klein's letter continued "Since there are many existing awards, the campus community can be overwhelmed and confused by the number of requests for nominations.   If, however, a request comes as part of a package, such as the Senate's Distinguished Faculty Lecture Awards, or the Lauds and Laurels Awards, rather than as a free-standing entity, it would be more likely to be treated seriously."   Tobis distributed copies of this letter.    Kivie Moldave stated he liked the idea of giving the award with the Senate. Miller remarked that giving this award jointly with the Senate was thought by our executive committee to enhance the prestige of the award. Last September, Miller had obtained from Carol Gardner a list of the Senate Faculty Awards, the Alumni Lauds and Laurel Awards, and the Undergraduate Education Division Celebration of Teaching Awards.   It was decided to state that initially the award would be honorific. David Easton suggested we   encourage a contribution from the Senate or that we offer to jointly raise funds with the Academic Senate to facilitate the award becoming a monetary award.   Miller suggested the criteria for the award not be defined in greater detail than already stated  ("Exceptional and outstanding academic career counseling by a faculty member or an emeritus, provided to a faculty member or student outside of a traditional teaching relationship or responsibility") since the draft Tobis had sent to Klein included the questions:.   "What was the nature, quality and duration of the mentoring? How did the mentoring affect your academic productivity, progress or career? What is your academic relationship to the mentor?" However, Miller suggested adding the words "or research" to the phrase "a traditional teaching   relationship or responsibility" so that it would read "a traditional teaching or research relationship or responsibility". Easton suggested the particular faculty member should have made special effort to mentor.   Moldave pointed out the importance of gender equity.  Lori Reed recommended that faculty who were specifically compensated for mentoring should not be eligible for the award.  Miller read the list of the distinguished faculty awards already being awarded by the Senate, and it was agreed our award would not be overlapping.   It was decided Tobis would prepare a draft letter to Abel Klein for the committee (consisting of Easton, Miller, and himself) and share it with Lyman Porter and Kivie Moldave.

   
VIII. New business:   (1). Porter received a message from Anne Paden which stated the Human Resources office is sponsoring a program on various subjects intended for UCI faculty and staff who plan to retire within three years. The program is to include: the UCI retirement system, Social Security and Medicare, transition and wellness, investments and financial planning and legal and estate planning. Paden suggested the Emeritae/i might wish to consider a donation to this cause.   Miller wondered whether the $1800 earmarked for a housing survey a decade ago might be used for this purpose. Easton suggested we could make a contribution other than financial: i.e. emeritae/i participation in the presentations since we are personally experienced in retirement matters.

 

(2)   Miller recommended the UCIEA seek endowment funds to support the mentorship award and to subsidize meeting costs in order to encourage attendance and participation in our meetings.   Easton recommended a $25,000 reserve operating fund.   Porter stated he, Moldave and Reed would meet regarding our financial needs and consider discussion with Advancement as recommended by Tobis.

 
   
 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:50 a.m.



Respectfully submitted by

Ronald B. Miller, M.D., Secretary