Emeritus Faculty Council Minutes

Monday, December 3, 2012
2520B UCC

Members Present: Laird Addis, Bill Buss, Lorraine Dorfman, Claibourne Dungy, Rose Friedrich, Gary Gussin, H.D. Hoover, Ken Hubel, John Rosazza, Nancy Sprince, Jerry Walker, Thomas Weingeist, Irwin Levin

Guests: Pam Willard UIRA representative to EFC. Kenneth Kuntz UIRA member attended the program presentation.

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by council member Jerry Walker in the absence of Gerald Rose.

Minutes: The minutes of November 5, 2012 were approved as circulated.

Committee Reports: Lorraine Dorfman submitted two reports to the council via email prior to the meeting: the Library Committee report and the Hancher Committee report for November 26, 2012. Council members were encouraged to submit reports via email as soon as possible after each committee meeting.

Survey of Emeriti Faculty members: Lorraine Dorfman and Irwin Levin drafted a questionnaire to survey Emeriti Faculty members about their professional activities since retirement with particular focus on the past three years. The survey that was conducted by the EFC in 2010 did not survey professional contributions that benefitted the University of Iowa. The long-term goal is to devise a mechanism to achieve continuing reports from retired faculty about their professional activities. Irwin Levin informed the group that the design of the questionnaire, primarily a checklist, should facilitate easy completion, a high return rate and ease in coding. The survey will be sent to retirees via email. Specific suggestions for modification included: requesting the name of the participant on the form; dividing the data into two categories: accomplishments during early retirement versus the past three years; indicating in the introduction what the information will be used for and how the findings will be distributed. The return rate for the 2010 EFC survey was 26% (600 sent and 158 returned).

EFC-UIRA Team Report: Representatives from EFC include Laird Addis, Claibourne Dungy, and Gary Gussin. They met with Jon Whitmore to discuss the origins of the Emeritus Faculty Council. They will meet with UIRA in January 2013 to discuss the future structure of the two organizations. The three possibilities for the future include: change nothing in the structure of the two organizations; merge the two groups; or recommend a solution that is intermediate between these two poles. Another issue for EFC to consider is whether we become an inclusive organization in which all retirees who meet the criteria belong or a membership organization that depends on paying dues to become an active member. Gary Gussin expressed the view that there is a sense that faculty want more continuity e.g. automatic membership because they are qualified.

Laird Addis reminded the group that the word, Emeritus, refers to male singular. On the other hand, Emeriti, refers to common plural. Therefore the question arises, why is our council named Emeritus?

UIHC – Foundation privacy issue: Bill Buss and Gary Gussin reported on their attendance at a recent FRIC meeting. One issue of concern is the possible use of protected health information for fundraising. In particular, the University of Iowa Foundation may be notified of patients’ visits to UIHC in efforts to raise money for the University of Iowa Health Care. Much discussion among EFC members followed. This topic will be revisited at the February EFC meeting.

Guest Speaker: Margaret Crocco, Dean, College of Education

Claibourne Dungy introduced the speaker, Margaret Crocco, who spoke on the topic “Trends in Statewide, National Education and Opportunities for Emeriti Faculty.” Selected highlights of the presentation include:

Dean Crocco presented a brief history of the College of Education at the University of Iowa. The UI was the first in the country to take teacher education to the college level in 1873. In 1906 the School of Education was established with the College of Liberal Arts and the first Doctorate Degree was bestowed. Walter Jessup was hired in 1913 to become the first Dean of the College of Education. Currently the college has 1100 students and 91 faculty members. Half of the students (550) are undergraduates and are being educated to teach elementary and secondary programs. Graduate students account for 50% of the enrollment. There are four departments within the college: Educational policy and leadership studies; Psychological and qualitative foundations; Rehabilitative and counselor education; and Teaching and learning. E.F. Linquist was a giant in educational measurement and benefactor to the University of Iowa. A Strategic Plan has been developed for the years 2012-2017 that highlights the mission and vision of the College of Education.

Issues on the educational landscape include testing, specifically the controversy related to No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the “achievement gap” with the goal of bringing greater equity to children who are being educated. Evaluating teachers using the “value added model” is being instituted in some schools. Digitalization: the wireless generation and privatization of education via charter schools and vouchers are other issues that require continuing analysis of their impact on the educational landscape. Statewide, Iowa has the highest percentage of high school graduates in the nation. On the other hand, Iowa is tied for 16th lowest in the percentage of people who have a Bachelor’s Degree. In 1992, no state scored higher than Iowa on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in 4th grade reading. By 2009, 13 states scored significantly higher than Iowa. The 9th grade math scores in Iowa have also declined to the same level as the reading scores.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.

February meeting: The next meeting will be Monday, February 4, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. in 2520B UCC. The speaker will be Brian Kaskie, Associate Professor, Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health. The topic will be “Successful Aging in Academic Institutions”.

Respectfully submitted,
Rose Friedrich

Emeritus Faculty Council Minutes

Monday, November 5, 2012
2520B UCC

Members Present: Laird Addis, Lorraine Dorfman, Claibourne Dungy, Rose Friedrich, Gary Gussin, Ken Hubel, Ray Muston, John Rosazza, Gerald Rose, Nancy Sprince, Jerry Walker, Thomas Weingeist, Irwin Levin

Guests: Kenneth Starck , UIRA attendee to AROHE conference; Pam Willard UIRA representative to EFC.

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by President Gerald Rose.

Minutes: The minutes of October 1, 2012 were unanimously accepted after a few editorial changes.

AROHE Conference Report: Kenneth Starck gave a brief report on the Proceedings of the Conference of the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE) that he attended October 21-24, 2012 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In addition, he produced and circulated to the EFC a written account of the conference proceedings.

The theme of the conference was “Innovations for the Next Decade.” There were 165 registrants representing 58 colleges and universities from across the country. The goal of the conference was to learn how to strengthen the relationships between campuses and their retired faculty and staff. The conference included a variety of programs and speakers on relevant topics. Kenneth Starck reiterated that a continuing relationship between retirees and the institution is mutually beneficial. There is a constant need for retirees to make their contributions known.

He supports Iowa’s continuing membership in AROHE as a means of strengthening local institutional-retiree relationships. A question was asked regarding his perception of how Iowa compares to other universities in the relationship between retirees and the institution. His response was that within our University there is a gap in seeing the value of each constituency. Overall, we are haphazard in the way things are organized – we lack the infrastructure that promotes communication of institutional-retiree relationships.

President’s Report: Gerald Rose identified that a major barrier to communicating with retirees is snail mail and stressed the urgency to convert to email. John Rosazza suggested that a source of emeritus email addresses is the college from which he/she retires.

Low attendance at EFC Spring meetings is of concern to the program committee. It was suggested that if a council member is unable to attend a meeting that he/she obtain a substitute from the college which is represented.

EFC members were encouraged to report their activities that support the University of Iowa, emphasizing service since retirement. Possibilities include: mentoring pre-retirement faculty as a supplement to HR seminars; serving on academic or administrative committees when requested; fund raising; outreach activities (e.g. speeches, services to charitable organizations, exhibits, performances); teaching (e.g., other universities, emergency coverage at U of I, Senior College, extension or short courses, development of on-line courses); research (e.g., current projects, papers presented, publications, exhibits, performances); professional activities (e.g., review committees, officer of professional association); and faculty recruiting when requested.

Thomas Weingeist questioned what the EFC was actually going to accomplish as spelled out in our organizational mandate. “The goals of the Association are to provide advice and assistance to its current and prospective members on matters of mutual concern, and to the University in carrying out its various missions. “ As a means of carrying out these goals “the Association shall establish and maintain contact with current and prospective emeritus faculty……….”

Since both service to emeriti and the University are important as spelled out the in mandate, Gerald Rose continued to stress the importance of meeting with the deans of our respective colleges to determine how retired faculty can serve the University and likewise how the University can serve emeritus faculty.

Future EFC Sponsorship and Affiliation: To enhance the future viability of EFC, the sponsorship of the organization and the affiliation with UIRA will be re-examined. Gary Gussin, Laird Addis, and Claibourne Dungy volunteered to meet with representatives from UIRA. Gerald Rose stated the task for the group is to “recommend a form for UIRA and EFC to merge, if at all.” He also stated the recommendation should be voted upon at the March 2013 EFC meeting.

EFC-UIRA relationship possibilities include: continue loose collaboration (e.g. spring health conference); EFC a major UIRA committee with UIRA board representation; and other approaches that will may evolve with task-force brainstorming.
Sponsorship options include the Provost, Foundation, annual dues etc.

Unfinished Business: The council was reminded to identify a list of qualified and willing emeritus faculty who could serve as nominees for interest pools for the University at large. Kenneth Hubel commented that departments within the University are probably more aware of alumni who have particular skills; therefore, the solution is more at the department level. On the other hand, Gary Gussin pointed out that some areas are more general (e.g., ad hoc committee on ethics) and retirees could be called upon to assist the broader University if pools of names were available. Ray Muston reminded the council that a survey of emeritus faculty was carried out in 2010. Data exists on retired faculty who are willing to teach undergraduate seminars, assist in the living-learning centers, etc. In addition, the EFC website was redesigned and upgraded in response to interests indicated in the survey.

Guest Speaker: Teresa Mangum, Director of the Obermann Center and Associate Professor of English

John Rosazza introduced the speaker, Teresa Mangum, who spoke on the topic “The Obermann Center: Opportunities for Emeritus Faculty.” Selected highlights of the presentation include:

• The Obermann Center provides research support for individuals and this support is open to applicants from every discipline and research at every stage. For example, the seven Obermann Fellows who are in residence each spring and fall semesters complete book chapters, write articles and reviews, and develop grant proposals. They meet bi-weekly to share works in progress.
• The Obermann Center inspires cross-disciplinary collaboration. Increasingly, the biggest breakthroughs in research result from people working together between and across disciplines. For example, the Interdisciplinary Research Grant funds scholars for a month-long summer residency that culminates in a joint project. The Center also facilitates interdisciplinary conversation and project planning through the Obermann Working Groups. Faculty and upper-level graduate students meet monthly during the academic year to discuss a shared intellectual interest. One of the topics for this academic year is the “Aging Mind and Brain Initiative.”
• The opportunity for The University of Iowa to work with and serve the community is an increasingly important part of the mission. The Obermann Center supports scholars in working with community partners. In 2012 The Obermann Humanities Symposium sponsored “The Latino Midwest” which explored changing demographic of the American Midwest and created opportunities for Latino students and scholars at the University of Iowa.

(The highlights listed above were taken from Teresa Mangum’s presentation and the handout she distributed to EFC “Obermann Center for Advanced Studies.”)
One of the greatest needs of the Center is to fund fellowships for advanced studies. As suggested by the council, publicizing a major success story may encourage fund-raising. Teresa had shared examples in her presentation that would be of great interest to the public, in particular scholarship related to public engagement in Iowa. Teresa also encouraged council members to help compose working groups with their colleagues, as described above.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:55 a.m.

December meeting: The next meeting will be Monday, December 3, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. in 2520B UCC. The speaker will be Margaret Crocco, Dean, College of Education. Topic: “Trends in Statewide, National Education and Opportunities for Emeritus Faculty.”

Respectfully submitted, 
Rose Friedrich

Emeritus Faculty Council Minutes

Monday, October 1, 2012
2520B UCC

Members Present: Laird Addis, Lorraine Dorfman, Claibourne Dungy, Rose Friedrich, Gary Gussin, H.D. Hoover, Kenneth Hubel, Ray Mustin, John Rosazza, Gerald Rose, Nancy Sprince, Jerry Walker, Thomas Weingeist, Irwin Levin.

UIRA Representative: Ken Kuntz

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by President Gerald Rose.

Minutes: The minutes of September 10, 2012 were corrected to read, “Nancy Williams (not Nancy Sprince) is interested in writing a grant to fund this conference.” (This is referring to a possible EFC-UIRA Joint Health Conference.)

President’s Report: It was moved by Laird Addis and seconded by Ray Muston that Mark Schantz be given consideration for emeritus status. The council provided full support for this motion.

A meeting of an EFC-UIRA subcommittee was held on September 30, 2012 to consider a Joint Health Conference in April, 2013. Temporary planning included the possibility of a keynote speaker in the morning, followed by as variety of interest groups in the afternoon. Topics of interest include health and financial issues.

Emeritus service to the University of Iowa and to retirees: Difficulty in communicating with emeritus faculty is in part related to names/addresses that are not updated. When emeritus faculty meet with deans of their respective colleges it was suggested that an updated list of retirees and e-mail addresses may be feasible to obtain.

Ray Muston reported on this meeting with Dean Keller, Dean of the Graduate College. It was a very positive meeting. Suggestions for emeritus involvement with the graduate college include serving as advocates for the graduate programs; help with fund-raising and continued communication with the graduate dean. 

Future EFC sponsorship and affiliation: Ray Muston and Gerald Rose met with Associate Provost Tom Rice on September 27, 2012. Overall it appears that central administrative support for the Emeritus Faculty Council is diminishing. Discussion ensued regarding the purpose of EFC. Kenneth Hubel stated that the chief initial interest in forming a separate organization from the UIRA was the issue of health insurance for faculty. A recent survey of retired faculty identified two chief concerns were health insurance and ongoing activities/accomplishments of the University of Iowa. Gary Gussin reiterated that the most import activities for EFC are direct and continued involvement in the University. He reminded the group that we are elected to represent our colleges and also have the privilege of direct access to University administration.

Guest Speaker: Sheldon Kurtz, Professor of Law and Co-chair, FRIC

John Rosazza introduced the speaker, Sheldon Kurtz who spoke on the topic “Health care benefits for emeritus faculty.” Selected highlights of the presentation include:

• The FRIC committee is a purely advisory group to the President of the University of Iowa on topics of health insurance, TIAA/CREF, early retirement, and life insurance.
• The committee has faculty and staff co-chairs.
• There are no students on the committee and no term limits.
• The FRIC committee has recommended that Chip II be ended. It is no longer a viable plan because it has so few participants – 400 plans in Chip II out of 15,000 contracts.
• An advantage of Chip II is that it allows anybody to get care world-wide.
• UI Choice is a three tier plan. If care is received outside of Iowa there is a 40% co-pay.
• The University health care plans have better pharmaceutical coverage than most plans.
• Ray Muston inquired who is doing the pricing for the retirees health care plan rates. Sheldon Kurtz stated he did not know who monitors these rates. Retirees are their own separate group within UI Choice.
• EFC members complained there were no wellness opportunities for retirees in the UI health plans.
• It was questioned if FRIC gives any advice to the University President regarding premiums for health care insurance. Sheldon Kurtz replied that it does for faculty and staff, but not for retired faculty.
• Gary Gussin inquired if John Hancock would continue long-term care coverage for faculty who already have it and also keep it at the current cost. Sheldon Kurtz answered both in the affirmative. He also stated that FRIC does not negotiate rates for long-term care.
• Gerald Rose noted that a number of retirees are seeking out other health insurance options that will decrease our pool.
• Sheldon Kurtz said that he does not envision the University of Iowa dropping health insurance coverage for retirees.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 a.m. The next meeting will be Monday, November 5, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. in 2520B UCC. The speaker will be Teresa Mahgum, Director of the Obermann Center and Associate Professor of English. Topic: The Obermann Center: Opportunities for Emeritus Faculty.

Respectfully submitted,
Rose Friedrich

Emeritus Faculty Council Minutes

Monday, September 10, 2012
2520B UCC

Members Present: William Buss, Lorraine Dorfman, Claibourne Dungy, Rose Friedrich, Gary Gussin, H.D. Hoover, Ken Hubel, Ray Muston, Gerald Rose, Nancy Sprince, Jerry Walker.

Guest: Ken Starck, UIRA representative

Call to Order and Introductions: The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by President Gerald Rose. Emeritus faculty introduced themselves and the colleges they represented.

Minutes: The minutes of May 7, 2012 were approved as distributed.

President’s Report:

• Gerald Rose discussed some of the issues that were raised about future EFC plans during a meeting with Vice Provost Tom Rice, June 2012. Ray Muston and Jerry Walker also attended the meeting. A copy of Gerald’s response to the issues was emailed to each council member prior to the September meeting.
• Gerald made three important requests of EFC members. First, he requested all council members schedule a meeting with their respective deans in order to learn how emeritus faculty could better serve the University of Iowa and to discuss what college or university needs could be addressed by emeritus volunteers. Please inform Gerald of the scheduled meeting date and following the meeting email him a summary report.
• Gerald asked all EFC members to identify emeritus faculty who have special competencies that could be utilized by the University of Iowa or EFC as a valuable resource and part of an interest pool. Submit this information to Gerald at the October meeting.
• Finally Gerald requested all EFC members to consider what arrangement would be best for the EFC in the future. Examples discussed were some form of affiliation with the UIRA or one of the arrangements used at other Big 10 universities that were mentioned in Ken Starck’s report (below).
• An EFC-UIRA Joint Health Conference has been discussed as a possible program for spring, 2013. Nancy Sprince is interested in writing a grant to fund this conference.
• The program committee requests input from EFC regarding priorities for monthly speakers at the spring meetings. The committee has developed an extensive list of possible choices. The fall schedule is complete and President Mason as agreed to be the speaker for the Annual Meeting.
• Nancy Sprince will update the webpage and will include the minutes from the EFC Annual Meeting held May 12, 2012. (The minutes will be formally approved at the next annual meeting 5/13/1013.)
• Ray Muston commented that the university may not be aware of the contributions of emeritus faculty. The majority of those on the EFC had made varied contributions to their colleges, university, and community since retirement.

Meeting with Richard Saunders: Ray Muston met with Richard Saunders to discuss the health insurance plans that are made available to emeritus faculty. These plans interface with the Medicare Part A and B benefit. The numbers of retired faculty who participate in these plans is shrinking and the costs are increasing. Another meeting with Richard Saunders is planned for October. In an earlier survey of emeritus faculty heath insurance issues were identified as priority concerns.

Obermann Center: Ray Muston met with the director of the Obermann Center and summarized the visit for the council. Overall there appears to be multiple opportunities for emeritus faculty to help in the day-to-day activities of the center. The website is:http://obermann.uiowa.edu

Big 10 Retirees Association Meeting: Ken Starck reported on the Big Ten Retirees Associations meeting, August 3-5, 1012, on the campus of Ohio State University. Representing Iowa were UIRA President Nancy Williams and UIRA Board Member Ken Starck. All Big 10 Associations were represented except Northwestern, which does not have membership in this organization. The theme for the meeting was “Growth and Development of University Retirees Associations”. Some of the topics and issues discussed at the meeting include:

• Membership: Some institutions have two retiree groups differentiated mainly by faculty or staff status, while others have one retiree association. It appears that the stronger groups are merged. An issue confronting the associations is how to attract the interest of younger retirees.
• Programming: Popular programs at several universities dealt with health care and advances in science (i.e. Alzheimer’s). Some associations have interest groups dealing with such topics as books, photography, and travel. An idea for generating programming ideas is to invite comments and suggestion on the membership form.
• Communication with retirees: Newsletters are the most effective means of communicating with members. The issue of electronic vs. print communication generated much discussion with the consensus being that for now both are essential.
• Financial and University Support: Many retiree groups are part of or sponsored by the institution’s Human Resources office. At Ohio State, HR provides office space and clerical support, including website technical support. Some universities provide regular financial support to their retiree associations. An example, of strong financial support is $40,000 provided annually by Ohio State. Several groups receive information from the university foundation concerning donations by association members. At Michigan State members can donate to the foundation and designate the retiree association as beneficiary.

(The above summary was taken from Ken Starck’s presentation to EFC as well as his written report of the meeting distributed to EFC council.)

Following Ken Starck’s presentation EFC members raised the following questions: What is our level of funding from the University of Iowa? Does either UIRA or EFC have office space on campus? Could EFC be designated as a beneficiary when money is contributed to the foundation? Could we receive information from the University Foundation on retiree contribution to the University of Iowa? What are the advantages and disadvantages of combining UIRA and EFC? These are issues that will be discussed at future meetings.

Reports

Campus Planning Committee: Laird Addis attended the Campus Planning Committee meeting on May 30 and July 25, 2012. At its meeting of May 30, the Campus Planning Committee discussed three issues: (1) the use of signs on the Pentacrest to advertise museum programs. The committee voted to ban such signs. (2) Land use matters at the “Hawkeye” campus, including medical clinics, daycare facilities, and athletic fields. (3) The design of the new football operations facility. The committee expressed its approval of the design. July 25 the Campus planning Committee discussed four issues: (1) the use of hockey banners on Prairie Meadow Drive. The committee voted to approve the banners. (2) The use of relevant flags on Old Capital during its “Napoleon” exhibit in fall 2012. The committee voted to approve the flags. (3) The flood mitigation project at the Theatre Building. The committee expressed its approval of the design. (4) The modified design of the Stanley Hydraulics mitigation project. The committee expressed its approval of the design.

Guest Speaker: Cliff Missen, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Informatics, Graduate College

Dr. Kenn Hubel introduced the speaker, Cliff Missen who presented “Think locally, act globally: eGranary Digital Library. Outreach that’s a Stretch”. Selected highlights of the presentation include:

• The eGranary Digital Library delivers over 30 million educational resources for people without the internet.
• Few places in the developing world have adequate connections to the Internet.
• The eGranary Digital Library delivers millions of internet resources to those lacking adequate internet access.
• Through a process of copying Web sites and delivering them to intranet Web servers inside partner institutions in developing countries, this digital library delivers educational materials instantly over local area networks.
• There are installations in more than 450 institutions across the developing world.
• The eGranary project has shipped over 1200 used computers for partner universities in Nigeria, Liberia and Ethiopia.
• Numerous volunteers (700+) have put in over 15,000 hours.
• The focus is on practical, cost-effective solutions.
• The logistics of implementing eGranary is highly dependent on the enthusiasm of a champion in the area. Information literacy is the most daunting task.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:07 a.m.

Next meeting: Monday, October 1, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. in 2520B UCC. The speaker will be Sheldon Kurtz, Professor, College of Law and chair of FRIC. Topic: “Health care benefits for emeritus faculty”.

Respectfully submitted,

Rose Friedrich

Minutes for the AEF Annual Meeting

May 14, 2012

Call to Order: Ray Muston, Emeritus Faculty Council (EFC) Vice President, called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m.

Welcoming Remarks: Tom Rice, Associate Provost for Faculty, welcomed attendees and discussed the importance of working closely with the EFC and drawing on the expertise within the group. It is his hope that this relationship continues to grow.

Introduction of Council Members: Ray Muston introduced the members of the EFC for 2011-2012.

Carol Fethke, EFC President, Business
Laird Addis, Liberal Arts & Sciences
William Buss, Law
Lorraine Dorfman, Liberal Arts & Sciences
Claibourne Dungy, Medicine
Rose Friedrich, Nursing
Gary Gussin, Liberal Arts & Sciences
Albert Hood, Liberal Arts & Sciences
H.D. Hoover, Education
Kenneth Hubel, Medicine
Norbert Malik, Engineering
Ray Muston, Graduate College
John Rosazza, Pharmacy
Gerald Rose, Business
Nancy Sprince, Public Health
Jerry Walker, Dentistry
Thomas Weingeist, Medicine

Ray Muston acknowledged the founding members who were present.

Introduction of Staff: Brenda Bradley and Debbie Millsap, from the Office of the Provost, were introduced and thanked for their contributions to the functioning of EFC, including serving as the web liaison, keeping the membership roster, circulating the minutes/agendas, planning and serving today’s luncheon and other tasks that keep the organization running smoothly.

Report of the Election Committee: Ray Muston reported the results of the recent election. The new representatives include:

1. Irwin Levin, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
2. Robert Watchal, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
3. Ray Muston (re-elected)
4. Gerald Rose (re-elected)


Report on the Emeritus Faculty Council 2011-2011: President Carol Fethke’s Report
 

1. Joint Committee on Retiree Health and Wellness was established with members from EFC and UIRA. Over the year, the task force investigated access to the UI Recreation facilities, retiree health insurance premium increases, and the impact the Obama Health Care Act would have on our coverage. This is an on-going committee that meets several times a year with Richard Saunders.
2. Many members of the Board contributed to the design and testing of Brian Kaskie’s (College of Public Health) TIAA-CREF sponsored research project. Most recently, we helped β-test his survey questionnaire which studies the many paths toward retirement of university employees.
3. We investigated requests for assistance from emeriti on a wide range of issues including: parking, recreational services, library access, and service on Ph.D. committees (both in and outside of faculty’s department).
4. Our web-site continues to expand. Minutes of our meetings include brief reports on the major committees. This is an easy way to find out what FRIC is doing, how Hancher plans are progressing, or what the Faculty Senate or Research Council are discussing. When Deans of various colleges have been our guest speakers the minutes provide insight into what is happening in their college.
5. UIRA represented us at the Big 10 meeting at the University of Wisconsin last year; this year we are attending the meeting at Ohio State. We attended the national retirees meeting (AROHE) last year and will attend again this year in North Carolina.
6. Incoming and out-going presidents of EFC and UIRA met with Associate Provost Tom Rice to develop greater awareness of our activities and encourage greater use of emeriti on external reviews, accreditation, dispute resolution, ad hoc committees, special services and projects. A permanent dialogue has been established with this office.

Emeritus Faculty Council Committee 2011-2012 Summary Reports

Research Council: Jack Rosazza 

Topics discussed 2011-2012 included:

• eRouting and credit assignment were demonstrated for the council.
• Conflict of interest policy and new NIH rule changes were discussed. Conflict of interest in research was defined as personal financial profit that could bias research outcomes. The offices managing these topics were described.
• Cluster hires were discussed with Associate Provost Rice.
• The council met with CLAS Dean Search Committee Chair, Dean David Johnsen. Members of the Research Council members participated in open interviews with CLAS dean candidates.
• Economic Development by VP Jordan Cohen et al., covered ranges of UI’s activities in this evolving area. A “roundtable” discussion by Charles Connerly (Urban and Regional Planning; Public Policy); Peter Matthes, Director Federal Relations; and David Wiemer, Chemistry and cofounder Terpenoid Therapeutics preceded a Council discussion.

Hancher Committee: Laird Addis

Much of the time of the meetings of the Hancher committee during 2011-2012 was taken with reports of Hancher director Charles Swanson on the design and funding of the new Hancher Auditorium, for which the groundbreaking will take place later this year. The other main topic was discussion of the current season, especially preparation for and appearance of the Boston Pops orchestra last November. A third recurrent topic was the many problems in scheduling, marketing, and hosting Hancher events that derive from the flood of 2008.

Senior College: Al Hood

The Senior College offered 10 courses Spring Semester 2012, the largest number thus far. Included was a course with the largest number of registrants to date which was closed at 100 with a waiting list. It was taught by Timothy Hankewich, the conductor of the Cedar Rapids Symphony (Orchestra Iowa). Entitled "Music and Nationalism," it received rave reviews.

University Library: Lorraine Dorfman

Meetings dealt primarily with the renovations being made to the library and the subsequent reallocation of space. There is an effort to allocate carrels to dissertation students. It is unlikely that emeritus faculty will have assigned carrels any longer, because of the reduction in numbers available.

Communications Committee: Nancy Sprince

The committee has focused efforts to keep the News section of the EFC website up-to-date with news of interest to Emeriti. They urge members to submit or otherwise share news items or updates that may be of interest to Emeriti.

FRIC: Jerry Rose

FRIC reports that there will be no changes in coverage in the U of I medical or dental plans for the coming year. The Benefits Office has not received requests for changes for the coming year. CHIP II enrollments continue to decline, totaling only about 450 participants. CHIP II's employee and spouse plan has only 30 participants in contrast to UI Choice with over 9000.

A phone survey of CHIP II participants who could benefit by moving to UIChoice was conducted to determine why they remained with CHIP II. Among the most common responses were inertia; the perception that UIChoice constrains the choice of providers; and out of state or travel coverage. The possibility of combining the programs when CHIP II is no longer viable was discussed but not acted upon. Wellmark will not offer Chip II below a certain level of participating. UIChoice expenses exceeded revenues in the previous year resulting in greater costs to the university. The U of I health insurance plans cost the university about $84 million each year; dental plans about $5.5 million. Coverage for vitamins and complementary medical care (e.g., acupuncture, massage) were considered but not added to available coverage.

John Hancock will leave long term care coverage and be replaced by a new plan. International travel insurance covering business travel by faculty staff and students is now available.

FRIC presentations during the year included a review of the U of I wellness programs (Lifestyle factors cause the majority of health care costs).

Development at the Iowa River Landing Clinic (expected to open in October 2012) will include: General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, Women’s Health Services, Cardiology, Cardiac Rehab, Dermatology, Diabetes Center, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Urology, Lab/Pathology, Radiology and Pharmacy.

UIRA Liaison: Jerry Rose and Jerry Walker

At the invitation of the UIRA, Jerry Walker and Jerry Rose alternated in attending UIRA board meetings. Similarly, Pam Willard and Nancy Williams attended EFC meetings for the UIRA. UIRA membership is about 750 individuals. To facilitate coordination, the UIRA and EFC web pages have links to the other’s sites. The UIRA web page is http:/www.uiowa.edu/~uira/. The UIRA Administrative Handbook was updated and provided to UIRA board members. UIRA helped sponsor many successful senior college courses and had numerous programs. Examples of programs: New Music and Hancher buildings; a tour of the arena addition; electronic resources at the IC library; art building west; and cyber anatomy/cyber science.

Recreational Services: Jerry Walker

Several things were done to make some facilities, such as the Field House more user- friendly. This included a new entrance on the East side; changes in hours; and discussion of charges for forgotten IDs…a particular issue for students entering the FH for a class. Many future recreation service and university facility construction matters were addressed. The outdoor tennis courts are to be replaced this summer and fall because of surface issues. An indoor facility at Lake MacBride is extremely important to provide shelter during severe weather for student campers who attend the summer programs. The impact of the road that will be built in 2013 through the Field House to provide access to UIHC is of concern. Although this is being paid for by the hospital, it is likely to eliminate the pool which gets much use. The Rugby Field will be moved to provide for construction of a day care center on the Hawkeye Campus. 

Faculty Senate: Gary Gussin

Items considered by Faculty Senate during 2011-2012 included:

• Clarification of policy for hiring of Lecturers and other fixed-term (non-research) faculty;
• Policy for the deployment of video surveillance cameras for security purposes in university buildings and for the management of the data obtained by video surveillance;
• Revision of the policy of financial conflict of interest in sponsored research to fit with new NIH guidelines; and
• Clarification of policies related to eligibility of tenure-track faculty members for an extension of the probationary period based on their role as primary care-givers to a new child.

Questions or Comments from the Membership: There were no questions or comments from the membership following the above presentations.

Memorial Moment: A moment of silence was observed in honor of 27 colleagues who died during the year.

Passing of the Gavel: Vice President Ray Muston introduced Gerald Rose as the new President of the Emeritus Faculty Council for the 2012-2013 academic year. 

Guest Speaker: Kenneth Hubel introduced Dr. Jean Robillard, Vice President for Medical Affairs, UIHC. His topic: “Building on Excellence: University of Iowa Health Care Update”

Some of the highlights of the presentation included:

• UI Health Care has brought the hospital, practice and college together. There is one chief financial officer for all of these components. An important role of the Vice President is establishing vision and policy.
• • Having an integrated strategic plan is important to accommodate changes in medicine as well as changes in our lives.


• UIHC accounts for a substantial economic impact within the state. During the past year it provided 13,800 full time jobs and received $220 million in research grants.
• Education programs are varied and include education for physicians, other health care providers and pre and postdoctoral training.
• There were 3500 applications for UIHC medical school during the past academic year.
• UIHC departments are highly ranked in US: i.e. the physician’s assistant program ranked second; physical therapy ranked fifth; and rural medicine ranked ninth.
• Carver College of Medicine was recognized as 10th in the nation out of a total of 128 medical colleges.
• 50% of physicians in the state receive some training at UIHC; however, three-fourths of medical students leave the state.
• Dr. Robillard described the numerous building programs that are currently in progress and those planned for the future that will continue to create a more accessible and up-to-date medical campus. A highlight is the Children’s Hospital with a fund-raising goal of $100,000,000.The master plan for the campus is to provide westward growth.

Special Announcement: The School of Music is hosting a celebration of Himie Voxman’s life on Saturday, May 19 at 1 pm in the Iowa Memorial Union main lounge. 

Adjournment: The annual meeting was adjourned at 12:00 noon. Lunch and a fellowship hour followed.

Respectfully submitted,
Rose Friedrich, EFC secretary

Emeritus Faculty Council Minutes

Monday, May 7, 2012
2520B UCC

Members Present: Laird Addis, Bill Buss, Claibourne Dungy, Carol Fethke, Rose Friedrich, Gary Gussin, Al Hood, Ken Hubel, Ray Muston, Jack Rosazza, Nancy Sprince, Tom Weingeist

Guest: Dianne Wasson, RN

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by President Carol Fethke.

Minutes: The April minutes were approved, following some editorial corrections.

Presentation: “Honoring Your Wishes”

Dianne Wasson, Advance Nursing Practice Coordinator/Supervisor, UI Personal Care and representing the UI Health Plans Office informed the EFC about a community-wide care planning initiative entitled, “Honoring Your Wishes”. She gave each EFC member a handout that described the process and centers where assistance with this service is offered. The goals of advance care planning are: to understand and discuss goals for future healthcare decision in the context of your values and beliefs and to produce or update a written plan that accurately represents your preferences and prepares others to make healthcare decisions consistent with these preferences. Adults ages 18 years and older are invited to schedule an appointment with a certified Advance Care Planning facilitator. Contact the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center or UIHC email to: UIHC-AdvanceCarePlanning@uiowa.edu. The meetings with a facilitator are cost free. “Honoring Your Wishes” handouts will be distributed at the EFC Annual Meeting, May 14, 2012 and a copy will be posted on the EFC website.

Key Committee Reports

EFC Elections Committee: Bob Wachel (Liberal Arts) and Irwin Levin (Liberal Arts) are the newly elected EFC members. Gerald Rose (Business) and Ray Muston (Graduate College) were re-elected to serve second terms on the council. Al Hood and Carol Fethke will rotate off the council.

Communication regarding emeriti on doctoral committees: Laird Addis reported on his communication with John Keller, Graduate Dean, concerning the Graduate College regulations related to emeriti serving on doctoral dissertation committees, particularly those outside their own department. Clarification was sought from Dean Keller because there was uncertainty about this issue. Dean Keller ‘s response was supportive of emeritus faculty service as members of doctoral dissertation committees, “If a program nominates an emeritus faculty member for service, the Graduate College has virtually always supported the request.”
Ray Muston and Bill Buss will send a letter to Dean Keller, thanking him for his clarification and comment on the positive reaction of the EFC and other emeriti who look forward to serving on doctoral dissertation committees. A copy of the letter will be sent to Associate Provost, Tom Rice.

Hancher Committee Meeting: Laird Addis attended the Hancher committee meeting on April 27, 2012. Director Chuck Swanson asked for advice on how to improve attendance of student members. He then announced the probable date of groundbreaking for the new Hancher auditorium and the approximate date for beginning the removal of the old one. Following discussion of the present Hancher season and plans for the remaining events, Swanson invited Richard Gloss, Box Office Manager, to discuss both some remaining issues in the design of the new building, especially those having to do with entrances and the lobby, and present problems arising from having to sell tickets at multiple locations. (Email report from Laird Addis)

Campus Planning Committee: H.D. Hoover attended the Campus Planning Committee meeting on April 18, 2012. His report is as follows: After the meeting was called to order by John Beldon Scott the minutes for the March 19 meeting were approved. Final plans for a flood mitigation wall and new vestibule plaza for the C.Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Lab were given final approval. The green space at the corner of Riverside Drive and River Street between the Art Building West and proposed Visual Arts Building was reserved as an “Arts Meadow” for public art.

Other topics briefly discussed were the replacement of boiler fans and a new stack for the Power Plant, Phase 2 of the new football operations facility, the modification of a UIHC entry from the Field House, and the new Melrose Avenue Surface Parking lot. (Email report from H.D. Hoover)

FRIC Meeting: The May 4, 2012 meeting of FRIC was attended by Carol Fethke. John Hancock is withdrawing long-term coverage from the market. Those with current long-term care policies can keep their policy, although rates will go up as much as 2%. The Board of Regents has approved a new carrier, Genworth, only for active employees; those over 65 have to answer a medical questionnaire.

A discussion to remove UI from a disease management program received support but a final decision was not made. There was also a discussion to extend health coverage to transgendered employees. Iowa does not have anyone to provide this service but there was strong support for coverage because it is possible that not covering this group is discriminatory and thus illegal. (Email report from Carol Fethke)

Committee reports for Annual Meeting: Ray Muston will summarize the highlights of the committee reports for the annual meeting. Each EFC committee was asked to submit a short summary to Ray prior to the meeting.

Meeting Schedule for Next Year: The first meeting of the EFC will be Monday, September 10, 2012 because the first Monday of September is Labor Day. The meeting room will be the same – room 2520B UCC – and the meeting time will be 9:30 -11:00 a.m. Early in the fall, members will be surveyed about their schedules and the meeting dates and time will be adjusted accordingly for the remainder of the year. Ray Muston suggested using remote communication, i.e. SKYPE when some members are out of state for several months. This would assist the membership in keeping up-to-date and informed.

Big Ten Meeting: The Big Ten Meeting of Emeritus Faculty will be held August 3-5, 2010 at Ohio State University. Bill Buss volunteered to be the UI representative if his schedule permits.

AROHE Meeting: The AROHE Meeting will be October 21-24, 2010 at the North Carolina Research Triangle. Ray Muston will consider attending the meeting as the UI representative.

New Business

Emeriti Parking: Harold Hammond contacted the council regarding the issue that more parking gates reduce access for emeriti parking, specifically parking space reserved for Oral Pathology and Radiation and Medicine. Carol Fethke will write a response to Mr. Hammond and Tom Weingeist will check further into the details of this concern.

Membership list for all emeriti: George Woodworth, Statistics, inquired if EFC wanted to create a Survey Monkey project to collect information for a membership list. UIRA completed a similar project in the past. If both organizations had a membership list, they could be combined for future use. The EFC will consider this project for the next academic year.

Membership on International Committee: Jerry Rose suggested a Business emeriti be appointed to the International Committee. According to Jerry, College of Business faculty teach in at least 6 countries but have no representation on this committee. Ray Muston reported that he was also involved in international business and indicated there are many emeriti faculty who do international work. This discussion will be turned back to Jerry for further deliberation.

Open meetings: All EFC meetings are open to all emeriti faculty. This will be announced on the EFC website.

Voxman Celebration: David Gier requested EFC announce at the Annual Meeting the Voxman Celebration, Saturday, May 19, 2012, 1:00 p.m. at the IMU. This request will be put on the Annual Meeting schedule.

Request for Emeritus Status: The EFC approved Emeritus status for Charmaine Kleiber, College of Nursing.

Discussion of Criteria for Advisee/Volunteer Pool list for Provost and Deans: EFC explored way of providing assistance to the University of Iowa Provost and Deans through an advisee/volunteer pool list of emeritus faculty who would be willing to volunteer for activities such as reviewing proposals, University outreach, freshman seminars etc. (Refer to April 2, 2012 EFC minutes). There was discussion that it may be more helpful if a need is identified first, and then EFC contacted for input rather than operating from a generic list of names and topics. After considerable discussion, a number of faculty agreed to submit their resumes, as a first step in becoming more involved in the University process.

Speaker: Dean Margaret Crocco, College of Education

The speaker planned for today, Dean Margaret Crocco, was unable to attend today’s meeting. She notified Jack Rosazza.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 a.m.

Next meeting: will be the Annual Meeting: Monday, May 14, 2012 at 10:15 a.m. in 2520D UCC followed by a luncheon. The speaker will be Jean Robilliard, Vice President of Health Services, UIHC.

Respectfully submitted,

Rose Friedrich

Emeritus Faculty Council Minutes

Monday, April 2, 2012
2520B UCC

Call to Order: The meeting called to order by President Fethke at 9:30 AM.

Members Present: Laird Addis, Lorraine Dorfman, Carol Fethke. Gary Gussin, Al Hood, HD Hoover, Ken Hubel, Norbert Malik, Ray Muston, John Rosazza, Gerald Rose, Nancy Sprince, Jerry Walker, Pam Willard (UIRA liaison)

Minutes: The minutes of the March 5 meeting were approved.
 

1. Carol Fethke reported on a meeting with Associate Professor Tom Rice, Nancy Williams, and Gerald Rose. Among the topics discussed were:
   
   EFC and UIRA cooperation and complementary roles in activities like the Senior College
   
   This year’s EFC themes and their supporting monthly programs:
   • Retirement and Aging:
     • Brian Kaskie –Retirement Pathways
     • Susan Schultz – Early Alzheimers Research
     • Sue Buckley – VP Human Resources, The Aging of Faculty: benefits issues and trends
   • Campus Activities and Issues:
     • David Johnsen – Dentistry, Staying Connected and Dean Searches
     • Richard Fumerton, Faculty Senate President – Current Academic Issues at the U of I
     • Dean Margaret Crocco – Education in Iowa
     • VP Jean Robillard – New initiatives from UI Healthcare
   • Enhancing Visibility and Role of Emeritus Faculty
     • EFC: Communication discussion and the improved web site:
     • Joan Cook – RSVP Director, Elder Services
   The group discussed additional support from Tom Rice’s office that would be useful including the possibility Tom Rice would address the annual meeting in May.
   
   It was agreed that:
   • Funding for registration and the trip to the Big 10 meeting in August at OSU would be provided;
   • Funding for registration at the AROHE meeting in October at the N.C. Research Triangle would be provided to the EFC and funds for UIRA will be sought;
   • Associate Provost Rice will help the EFC in approaching deans to better utilize emeritus faculty and in finding ways for them to serve on ad hoc, charter and search committees;
   • Emeritus faculty participation on dissertation committees will be considered with the Graduate College and EFC would contact the Dean for clarification; and that
   • Emeritus faculty will continue to be asked to participate in some supplementary efforts for external reviews and accreditation reports, dispute resolutions, and proposal reviews.
   • Finally, the EFC would explore ways to provide assistance in developing pools of emeriti who would be willing to participate in some activities. Possible uses for the pools are: Health and wellness, Proposal reviews, University outreach and visibility, freshmen seminars, Foundation and alumni support, Dispute resolution procedures and issues
   
   An innovative concept of appointing retired fellow in colleges or provost’s office was discussed.

   There will be further meetings with Associate Provost Rice to continue discussions.

2. Next year’s speakers were discussed. They will be organized around the EFC themes for the year. The schedule for the first several meetings will be determined after the May meeting.
    
3. EFC member were asked to consider the schedule of meetings for a decision at the next meeting. The specific issues:
   Would it be desirable to eliminate the December meeting? If so, should a meeting be added in August?
   Would it increase attendance if meetings were held at mid-week rather than on Mondays? If so, which day would be best?

Committee Reports (submitted via email but not discussed at the meeting):

Campus Planning Committee March 19, 2012 meeting report – HD Hoover

After the meeting was called to order by chair John Beldon Scott the minutes for the February 1 were approved. The committee then approved final plans for a new 10-story west campus residence hall that will house 501 students on 9 residential floors. The dorm will be located on Grand Avenue between Reinow and Hillcrest dorms. This is the first of three new dorms planned for the west campus.

Hugh Barry presented close to final plans for Phase 2 of the new football operations facility. Phase 1, a new indoor practice facility, is under construction. Phase 2, which will be attached to the practice facility will house all football operations, including staff offices, locker rooms, weight rooms, and equipment storage. It will be a very large 2-story building located where a parking lot currently exists directly west of the Recreation Building. There was extensive discussion of the proposed façade of the building. Final approval of the design is scheduled to take place at the April 18 meeting of the committee prior to the next meeting of the Board of Regents.

Some additional topics briefly discussed were the safety of a crosswalk next to Westlawn and an unapproved UI Childcare sign at the same location, flood recovery and mitigation at Mayflower, a UI student kitchen garden behind North Hall, and improvements to the T. Anne Cleary Walkway.

Hancher Advisory Committee March meeting report. Nancy Sprince
The Board of Regents has approved the budget for the new Hancher construction. The design for the building is near the final stage. Groundbreaking may occur around Fall, 2012. Plans for the new building, which will have 1800 seats, include two balconies. There will be a fund-raising campaign with the UI Foundation for a goal of $30 million to help fund the construction of the new Hancher building, and for the School of Music and the School of Art and Art History. FEMA will be looking over the plans for the demolition of the old Hancher building.

Hancher has been collaborating with many areas of the University on educational outreach projects. Hancher will present the Mayberry Project April 27-28, 2012. This work explores issues of living together in Iowa City during a time of transition that has increased the number of African Americans living in Iowa City. Hancher is planning for an innovative year-long program, The Memory Project, working with researchers, clinicians, and patients with memory-related diseases.

Guest Speaker: David C Johnsen, Dean College of Dentistry – Geriatric Dentistry at the UI. 

Some key points made in his presentation follow.

After a brief introduction on his background, Dean Johnsen discussed the Dentistry College. There are 90 faculty in the College. In addition to teaching and research, they are requested to participate in continuing education programs. Faculty ages are widely distributed with many in their 40’s. About six leave each year. Half of what is taught each year is obsolete within five years. So, in addition to clinical skills, a focusing on critical thinking, learning, and ethics is essential. The College’s research productivity has been ranked near the top ten in the country. 

The dean’s roles are to work with faculty to achieve leadership in dental specialties, influence national policies, recruit faculty and funds, network with peers, and set the College’s direction.

A $65 million upgrade of facilities is under way; free medical clinics are offered, and their geriatric mobile unit is the only one of its kind in the country. 

80% of the practicing dentists in Iowa are alumni of the College and about 70% of each incoming class are Iowans. In contrast, advanced students come from around the world. Demand for dental services has been rising for 50 years; even in recent years of economic duress it did not fall. Dentists’ compensation rivals that of general practitioners. He sees collaboration with community colleges is essential and on-going.

Outreach is important. He frequently visits Iowa legislators in their home districts to emphasize that the College is a resource for the state. On visits he is often accompanied by an alumnus of the College increasing the impact of his comments. This outreach is an important activity because too little is known about the U of I and the College. He also discussed the CLAS role at U of I as well as recruiting students. Dean Johnsen has lobbied in Des Moines for public health centers throughout the state.

In addition to his role as Dean, Johnsen has served on several key U of I search committees, including the current CLAS dean search.

For additional information about Dean Johnsen or the College go to http://www.dentistry.uiowa.edu/about_us/about.shtml [https://dentistry.uiowa.edu/about]

Adjournment: President Fethke adjourned the meeting shortly after 11:00 AM

Next Meeting: The next meeting will be Monday, May 7, 2012 at 9:30 AM in 2520B, UCC.

The EFC annual meeting will be held May 14, 2012 at 10:00 AM in 2520D UCC and will be followed by a luncheon.

Respectfully submitted,
Gerald Rose, Acting Secretary

Emeritus Faculty Council Minutes

Monday, March 5, 2012
2520B UCC

Members Present: Laird Addis, Carol Fethke, Rose Friedrich, HD Hoover, Ken Hubel, Jack Rosazza, Gerald Rose, Nancy Sprince, Tom Weingeist

UIRA Liaison to EFC: Pam Willard

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by President Carol Fethke.

Minutes: The EFC February 6, 2012 were approved as distributed.

Proposals relating to the election of EFC officers: Following further discussion of the proposals that were introduced at the February EFC meeting, those present voted unanimously to accept Proposal 1, A. This proposal states: “We establish a format that creates a president-elect mid-year to allow a better transition in the fall.”

Gerald Rose volunteered to be president-elect and assume the role of president during the 2012-2013 academic year. There was unanimous support for this decision. He would like to have a co-chair (as president) and will contact individual board members to determine their interest in assisting him.

Annual Meeting Update: Jack Rosazza gave an update on the planning for the Emeritus Faculty annual spring meeting and luncheon to be held May 14, 2012. Ray Muston has offered to chair the meeting in the absence of Carol Fethke. Jack Rosazza will work with Brenda Bradley in sending out publicity for the event. Dr. Jean Robillard, the speaker for the luncheon, will be contacted by Ken Hubel to confirm the title of the presentation.

Nominations –Elections Committee: A letter has been sent to members of the Emeritus Faculty Association requesting nominations for openings in four colleges (Liberal arts and Sciences, Engineering, Graduate College, Tippie College of Business). Nominations are to be returned to the EFC, Office of the Provost, by April 4, 2012.

Retiree Seminar: Sean Hesler, Learning and Development, has agreed that UIRA, EFC and Brian Kaskie’s group can send an observer to the retiree seminar on March 29, 2012. Carol Fethke will attend for EFC and report back.

Meeting with Associate Provost: Nancy Williams (UIRA) and Carol Fethke will meet with Associate Provost Tom Rice on Thursday, March 8, 2012. Possible issues for discussion include possible roles for Emeriti on faculty outreach projects within Iowa; memberships on committees we now attend, in particular FRIC; membership on major-issue projects such as retention or graduation rates; ad-hoc advisory or review committees; and membership on search committees.

RFP for Community Engagement proposals: Jordan Cohen sent out an RFP for Community Engagement proposals from active faculty. Carol Fethke suggested that she query Associate Provost, Tom Rice regarding the eligibility of emeriti faculty to propose an Emeriti-lead Community Engagement project.

Low attendance at EFC meetings: Recently, the EFC meetings have had low attendance, in part attributed to travel and illness. It was agreed that this is an issue to address early in the next academic year. Perhaps meetings could be scheduled around travel plans that are known in advance. The suggestion was made that each council member identify his/her travel (and other known absences) plans for the academic year before the EFC meeting schedule is finalized in the fall.

Committee Reports

Funded Retirement and Insurance Committee: Gerald Rose attended the March 2, 2012 FRIC meeting and submitted the following report:

Discussion of CHIP II continued. It was decided to conduct a phone survey of a sample of current CHIP II participants to learn why they had decided to remain with CHIP II rather than change to UI Choice. The survey will ignore CHIP II participants who are in the Single or Employee and Child/Children programs as they pay nothing for their coverage (after the U of I subsidy), so it is quite obvious why they would prefer CHIP II. Currently only about 283 employees opt for CHIP II (in contrast to about 9,200 opting for UI Choice). Very few opting for CHIP II live outside Johnson County; only five live in states other than Iowa. The median age of CHIP II participants is between 40 and 50; the median salary is between 70,000 and 80,000 with 35 participants having salaries of at least $200,000.00. The largest number of participants is at UIHC or the College of Medicine.

Data from Wellmark showed that a program to provide vitamin coverage would cost more than the cost of vitamins. A motion to not provide vitamin coverage was approved.

A discussion about the possibility of providing coverage for complementary medicine (e.g., acupuncture, massage) concluded with agreement that more information is needed. It was noted that many U of I employees receive massage treatments using their health benefits funds, so it is anticipated that demand for that coverage would be substantial.

The possibility of making changes in health insurance plans for next year was mentioned. Nobody at the meeting could recall hearing requests for changes from their constituents. Federal law will require some changes, most notably a reduction from $6,000 to $2,500 on tax free health spending plan.

The next meeting will be April 6, 2012 at 11:30 AM.

Following the report, Rose Friedrich inquired if Emeritus faculty would be included in the phone survey to sample CHIP II participants, especially since significant numbers of retired faculty and staff live outside Iowa for several months during each year. Gerald Rose replied that no emeritus faculty would be included in the survey.

Speaker: Richard Fumerton, Professor of Philosophy, President of University of Iowa Faculty Senate

Professor Laird Addis introduced Professor Richard Fumerton. They are colleagues in the Philosophy Department. Professor Addis summarized the highlights of Professor Fumerton’s outstanding contributions to the University of Iowa and to his discipline.

In his current role as President of the University of Iowa Faculty Senate, Professor Fumerton addressed the EFC on the “Role of Emeritus Faculty”. He emphasized the value of emeritus faculty within a University setting and the importance of creating expanded roles through continued communication with the Provost and Associate Provost. Specific contributions may include serving as a guest lecturer; committee assignments including the possibility of dissertation committees; search committees for collegiate deans; grievance panels and other activities identified by the EFC. Overall, he felt strongly that emeritus faculty have a historical context that newer/current faculty may not have. There was also extended discussion of the University’s tenure policy and of possible modifications that might be made of it.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:10 a.m.

Next Meeting: The next Emeritus Faculty Council meeting will be Monday, April 2, 2012. Location 2520B UCC. Speaker: Dr. David C. Johnsen, Dean College of Dentistry. Topic: “UI Geriatric Dentistry”.

Respectfully submitted,
Rose Friedrich

Emeritus Faculty Council Minutes

Monday, February 6, 2012
2520B UCC

Members Present: Laird Addis, Lorraine Dorfman, Carol Fethke, Rose Friedrich, H.D. Hoover, Ken Hubel, Jack Rosazza, Norb Malik, Jerry Rose, Jerry Walker

UIRA Liaison to EFC: Nancy Williams

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by President Carol Fethke.

Minutes: The EFC December 5, 2011 minutes were approved as distributed.

Annual Spring Meeting: The Association of the Emeritus Faculty Annual Spring Meeting and Luncheon will be held May 14, 2012, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in 2520D UCC. The scheduled speaker is Dr. Jean Robillard, Vice-President for Medical Affairs, UI Health Care.

Ad Hoc Committee on Health and Wellness: The Ad Hoc Committee on Health and Wellness has an official name: “Joint Committee on Retiree Health and Wellness”. Carol Fethke voiced concern that the insurance group for retirees is small. The committee is seeking additional volunteers for the committee who are interested in the insurance issue as well as related issues. Carol recommended contacting either her or Nancy Williams if retired staff or faculty are interested in membership in this committee.

Update on Brian Kaskie’s group: Carol Fethke gave an update of Brian Kaskie’s research. He is analyzing data from phase one of his study. Ray Muston has offered to advise him during this phase of the analysis. In April, 2012 the second phase of the study will begin. The focus of this phase will examine how to best communicate with faculty and staff before they retire. He is seeking volunteers to give him feedback on the second phase of the study before it is carried out.

Educational offerings: Carol Fethke and Nancy Williams met with Associate Provost, Tom Rice to update him on the continuing activities of the EFC.

In April, the Staff Benefits Office will offer the yearly seminar for faculty and staff, 55 years and older, who are considering retirement. Carol Fethke inquired if she could enroll for this seminar, on behalf of EFC, in order to update her knowledge of what is offered to perspective retirees. Unfortunately, she was informed that the session is closed and there is no more space available.

The EFC Program Committee has scheduled the following speakers for the remainder of the semester. All presentations will be 9:30-11:00 a.m. in room 2520B UCC.

• March 5, 2012: Richard Fumerton, Professor of Philosophy, President of University of Iowa Faculty Senate
• April 2, 2012: David C. Johnsen, Dean College of Dentistry – UI Geriatric Dentistry
• May 7, 2012: Margaret Crocco, Dean College of Education – Education in the state of Iowa

Proposals relating to the election of officers: It was suggested at the December 5, 2011 meeting that consideration should be given for a change in the timeline for election of EFC officers for the next academic. Carol Fethke outlined two proposals to consider for the process. Because of the low attendance at this meeting, it was decided that no formal action would be taken, but the advantages of the proposals were discussed and possible names of persons to fill the positions were put forward. Prior to the meeting, Jack Rosazza volunteered to be Program Chair and Rose Friedrich volunteered to continue as Secretary for ’12-’13 academic year.

The proposal that received the most support is to establish a format that creates a President-elect mid-year to allow a better transition in the fall. The President will hold office from August-July, but this gives the President-elect a chance to learn and get oriented with some help from the current officeholder. It also gives time to plan his/her initiatives for the coming year. After much discussion, Jerry Walker said he will consider serving in that position if someone is willing to serve as the presidential co-chair for the ’12-’13 year.

Committee Reports

Recreational Services Committee: Jerry Walker summarized the highlights of the Recreational Services Committee meeting held on October 28, 2011.Beginning at the start of the spring semester in January 2012, CRWC and Field House will open at 5:30 a.m. The Tennis Center already opens at this time. An Environmental Learning Center at the McBride Campus is in the future as soon as funding is approved. A parking ramp will be built at the time that Phase II (another CRWW to the current CRWW) is begun. An indoor turf facility will be built prior to Phase II. The energy costs of CRWW is $2 million a year.

The November 15, 2011 recreational services committee meeting included a discussion of the fees that are charged to students who forget to bring their ID cards for admission to the recreation facilities. Currently, after forgetting the ID once, a $7.00 charge is assessed to the member including students desiring entry to Recreation Services Facility. The committee voted to have a reduced fee $5.00 for individuals who have forgotten their IDs more than twice in a semester. This will take effect beginning the spring semester 2012.

An indoor turf facility to encompass recreational services, athletics and the university band will be built. Construction should begin the summer of 2012. Harry would like to combine this with replacement of the outdoor tennis courts. An access one way road will be built through the Field House.

The membership incentive/utilization was reviewed. Post doc fellows and retirees will not receive the incentive. UI Credit Union will remove the ATM from the CRWC unless a $300/month is paid for the service beginning January 2012.

Hancher Committee: Laird Addis submitted a report of the January 20, 2012 Hancher Committee meeting. Director Chuck Swanson discussed three major topics including: (1) the funds that FEMA has committed to the new Hancher Auditorium (less than hoped, but more than feared), (2) the Boston Pops concert in November and the monies spent and earned, and (3) the Hancher events of the spring semester.

Campus Planning Committee: Laird Addis and HD Hoover attended the February 1, 2012 meeting of the Campus Planning Committee. HD Hoover submitted the following report:

After the call to order by chairman John Beldon Scott and approval of the minutes from the November 30 meeting, the following items were discussed and approved by the committee:

1. The establishment of an herb garden in the area between North Hall and the Hancher Footbridge by the University of Iowa gardeners.
2. Final plans for an addition to the Power Plant which houses back-up power generating equipment.
3. Plans for renovation of the west and south entrances to Calvin Hall
4. Design specs for the replacement of Hancher Auditorium, Voxman/Clapp, and the new Visual Arts Building

Rod Lehnertz presented flood mitigation plans for the Theatre Building and the IMU for discussion. He also gave an overview of the UIHC Master Plan for the area currently occupied by Parking Ramp II. This plan would replace the ramp with underground parking. The above ground space would consist of three hospital towers and landscaped public space across from Kinnick Stadium. The first of these towers, which will house the new Children’s Hospital, is under construction. Lehnertz also reported on the status of flood mitigation plans for the Theatre Building and the IMU.

Funder Retirement and Insurance Committee: Carol Fethke attended the February 3, 2012 FRIC meeting and submitted the following report:

1. The committee reviewed the November/December Open Enrollment results.
   Dental I will be eliminated next year. Chip II is dropping in enrollment and approaching the critical numbers for existence. For singles, the total costs are less in UI Choice, yet 119 people select CHIP II. A discussion followed about why: out-of-area employees, rising costs, cash-flow (lower out-of-pocket costs), age, inertia…
2. Professor Anand Vijh presented a Proposed Rate-Setting Plan for Chip II. His goal was a plan that provided quality health-care, control costs for employee and employer, fairness and promotion of the UI Hospital system. He addressed the anomaly of CHIP II higher costs, abnormally high risks, variance in premiums and stickiness in plan choice. His proposal would charge the higher of: current CHIP II rates or 20% the current cost of UI Choice.
3. A discussion of whether CHIP II enrollees should be notified of the possible demise of the program and/ or whether to survey or call some to ask why they stay enrolled. This later information might permit discussion of potential adjustments to UI Choice to accommodate their needs. The committee also heard a suggestion to provide the same UI Choice subsidy to singles in the CHIP II plan. This would mean CHIP II singles would have to pay about $130 a month because they are subsidized this much more than UI Choice singles.
4. Principal, the Supplemental Insurance provider, has asked that the University consider setting a cap on the amount of insurance it allowed. For a small group of individuals, the coverage now is over $2 million. A lively discussion ensued about whether Principal was actually exposed to higher risk as they suggest. Pro the risk arguments: there is no health screening, relatively low premiums, and possibility that those knowingly facing medical problems elect more insurance (adverse selection) when there is open enrollment. Con the risk arguments: University average age is in mid-40s, relatively healthy, premiums are age-adjusted in bands, and a “cap” exists in that when the employee retires, the coverage drops. Many employees do not realize that at younger ages and healthy, they can get lower rates in the private market and that these term policies would still exist if the employee left the University. A final consideration is that employees pay income taxes on the value of premium differentials for insurance over $50,000. This value is reported on the individual’s W-2. The consensus was to tell Principal we were not interested in a cap on insurance coverage.

Elections Committee of EFC: Lorraine Dorfman, Emeritus Faculty Council Elections Committee Chair, submitted a summary of committee decisions related to 2012 Spring elections.

Nomination letters will go out shortly to all emeritus faculty and need to be returned to the Provost's Office by April 4. The following seats are open: CLAS (2), College of Engineering (1), Graduate College (1), and College of Business (1). Emeriti can nominate faculty from any college that has open seats. The elections committee (Muston, Dorfman, Weingeist) will count the nominations, contact nominees to see if they are willing to be on the ballot, and report back to Brenda Bradley in the Provost's Office by April 12. Brenda will then prepare and mail ballots. Voters can only vote for nominees from their own college. Ballots need to be returned to the Provost's Office by April 30. The elections committee will count ballots and confirm acceptance by newly elected Council members by May 3. Brenda will send letters to new Council members and to nominees who were not elected. Announcement of new members will be made at the annual EFC meeting on May 14. 

Library Committee: Lorraine Dorfman attended the February 10, 2012 meeting of the Library Committee. Highlights of the meeting included the following:

The major business discussed was the Main Library renovation. There will be an expanded Learning Commons on the first floor that will include exhibition space, computer areas, classrooms, and an upscale food for purchase area. Renovation will start in spring/summer 2012 and continue for about a year. The south entrance to the library will be closed permanently. On the fourth and fifth floors, 16 faculty have given up faculty studies for this year so that Ph.D. dissertation students have a place to work while renovation is going on in the areas where there were graduate student carrels. Priority for faculty studies is current full-time faculty, Ph.D. students writing dissertations, current part-time faculty, and current adjunct faculty (in order of priority). There was discussion about giving assistant professors priority over other faculty. When renovation is complete, there will be a new graduate student room with carrels available on a first come, first serve basis and lockers available for students to store their belongings. Estimated number of carrels is about one-third of the current number, but many have not been used regularly. Another item discussed was the issue of replacement keys; the cost is $15 for lost keys and $100 for failure to return keys when faculty studies are no longer used. Library staff hope to eventually have electronic access available instead of keys, but cost is an issue.

The digital humanities initiative was discussed. Undergraduate and graduate students have been hired to work on this initiative with both new faculty who are cluster hires as well as other humanities faculty, and a number of projects are underway.

The library is obtaining a large number of e-books; it currently has thousands available. The librarians are trying to make more people aware of e-books that the library has either leased or bought. 

Senior College: The courses offered for the spring semester in the Senior College are filling up rapidly. To date, over 400 retirees have enrolled.

Speaker: Susan K. Schultz, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

The topic of Dr. Schultz’s presentation was “Alzheimer’s Disease – Research Update”.

Her current research involves studying the brain changes seen in Alzheimer’s disease through brain imaging and other biological markers. She has conducted experimental treatment studies for Alzheimer’s disease through collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, a national study exploring new ways to diagnose and treat dementia. The presentation reviewed some of the progress in Alzheimer’s research and in this initiative.

Selected highlights of Dr. Schultz’s presentation include:

• Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that impairs memory and thinking skills. In people with AD, symptoms first appear after age 60. Younger onset AD may have a worse progression of illness.
• From 2000-2008, Alzheimer’s disease deaths increased 66% while deaths from HIV, strokes, heart disease, prostate cancer and breast cancer decreased.
• The brains of people with AD have an abundance of two abnormal structures: Beta-amyloid plaques, which are dense deposits of protein and cellular material that accumulate outside the cell and neurofibrillary tangles, which are twisted fibers that build up inside the nerve cell.
• The new conceptualization of the diagnosis: Dementia vs. Disease. Persons who show the pathophysiologic changes, meaning they show the ‘disease’ but do not necessarily have the ‘dementia’. They may have abnormal amyloid for 10-20 years without symptoms or memory changes during this time period. On the other hand, AD with clinical symptoms is evident in persons who have the memory loss and loss of thinking skill and therefore, have the ‘dementia’.
• Perhaps if all persons with pathology lived long enough, dementia symptoms will appear. However, other factors may provide resistance to dementia such as cognitive reserve with better brain flexibility; brain reserve with healthier neurons; protective genetic factors and environmental factors.
• Mild cognitive impairment is considered to be a transition phase between normal aging and AD. Memory loss, the first visible sign, is the main feature of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). With normal aging there is an occasional loss of memory for words and names, slowed processing speed, difficulty sustaining attention when faced with competing environmental stimuli, and no functional impairment. The primary difference between normal aging and MCI is that memory impairment beyond that expected for age, increases over the last six to 12 months for those with MCI.
• The current Alzheimer’s drugs boost the signaling among the dwindling neurons but do not reduce the progression of the illness. A broad range of drugs are in clinical trials that seek to alter the biological processes associated with the pathophysiology of AD. A significant number of drugs in clinical trials remove amyloid from the brain or blood stream. In completed studies, there have not been significant clinical improvements in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia even when the pathophysiology has been improved. This suggests the importance of identifying interventions for use in the preclinical stages before dementia is present.
• In 2009 the Alzheimer’s Association convened a Research Roundtable on Classification of Alzheimer’s disease. The revised criteria are based on a continuum of Alzheimer’s disease: Normal; Pre-Clinical (no symptoms, biological markers); MCI (early stages – mild symptoms, biological markers); and Alzheimer’s dementia (similar to criteria used today, use of biological markers to improve diagnostic confidence).
• The new use of biomarkers will eventually allow physicians to have diagnostic confidence before autopsy. Also, the eventual use of markers in diagnosis will help prepare for studies that will seek to intervene before clinical symptoms. However, research is needed before these steps can be taken.
• The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) began in 2004. It is a landmark study to find more sensitive and accurate methods to detect AD at earlier stages and mark its progress through biomarkers. It is the most comprehensive effort to date to identify brain changes associated with memory decline, MCI, and AD, by the use of genetics, MRI and PET scans, blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
• 800 individuals participated in phase I of the ADNI study. The accomplishments from this phase included developing a standardized approach for use of imaging and biomarkers in clinical trials of AD and demonstrated the value of PET amyloid imaging. An unanticipated finding was that within some completely normal participants, there is evidence of early AD pathology, which may in the future be shown to be a risk factor for cognitive decline and development of dementia.
• 30% of entirely normal individuals may have elevated amyloid. Longitudinal follow-up over years is essential to understand why some amyloid+ people go on to have memory loss and others do not.
• Phase II of the ADNI study is in progress. Dr. Susan Schultz is the principal investigator in this phase of the study at the University of Iowa, College of Medicine. She is collaborating with multiple investigators throughout the United States and the World.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 a.m.

Next Meeting: The next Emeritus Faculty Council meeting will be Monday, March 5, 2012. Location 2520B UCC. Speaker: Richard Fumerton, Professor of Philosophy, President of University of Iowa Faculty Senate.

Respectfully submitted,

Rose Friedrich