Minutes
EMERITUS FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
9:30 a.m. Monday, October 3, 2022
(Live meeting at Old Capitol Conference Center, Meeting Room A, 2d Floor, Old Capitol Mall, With Zoom Connection.
Approved by the EFC
11-7-2022
Roll Call: xCharlie Anderson, x Christopher Atchison, xConstance Berman, xDeborah Cobb, Sam Cochran, xCathy Cole, xMinnetta Gardinier, xMiriam Gilbert, xBill Hines, Russell Lenth, Jacob Odgaard, xMary Ann Rasmussen, xCarol Scott-Conner, xSiroos Shirazi, xBernard Sorofman, xJill Valde, xJohn Westefeld
Other participants: Rebecca Olson
Approval of Minutes of September 6, 2022 Meeting (Minutes approved as amended)
List of New Emeritus Faculty Members
NAME College Retirement Date
Mary Grace Elson CCOM 8/20/22
James Enloe CLAS 9/1/22
Richard Hichwa CCOM 10/3/22
Will Jennings CLAS 7/1/22
Adan Johnson CCOM 7/2/22
Samuel Kuperman CCOM 7/1/22
Charles Lynch CPUB 7/2/22
Alan MacVey CLAS 7/1/22
Cindy Marek CDEN 7/16/22
Raymond Mentzer CLAS 7/1/22
Sudhakar Reddy CEND 9/13/22
Pat Schlievert CCOM 7/1/22
Scott Schnell CLAS 7/1/22
Leslie Schwalm CLAS 7/1/22
Thomas Vaughn CPUB 7/2/22
Blake Whitten CLAS 7/1/22
Note: New Emeritus Faculty have or will receive a letter of Welcome to the U of I Emeritus Faculty Association signed by the Council Chair, Hines. EFC members were asked to review on comment on the letter.
Review of Recently Deceased Emeritus Faculty
Eugene Parrott CPHAR 7/26/22
Delbert Disselhorst CLAS 9/1/22
Jun Kimura CCOM 3/3/22
Benny Hawkins CDEN 8/31/22
Charles Kremenak CDEN 9/1/22
Yvonne Slatton CLAS 9/8/22
Martha Carpenter CNUR 9/11/22
Moment of Silence
Permissive Conferral of Emeritus Status
In conjunction with the Provost’s office, the eligibility of two individuals to be recognized as emeritus/emerita was reviewed and approved.
Reports from EFC Committees
Elections: Gilbert & Cole
Program: Anderson & Westefeld - Professor Megan Foley-Nicpon, Director of the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education, will be the next speaker in November. She will give an overview of the Center, and describe its services as well as how faculty interact with the Center. Anderson mentioned that he will be contacting the Provost about being a future speaker, and asked for specifics on what people wanted the Provost to discuss. Hines indicated that he knows the provost well, and will be happy to make a contact and discuss possible topics.
Lecture Series; Gardinier, Gilbert & Scott-Conner- (1) October 20, 4 PM, Biology Building East ---Title: Gun Safety is on the Ballot in November: Unpacking the Proposed “Right to Keep and Bear Arms” Amendment—Patricia Zebrowski. (2) Last month Jerry Schnoor had approximately 35 people attend his lecture. (3) In November, Susan Johnson (College of Medicine and Former Ombudsperson) will speak.
Communications: Lenth & Gardinier
Reports from Liaisons to University Committees
Campus Planning: Anderson, Westefeld - New art museum tour was held. Neither Anderson nor Westefeld were able to attend.
Faculty Senate & Council: Gardinier & Rasmussen - No new Council meeting held. Senate: A review committee presented a report concerning of instructional track faculty and a variety of issues concerning this group of faculty, including promotion, grievance procedures, and administrative issues. The filed report was accepted. (2) Extensive discussion of mental health issues on campus from Director of University Counseling Services, Michael Fletcher. Focus of discussion was on efforts underway to assist the entire campus in dealing with the many mental health challenges that have resulted from and/or been exacerbated by COVID. (3) A presentation was made concerning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issues.
FRIC: Shirazi & Sorofman - Rebecca Olson was introduced and covered a number of issues related to health insurance options for emeritus faculty. (Presentation summary below)
Hancher & Art Museum: Valde – Valde attended the new Museum tour and reported that new art museum is an outstanding facility and encouraged everyone to visit.
Libraries: Lenth & Cole
Parking & Transportation: Odegaard & Scott-Conner
President’s Committee on Athletics – Hines - PCA will meet this coming Thursday
Recreational Services – Atchison – no report
Senior College: Mitros (Ex Officio)
UIRA: Cobb – Cobb reported that there have been several well-attended hikes and art lectures. UIRA is working to develop a MOU with the university. Approximately 600 people belong to UIRA.
Old Business (None known beyond Items 3 and 5 above carried over from September 5 meeting.)
New Business – no new business
Guest Speaker via Zoom (10:30 a.m.)
Rebecca Olson, University Benefits Office. Topic: “Emeritus Faculty Health Insurance Benefits Program for 2023.”
Rebecca Olson gave an in-depth power point presentation covering multiple aspects of health insurance, including issues around open enrollment, cost increases, and other changes. The Open enrollment period will be October 5-December 7. Changes will be effective January 1, 2023. If a person does not want to make any changes, they need do nothing.
This detailed information can be accessed through: https://hr.uiowa.edu/retiree-annual-benefits-open-enrollment.
Main points in terms of 2023 coverages are as follows: (1) Health: Premiums will increase for UI Choice and UI Select—plan coverages for these plans will not change; UI contribution for eligible retirees will stay at $288; Health alliance PPO and HMO rates and plan design will not change. (2) Dental: Premiums will increase for Dental II, plan coverage will not change.
Additional points:
- There is not an electronic capability—folks need to print the form or scan it.
- Several people indicated that UI coverage had become cost-prohibitive for them, and that this has increasingly become an issue.
- There will be a series of upcoming zoom sessions to discuss these issues and answer questions.
Hines thanked Rebecca for her excellent presentation.
Next Meeting is November 7, 9:30, both in-person and zoom.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.