Monday, March 6, 2023

Minutes

EMERITUS FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING

9:30 a.m. Monday, March 6, 2023

(Live meeting at Old Capitol Conference Center, Meeting Room A, 2d Floor, Old Capitol Mall, With Zoom Connection.

Chair Hines called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m.

Roll Call: 

EFC Members Attending: Charlie Anderson, Christopher Atchison, Constance Berman, Deborah Cobb, Cathy Cole, Minnetta Gardinier, Miriam Gilbert, Bill Hines, Russell Lenth, Jacob Odgaard, Mary Ann Rasmussen, Carol Scott-Conner, Siroos Shirazi, Bernard Sorofman, Jill Valde, John Westefeld,

EFC Members Absent: None

Other participants: Assoc. Provost Lois Geist; HD Hoover; Frank Mitros

Approval of Minutes: Feb. 6, 2023 Meeting: Approved Unanimously

New Emeritus Faculty

  • Craig Adcock          CLAS           6/30/2023
  • Jean Gordon          CLAS           6/30/2023
  • Amy Butler            CLAS            6/30/2023
  • Joseph Kearney    CLAS            6/30/2023
  • Helen Shen            CLAS            6/30/2023
  • Usha Mallik           CLAS            6/30/2023

Recently Deceased Emeritus Faculty

  • Geraldine R. Hall    CNUR          11/10/2022
  • William Eichinger   CEND          01/30/2023
  • Gerry Suchanek      CBUS          01/29/2023
  • Thomas Kisker        CCOM         02/17/2023

Moment of Silence in Remembrance

Reports from EFC Committees

  • Elections: Cole & Gilbert – Gilbert reported she and Cole have been working on candidates. Still looking for Medicine and Liberal Arts. Otherwise, a slate is complete.
  • Program: Anderson & Westefeld: Anderson said all of the Spring programs have been arranged:
    • April – Director of the Stanley Art Museum, Laura Lessing
    • May – Rod Lehnertz, Senior VP, Finance & Operations
    • Annual meeting: Kevin C. Kregel, Ph.D.
      Executive Vice President and Provost      .
  • Lecture Series: Gardinier, Gilbert Scott-Conner – Scott Connor said the speakers are lined up for the Spring:
  • Web Page: Lenth; Lenth announced that UIRA and the Emeritus web sites are sharing event information automatically.

Reports from Liaisons (Item was deferred to the written reports)

  • Campus Planning: Anderson
  • Faculty Senate & Council: Gardinier & Rasmussen
  • FRIC:  Shirazi & Sorofman
  • Hancher & Stanley Art Museum: Valde
  • Libraries: Cole & Lenth
  • Parking & Transportation: Odgaard & Scott-Conner
  • President’s Committee on Athletics: Hines
  • Recreational Services: Atchison
  • Research Council: Berman
  • Senior College: Mitros
  • UIRA: Cobb

Old Business

Chair Hines raised the item tabled from the February meeting addressing how communications between the EFC, UIRA and Senior College might be assured. He reminded the Council that discussion had suggested periodic meetings among the leaders of the three organizations. He also noted that Frank Mitros had this as a priority during his term as Chair. 

Mitros said a specific plan wasn’t established.  Cobb and Mitros encouraged the establishment of a standard time for meeting. Mitros said he is on the Senior College (SC)and is willing to be liaison between the SC and the EFC but thinks there should be a formal process. Valde suggested the Presidents of the three organizations determine the process and that reports become a formal part of our agenda.  Gardinier suggested this could be a role for the Pres-elect. H.D. Hoover preferred that the SC identify the liaison to the EFC and UIRA since there are significant responsibilities on the SC.  It was noted that having Mitros filling several roles was fortunate but might not be routinely replicable. Valde suggested that the three organization leaders be asked to make a specific recommendation.  Hines opined that the Pres-elects should be presumed to be the liaisons but that each org should make a final determination of who the lead should be.

Valde moved to invite the leaders of the other two organizations to designate a person to meet periodically with representatives from the other two organizations to discuss matters of common interest. This motion passed.  Gardiner commented that it should remain up to the other organizations to decide who will represent them in such a meeting.

Chair Hines then introduced the Reconsideration of the EFC Decision Regarding Permissive Conferral of Emeritus Status adopted on Feb. 6, 2023.

Hines reviewed the earlier decision noting that the issue turns on the relationship between granting emeritus status and retirement status.  For example, University HR limits specific retirement benefits to those over 55. However, TIAA does not have that stipulation.

Provost Geist noted that retirement and emeritus status are linked, but she posed the question that is this the preferred policy?  She noted that people are leaving the University, after 10 years of good standing like to maintain a relationship with the UI.  Can we accommodate that career decision with the granting of emeritus status.

Sorofman asked for clarification of the status of someone leaving before turning 55.

 

Hines said, according to Rebecca Olsen, except for TIAA there are limits on University benefits. However, he noted HR limits the $288 monthly subsidy to a retiree’s U of I Health Plan to those over 62 and, consequently, that might be an alternative age for emeritus status.

Lenth was uncertain about establishing a policy where people leave as emeritus but aren’t retired.  Geist said this circumstance is often the case, people retire from Iowa but have second careers elsewhere.

Shirazi asked why this is a difficult issue. If someone qualifies for emeritus status, why should there be objection to them having post-Iowa roles? Geist said the policy is not clear on the status of those who leave the U before they reach retirement age.  Shirazi thought it is good for reputation of the U if people go on to additional roles.  Geist said the issue is to clarify what the standard should be. 

Valde and Sorofman highlighted two issues: the age requirement versus the 10-year UI requirement. Gilbert said the Provost looks at the quality of the candidates. She observed that record, service and interest in a continuing connection should be the criteria.

Hines returned to the question of “a 55-age minimum to qualify for emeritus status” stating: “If there is to be a 55-year minimum age to qualify for emeritus status, it should be stated expressly in Section 11.7, which is the Ops Manual section that has exclusively governed emeritus status for over 50 years. Section 11.7 says nothing about a minimum age requirement. HR can impose minimum age requirements on benefits it administers, but it is not authorized to impose requirements on the eligibility for emeritus status.  Only the Provost is authorized to implement policies affecting emeritus status.”

Lenth observed that we are an Emeritus group not necessarily “retired”.

Geist suggested that retirement is just one way to achieve emeritus status.  As long as service meets time and quality status emeritus status is appropriate.

Valde moved that Geist propose a policy on the two routes to emeritus status, clarifying the Provost’s issues concerning emeritus status.  Motion was unanimously adopted.

Guest Speaker:

Hines recognized Westfeldt to introduce the guest speaker: H.D. Hoover, Former Chair, Senior College Committee. Topic: “Update on Senior College Activities”

Hoover reviewed the history of the Senior College and the EFC recalling the SC began somewhat informally with the recruitment of both retired and active faculty members to present programs. 

Lenth noted that a brief history is on the EFC website: https://emeritus-faculty.uiowa.edu/sites/emeritus-faculty.uiowa.edu/files/2021-11/al_hood_senior_college_history.pdf

 

Hoover then summarized recent activity, noting that Covid had a significant effect on the SC.

 

2018-2019 - 20 courses 1936 registrants. Both on and off campus.

2019-20 - 1648 enrollees,

2020-21 - 1340

2021-2022 - 1700 with some in person

2022-2023 - 22 courses with 1878 enrollees

Hoover reviewed some of the requirements for membership on the SC and that the intention is for 50% faculty 50% staff and should be retired from the University.

The Committee’s by-laws call for 15 members with 13 currently in place.

Leaders are: Emil Rinderspacher, Chair; Tom Rocklin, Vice Chair

He concluded with the observations that classes are in high demand with pre-registration required and announced the Committee now has a partnership with University’s visiting lecture series.

Hines adjourned the meeting at 11:04

Next meeting schedule for April 3, 2023