OSU Retirees Association Meeting
Minutes from September 6, 2001
Attending: Tim Bedel, Irma Delson, Gale Hazel, Carol Mason, Kathy Meddaugh, Cliff
Michel, Claudia Painter, Jean Peters, Les Risser, Marilyn Sarff, Bill Wilkins
The committee reviewed the mission statement and the list of objectives and activities, with
comments received from emails and ideas from the first meeting and the meeting of the
survey sub-committee.
I: Mission Statement
a. Some of the committee members felt that the mission statement should be only one
sentence.
b. Who would actually adopt the statement? committee vote? input from survey
respondents? some kind of organizational vote?
II: Objectives
a. Minor changes were made in the wording, and numbers will be used to list the
objectives.
III. Activities
a. There was a discussion of whether the list of activities should include suggestions about
possible events. The consensus was that they should be, in order to give retirees an
idea of what will be available, but that specific examples are unnecessary.
b. “Intellectual: Some concern was expressed at various times during the meeting about
the activity suggestions being too intellectually focused, since one purpose of the
organization is to be inclusive of all employees and interests. A suggestion was made
to substitute the phrase “employees” or “retirees” in place of “faculty/staff” to reflect
this. Another person commented that listing the activities might appear to be too
limiting. Several changes were made in the text, including adding the phrase “varied
topics such as” before the list of possible activities.
c. “Social”: travel and tours were added to the list of possible activities, and the newsletter
was moved to a newly established “communication” section.
d. “Volunteerism”: advising and fund-raising were deleted (advising is seen as a
professional activity already done in the departments, and fund-raising is done by the
Foundation).
e. “Advocacy”: add retirees to the list
f. “Communication”: this objective was added, and would include email, newsletters, and
the web site, which is in progress and would provide links to other retiree
organizations, activities, governmental offices, etc.
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IV. Survey of interest
a. Questions that were asked about the survey:
1. What kind of survey does the committee want to do?
2. Who would pay for it?
3. Who would prepare it and collate the responses?
4. How will the information be used?
5. What return rate will indicate a successful endeavor?
6. How will it help OSURA?
7. How would it be disseminated?
b. Purpose
1. The introduction to the survey should indicate why OSURA is being proposed,
including the mention of the importance of retaining “institutional memory”.
2. Use “retirees” or “employees” rather than “faculty/staff”.
3. It would help serve as a way to let people know about OSURA.
4. There was some discussion about whether the survey is asking for suggestions
about the formation of the organization, or asking whether the respondent is
indicating that he/she would participate in the specific activities; this needs to be
clarified.
5. A suggestion was made that, ideally, it should be one page in order to improve the
chance of people completing it, and be in a bigger font, such as 14.
c. Who would receive it, and getting the word out about OSURA
1. It should go to current retirees as well as those employees who will be retiring in the
next 3 -5 years. There was some concern about the possibility of not getting many
responses and whether it will be worth the cost financially if there’s a small
response. The following suggestions were made for dissemination other than
mailing, which might get expensive: the alumni center, human resources office,
word of mouth, email, phone contacts, at meetings of other retiree organizations
such as AROPE and ECLAT, the Emeriti Reception, Valley Library, senior
centers, news articles, and Generations, web site
2. Interest was expressed about having a kick-off event in order to attract people’s interest.
A subcommittee comprised of Marilyn Sarff, Cliff Michel, and Les Risser was
formed to look into possible ways to do this.
3. Announcements about the survey and the proposal for the organization could be made
at other retirees organization meetings, such as AROPE (meeting on 9/18) and
ECLAT.
d. Irma will wordsmith the survey.
e. Claudia will arrange for a box at the Valley Library for surveys to be sent; that address
is OSURA, 121 Valley Library.
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f. Samples of the survey will be distributed as a trial run at the next meetings of AROPE
and ECLAT.
V. Kathy Meddaugh presented a demographic report about OSU retirees and retirement data.
The next meeting of the OSURA focus group is on Wednesday, October 3 at 2:30 in the
Foundation Board Room.
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