UMKC Retirees Association Newsletter - February 2008
FROM THE PRESIDENT
This marks the beginning of a new
approach to our newsletter. We hope it will
prove more interesting and more useful to
you as members of UMKCRA.
There will be more articles, more news, a
calendar of events, and more pages! But,
as you will read elsewhere in this edition,
we believe that the more important source
of timely information will be our new
website and the best way to reach our
membership will be by email. Printed and
mailed materials are increasingly expensive
with slow turnaround times for notification
and responses.
We do plan to still use an improved
printed newsletter but your best bet at
keeping in touch with what your
Association is doing will be to “go
electronic.” We plan to offer special
workshops to help you do so.
This issue contains reservation information
on the April luncheon and business meeting
as well as brief statements about each of
those members nominated for election this
year. We hope you enjoy our new look.
Dale Neuman
75 Years Young!
UMKC began its 75th Anniversary
celebrations on January 25, 2008 in a packed
Pierson Auditorium that enjoyed Calvin
Trillin’s comments and humor.
If this initial event is any guide, the other
activities scheduled over the year will be
exciting opportunities to share memories,
CALENDAR
March 1*
Alumni Basketball
Game
March 4
Deadline for NelsonAtkins Tour RSVP’s
March 8
Nelson-Atkins Tour
for RA Members
April 2
Deadline for April
luncheon reservations
April 5
Luncheon and
Election, Pierson
Aud., 11 a.m.
April 17*
Celebration; Alumni
Awards Gala
May 7
Board Meeting
June 14*
Theatre Event
August 6
Board Meeting
September TBA*
Convocation
October 1*
Happy UMKC Birthday
* UMKC Anniversary Events
Some dates are yet to
be arranged, please
check your UMKC online calendars and
future RA Newsletters
more information.
UMKC Retirees Association Newsletter - February 2008
renew friendships and celebrate the success
that UMKC has become.
Our Finances
FINANCIAL STATEMENT AS OF 2-12-08
Assets:
UMKC MoCode account
Capitol Federal Checking
CD Capitol Federal (10/14/08)
CD Capitol Federal (07/04/08)
Total:
$736.92
$4,302.62
$5,710.13
$1,138.83
$11,888.50
Liabilities:
Sodexho Marriott
(Holiday luncheon)
Not yet billed
Net Assets:
$11,888.50
Notes: The estimated bill from Sodexho
should be about $1,400, leaving
approximately $10,488.50 in net assets.
Interest income in 2007 on CDs was
$351.87. In Memoriam Fund donations total
$100 and were made in the names of
George Young, John R. Hodges, Joe E.
Brown and Gerald Olson.
ONE OF OUR OWN!
Over the past two
years, several ideas
have been brought to
the Board for ways to
spend your money. The
idea of a scholarship
was proposed but that
requires a $10,000
endowment and we do
not have enough to do
that since we have
other expenses. While
this year, the
Chancellor’s Office is
covering some
expenses, those are
mostly expenses new to
RA operations and flow
through the MO Code.
In general, we do not
charge the full cost of
our events. Subsidies
run about 20-25 %
depending on the
event. If you have
suggestions on this,
contact your Board.
James Reeds, one of our RA members, was among
four men recognized at a ceremony in the White
House in November of 2007 for his efforts in WWII as part of a special team, the
Monuments Men.
This group searched for or rescued and preserved works of art and other cultural
treasures that had been looted during the war. They worked to return more than
5,000,000 items by 1945! Earlier in 2007, Congress had also recognized the efforts
of this group, which originally numbered about 350 men.
According to the story in the KC Star, Jim said he was just doing his job. But, those
responsible for the award say that, without the work of Jim and the other
Monuments Men, many priceless treasures would have been lost.
UMKC Retirees Association Newsletter - February 2008
You can read a story about this in a recent issue of the Smithsonian Magazine. If
you have web access, you can read the article in the Kansas City Star at:
www.kansascity.com/news/neighborhood/kansas_city/story/435915.html
MENTORING POSSIBILITIES
We are still working with the UMKC Athletic Department to put
together some opportunities for UMKC retirees to volunteer as mentors
for student athletes. However, due to some personnel and duty shifts in
the AD involving the person who would organize this activity, our plans
are on hold for now. We will report more when there is more to report.
WE WORK TOGETHER
The officers from the Retirees Associations of the four campuses
meet regularly twice year in Columbia on matters of common
concern. The first part of each regular meeting is to discuss issues
that have arisen affecting retirees and to share ideas about ways in
which the association on each campus is working to serve its
members and the campus. During the second part of each meeting,
the President and the Vice President for Human Resources join us to
respond to issues we have raised as well as inform us of matters that
may be pending that are important to Retirees.
We also try to have RA Officers present at all Curators Board
Meetings and have requested special meetings with the President of
the Board of Curators when an issue seemed to warrant.
Last May, we met in Columbia to help make the case for a pension
adjustment and were successful in making our case as an increase
was approved for the first time in a number of years.
We have already requested a meeting with President-Designate
Forsee. We want to continue the productive working relationships
that have developed over the years among Retirees Associations
from all campuses on behalf of all retirees and the University they
served---and, in many ways---continue to serve.
The UMKC Chancellor has provided funds to allow your RA Officers
to be reimbursed for driving to such out-of-town meetings in the
conduct of RA business.
UMKC Retirees Association Newsletter - February 2008
DESTINATION: JEFFERSON CITY
The UMKCRA officers and Board members have been invited to join other
th
UMKC representatives in a trip to Jefferson City on March 5 as part of the
university’s activities that inform the state legislature of our accomplishments
and needs. If they look sleepy when you see them after that day, it is because
the bus will leave very early for the three-hour drive to get there for morning
meetings. And then there will also the three-hour bus ride back at the end of
the day. We are pleased that we have been included in this activity, as Retirees
remain interested and committed to improving the well being of UMKC.
WE GET COMPLAINTS
Our members are not shy and neither are other retirees. We received a
number of complaints and questions at the end of last year as the
University made some changes in the coverage available to Kansas City
Retirees who were in the Humana Plan. We took all of these to campus
and system HR officials and then to the VP for Human Resources. We
made a tally of the communications problems, errors in mailings (to all
Retirees, not just those in Humana), and general difficulties all who tried
to make inquiries encountered during the end-of-year enrollment period
in 2007. We were not alone. There were communications issues with
programs available on the other campuses as well.
The provisional answers for the errors turned on the fact that the system
benefits offices were being relocated at the same time as the plan
changes and mailings were occurring. Our response was that this was
poor timing for the move.
We were told that there would be additional inquiry into our concerns
and we would get a report. We will share such a report when we get it.
The reason cited for discontinuing the Humana Plan was cost per
participant in the plan as only about 100 persons were enrolled and the
rates were going up significantly with that small number of enrollees.
DID YOU REALIZE?
The volunteer efforts of the Retirees Association are important not only in
what they accomplish but also in how they help UMKC document to
potential donors the level of support that exists. From July 1, 2006 through
June 30, 2007, more than 222 hours of service were logged by RA members
UMKC Retirees Association Newsletter - February 2008
and RA Board members in volunteer efforts known to us. These do not
include time spent in committee meetings, on the phone, responding to
emails and other things that were not tracked.
Nominees for Election at April Business Meeting
At its February 6, 2008 meeting, your Board of Directors voted to
bring to the membership the following nominations recommended
by the Nominating Committee.
Nancy Mills, Vice-President and
President-Elect, 2008
Sandy Salz, Board of Directors,
2008-2011
Robert Brazelton, Treasurer,
2008-2010
Ted Sheldon, Board of
Directors, 2008-2011
Paul Haigh, Secretary, 20082009
Dan Tira, Board of Directors,
2008-2011
The election will be part of the business meeting held in
conjunction with the April 5, 2008, luncheon at Pierson
Auditorium. More information about the luncheon and brief
informational profiles of each nominee may be found in this
newsletter.
The Nominating Committee will present the following slate of
nominees for officers and Board members for 2008 at the April
Retirees Assn. meeting:
NANCY MILLS (1 year term as Vice President/President-Elect)—In 1979
Nancy joined the School of Nursing faculty, later serving as Associate
Dean, Interim Dean, and lastly as Dean from 1993-2004. She also
served a short term as Interim Vice Chancellor for Research before
retiring. Previously she attended UMKC and worked as a pediatric nurse
in KC and LA. As a current Board member she has been on the
Program Committee, and enjoys exploring ways retirees can become
involved in supporting UMKC and its students. Nancy and husband,
Tom, enjoy traveling and spending time with family, particularly son,
Tom, and wife, Lynda, who live in the St. Louis area.
ROBERT “BOB” BRAZELTON (2 year term as Treasurer)—Bob is
Professor Emeritus of Economics, having joined the UMKC faculty in
1963. He holds a B.A. from Dartmouth and M.A. and Ph.D. from the
UMKC Retirees Association Newsletter - February 2008
University of Oklahoma. He is currently serving as Treasurer and as a
Board member was also Chair of the Membership Committee.
PAUL HAIGH (1 year term as Secretary)—Paul is being nominated to fill
the term of Selma Dreiseszun who recently resigned as Secretary. Paul
has previously held positions as President and Treasurer. He served as
Manager of the UMKC Bookstore from 1965 until his retirement. He
holds a B.A. from the University of Alabama and served in the US Navy
in WWII. He and his wife, Karen, have a daughter and son and three
granddaughters, and in his spare time he enjoys woodworking. Paul
treasures the wonderful working relationships with students and faculty
and continues to enjoy the fellowship with other retirees.
SANDY SALZ (3 year term on the Board)—Sandy joined UMKC in 1977
as a fiscal analyst in the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs office.
From 1984-1992 he was Manager of Business and Fiscal Operations in
Academic Affairs, working with the Asst. Vice Chancellor for Academic
Budgeting and Cultural Affairs. He holds a B.S. from UM-St. Louis and
MBA from UM-Columbia. Activities in retirement include assisting the
League of Women Voters with registering newly naturalized citizens to
vote, serving on the Board of Trustees of Congregation Beth Torah, and
as a volunteer with Alphapointe Assn. for the Blind. He and wife,
Maureen, (who also is a UMKC retiree) and dachshund/beagle mix
Mabel enjoy visiting family in Tucson, Miami, and St. Louis.
DAN TIRA (3 year term on the Board) - Dan began at UMKC in 1970 as
Assistant Professor in the School of Dentistry with major responsibilities
in developing computer-based instructional materials. In 1982 he was
asked to create an Office of Student Programs to cover admissions,
recruitment, registration, records and student services for the Dental
School. He held the position of Assistant Dean of this office until his
retirement in 2000, as well as Professor. Since that time he has
continued to teach part time in his field of biostatistics and research
methodology and assist students and faculty in research and data
analysis. He also is heavily involved in volunteer activities for the
School. He has served on the Board the past 3 years. He particularly
enjoys the social events, but also feels it is very important that the
Association continue close oversight of retiree benefits. Dan has two
grown daughters and three grandchildren. He takes great pleasure in
yard work, particularly in grooming shade gardens (loves hostas!).
TED SHELDON (3 year term on the Board)—Ted served as
Dean/Director of Libraries from 1983-2004. Previously he had worked in
academic library positions at KU and SUNY-Binghamton. He holds a
B.A. from Elmhurst, MLS from the University of Illinois, M.A. and Ph.D.
UMKC Retirees Association Newsletter - February 2008
from Indiana University. Ted and wife, Beverly, travel, and Ted also is
an avid collector of old jazz records. He is looking forward to continuing
to enjoy the many friendships from his days at UMKC.
UMKC Retirees Association Web Site
We need your help!
The UMKC Retirees Association Web Site is designed to serve as the
primary communication point for all UMKC Retirees. To be effective, it
must provide information important to retirees in a timely, easy to use,
secure format. In addition to information about current and planned
activities, the Web Site also addresses UMKCRA organization and
membership, retiree benefits, reports of past activities, volunteering
opportunities, copies of past Newsletters, links to other sites with
information of interest to retirees and the historical records of the
association since its inception.
To maintain the UMKCRA Web Site requires a
substantial commitment of people skills and
technical resources. Through discussions with
Contributing
the Chancellor’s Office, the Advancement
Reporters for
Office and the Alumni Association, we are
this issue of the
now able to utilize their skilled people and
Newsletter:
their resources to meet the technical
Marty Hatten,
demands of most of our objectives with little
Marilyn
or no cost. However, UMKCRA is still
Burlingame, Nancy
responsible for writing, uploading and
Mills, Dick
Hetherington, Leo
purging content on our website, and that’s
Sweeney, Dale
why we need your help! The goal is to recruit
Neuman.
a group of ‘Editors’ and a Web Manager from
our membership who will be responsible for
Layout and
the accuracy and currency of some part of
Design Editor:
our web pages. Editors collect (sometimes
Kim Rudolph
write) documents, edit them and turn them
(Alumni &
Constituent
over to the Web Manager who will post them
Relations)
to the Web Site and delete them from the
Web Site when appropriate. If you can create
Editor, Pro-Tem:
and edit a WORD document, then you have
Dale Neuman
the necessary skills to be an editor. If you
UMKC Retirees Association Newsletter - February 2008
know FRONTPAGE, you could be the Web Manager.
Please contact hetheringtonr@umkc.edu if you are willing to spend a
few hours a week helping us develop the UMKCRA Web Site.