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Board Meeting Minutes – April 2018

Last updated 10/18/2021

USC STAFF RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING

Friday, April 20, 2018

10:00 am – 12:00 pm (noon)

University Religious Center 108

The meeting was called to order by President Mike Klineman at 10:10 am.

Present:  Evelyn Alva, Karen Ammons, Janette Brown, Bill Givens, Connie Horak, Jill Hopkins, Dixon Johnson, Mike Klineman, Calvin Lau, Dick Martin, Harriet Servis, Donna Simmons, Sue Vogl.

Absent: Barbara Curtis, John Casagrande, Fred Dear, Jeff de Caen, David Donovan, Bob Church, Jean Church, Linda Forman, Bob Scales, Pam Wallace-Thompson, Victor Webb, Lynn Williams.

Welcome and Remarks – Michael Klineman

  • Mike opened the meeting and welcomed all.
  • Donna Simmons took Minutes in Linda Forman’s absence.
  • Discussion of free MSWord and Office availability to all with @usc.edu email address.
  • Discussion of photo-montage possibility from March Retirement Luncheon. Karen offered to prepare a PowerPoint version. Harriet needs paperwork for J. T. Hall Award.
  • Per Sue Vogl, Debbie Wong has volunteered to help with future Town & Gown events!

Approval of minutes from February meeting – Linda Forman (by Donna Simmons)

The minutes were approved. Moved by Donna Simmons; Seconded by Dick Martin; Motion passed. Donna will send corrected Minutes to Linda for posting on the webpage.

Reports

Programs and Hospitality – Connie Horak, Harriet Servis and Donna Simmons (presented first, as Connie had to leave early)

  • June Meeting: Mike Klineman has been in contact with his friend and colleague at the Galen Center to arrange a meeting and tour there for Friday, June 15th. They require use of their caterers in the facility, which will cost about $18.00 per half sandwich brown-bag lunch.  Board voted to approve the Galen site and the cost of a higher-than-usual food bill.
  • Connie, Harriet and Donna discussed wording on the postcard announcements to be ordered from Staples in time for addressing at the May Board meeting. 10:30am-Check-in at Galen Lobby, 11:00am-Welcome and Galen History, 11:30-Tour, Noon-Lunch.
  • Only one parking option will be listed on the postcard – The Royal Street Structure. The EC cart cannot legally drive on city streets. So that option will not be available. We will need at least three volunteers to direct members from the parking structure, past the Davidson Center, to safely cross the street at Jefferson and Figueroa to the Galen Center. Evelyn will be gone in May but volunteered to assist at the June event.
  • Other gold card eligible parking options (McCarthy Structure, Radisson Parking) will be noted in the online registration form and confirmation email.
  • Dick Martin will provide the up-to-date mailing list for SRA paid and new 2017 retiree members; and the EC staff will prepare mailing labels for the postcards.
  • Donna will set up the Wufoo registration site, with feedback from Board members who will receive the URL to register early. This site works very well. Unfortunately, many members still prefer to phone the EC rather than going online. That presents a slight challenge, as verbal messages are not always clear or accurate, especially the very important email address for registration confirmation. Donna will monitor registrations and check names against the newest SRA Roster from Dick Martin.
  • Donna will connect with the Galen Catering people to confirm the lunch menu and keep them updated on number of registrants. We expect about 60, but there have been up to 80 at past events. We can discuss menu specifics at the May Board meeting.
  • We might keep in mind earlier meeting ideas when we plan our September event:
    1. Caldwell Scholar Lucille Rosa Luiz is on the USC Salsa Dance Team.
    2. Ditta Morris, a School of Gerontology retiree, does an old-time music Quartet and Sing-along.
    3. A tour of the new Michaelson Center, perhaps with Professor Bill Celis May or July?
  • A past Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) tour was popular, and another is under consideration.

RFA – Calvin Lau

  • The RFA has a reorganized business plan in the works. The Caldwell Scholars program, headed by Victor Marshand Webb is a major successful initiative of the RFA. The Caldwell Scholars Luncheon is today, followed by the Academic lecture (and Jerry Walker’s birthday). Advertising in the Daily Trojan has helped attendance.
  • One of the RFA Board members, Arnold Platzker, has recently come home from a hospital stay.
  • Some events are ahead of their time, i.e. social media, etc.
  • Burton Marcus is working on a white paper from discussions with new retirees. The challenge is to get “really” active members while trying to attract new retirees.
  • Calvin feels the RFA needs to work toward reinvigorating the Emeriti Center College, contributing to the Emeriti Center and collaborating with the SRA on special joint events such as the recent tour of the LA Times building.
  • The RFA will help with the Emeriti Center 40th Anniversary Celebration.

Emeriti Center –Janette Brown

  • Janette sent an annual report and events via email in preparation for her annual evaluation meeting with Elizabeth Graddy. Color coded list of events and how they fall into the USC strategic plan was illustrative. A pie chart illustrating the EC’s interdepartmental and intergenerational wellness events and lectures was spectacular.
  • Elizabeth Graddy (Janette’s boss) is very excited about what we are doing! But Janette’s budget, like many others on campus, will still be cut significantly next year.
  • The EC has purchased a license for Zoom technology, to be used for audio and video connections for virtual meeting attendance. It was tested at the April Executive Advisory meeting. Hopefully, this will encourage participation by those who for one reason or another cannot come to campus on a specific date.
  • A possible exciting new direction is exploration with others of intergenerational housing… stay tuned.
  • See the Emeriti Center webpage for Upcoming programs.
  • A USC Annual Day of Giving letter will go out soon, with option to donate to EC/SRA/RFA, etc. A free mailing by USC that will benefit our retiree programs.
  • From last month, SRA Board volunteers were requested to:
    1. Assist the EC in phoning recent retirees to encourage involvement with the retiree organizations and programs
    2. Check the EC website: emeriti.usc.edu for errors and to ensure that current activities are listed.
    3. Investigate developing courses for the Emeriti College. These courses could be offered on campus or at other sites. RFA is quite interested in this, too.

Emeriti Center Benefits & Resources Committee- Connie Horak

  • Mike attended Benefits meeting on April 13th, and has Minutes for those interested.
  • Mike also attended the Executive Advisory Committee meeting on the 11th.

New Business

  • President Mike reminded us of the upcoming 40th Anniversary of the Emeriti Center.
  • Harriet has a copy of the extensive 25th Anniversary Celebration Program for reference. Though we should note there was comparatively a LOT of money and support available.
  • How about an event to celebrate the occasion? Maybe we could have it at the University Village, perhaps in a private room or even in one of the grassy areas? As noted above, Calvin indicated RFA desire to help, and make this a joint SRA/RFA/EC event.

Adjournment at 11:50 pm

Minutes taken