The BowWow Times
Official Newsletter of ARF
(Association of Retired Faculty-MSU
Vol. 3, Number 1, February 2011
This is the fifth edition of the Newsletter that we hope to send out periodically to those interested in the activities of the Association of Retired Faculty of MSU
WEB SITE: Dwight Phillips has worked hard to get our web site up and running. To get to it, go to www.montana.edu/retired. Located at this web site are some added links to items of interest to our group and to retirees in general. They are all on the “Links” page of our web site. The first, under current items of interest, is to a publication that talks about retiree centers on university campuses and the role they can play. Two other links are further down the page under the section “links to retired faculty organizations” and include new links to the UC Berkeley Retirement center. The other link is to the Rutgers Retirement group which is unique in that it seems to have links to a lot of advice on end-of-life issues, like wills, obituaries, planning, etc. The FY2010 ARF annual report is available from a link on the home page. Check out the Legislative Report page for links to bills of potential importance to retired faculty that are being considered by the 2011 MT Legislature.
UPCOMING CAPSTONE LECTURES
Our first Capstone Lecture of this academic year will occur on Wednesday, April 6 at 7:30 PM in the Reynolds Recital Hall on Campus. Professor Alan Leech’s lecture will be in the mode of a concert which is most appropriate for a music professor. He will be playing his bassoon and saxophone. More details to come later. Also, Alan’s wife Karen is also retiring from the music department and will also be giving a capstone concert at a time yet to be determined.
MONTHLY LUNCHEONS
We continue to have our monthly luncheons and this spring’s luncheons got off to a good start when John Nordwick, CEO of Bozeman Deaconess Hospital, spoke to us on recent developments at the hospital. We had an excellent turnout so folks were able to visit among themselves prior to John’s talk. Ken Hapner will be our next luncheon speaker on Wed, Feb. 16. Ken is the official retiree member of the Inter Units Benefits Committee that makes policy recommendations to the Commissioner of Higher Education. Ken will bring us up to date on the changes in the benefits programs that affect retirees.
PRESIDENTIAL MEETING
The officers of ARF met with President Cruzado in December, and again with the President and the new provost Dr. Martha Potvin in early February. The main purpose of the latter meeting was to acquaint Provost Potvin with ARF. Both ARF and the university are interested in creating a process for documenting and updating the contributions of retired faculty to MSU and the community at large. We discussed strategies for capturing departmental histories. We discussed the issues facing retirees and how the university might be involved in helping to respond or solve these issues. We also discussed the issue of retiree health benefits and potential changes that may be coming in the days ahead.
ARF OFFICE SPACE
ARF has been assigned room 338 in Culbertson Hall as our
office space. We hope to be moving in
soon. This office is at the far north
end of the building on the third floor.
Nearby two hour parking is available on
NEW DIRECTIONS FOR ARF
The ARF executive board will be reviewing the post-retirement employment policies that currently exist and make recommendations on how these might be changed. While most of us retirees are under the rules of TRS, many future retirees will be under the rules of the optional retirement program (ORP) and TIAA-CREF. Currently it is unclear what the conditions are for ORP post-retirement employment contracts and we hope to get this clarified. We are also contemplating the development of a “volunteer clearing house” to assist retirees in connecting with suitable volunteer organizations and activities.
NEW RETIREES
Doug Young – Ag Economics and Economics
Karen Leech- Music
Alan Leech - Music
Chris Pinet – Modern Languages and Literature
Finally, dues for 2011 are still being accepted. Send to Don Mathre, Treasurer,
Don Mathre, BowWow Editor, e-mail upldm@montana.edu