University Governance

We met regularly during the fall--had projects under way:

1. One was the revision of the retirees' handbook.  Ruthie Hatfield was going to work on it, both Jeanette Johnson (Provost's Office) and Ola Faucher (HR) wanted to be involved.  It does need attention because of the changes (some on the committee would refer to it as erosion) of benefits (which are a function of a number of factors).

2. We had examined what "retiree benefits" were accorded faculty and staff at other "Big 8" institutions.  This was an issue that had come up in the previous year (2009-10). We (this past year's committee) needed to  resurrect the previous charges and promise...but we did get OIRP do do the study and we had that to review.  It was informative, but didn't give us any real direction with regard to directions to pursue although there was strong sentiment toward trying to  push for some help in the area of healthcare benefits.  With regard to such benefits, the committee was advised (M. Hummert) that such benefits would have to be considered "system wide" and that for the state to consider helping to cover state retirees' (faculty and state staff) healthcare coverage was probably futile.

3. We had worked with the retiree group (Endacott Society) who'd invited the Provost to one of their evening meetings.  We'd hoped that this might be an opportunity for discussion between retirees and the Provost over retiree concerns.  But that meeting was cancelled by the Provost's Office...and I don't think it was ever rescheduled.  I believe that the "original intent" of the meeting was for the Provost to share what's happening on campus...and to provide an opportunity for the retirees to meet the new Provost.  But it seemed "opportune" to use some of that time to raise issues and to have discussion ...rather than for the retirees to sit and listen to an update on KU.  The intent was not  to be argumentative--but rather simply to use the meeting as an opportunity for discussion.

4. We'd gathered information (after some struggle) from a national group of college/university retiree groups. The group had done a national survey about university retiree wants/needs.