Newsletters

July 2008

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From our President's Desk

I would like to begin by saying that I am honored to have been nominated and elected to be President of MURA for 2008-09. I have spent almost all of my life associated with MU, first as a student, then an employee and now a retiree. I have always felt it has been a privilege to be a part of such a great institution. However, I must tell you that it is a bit humbling to follow Jo Behymer. She and the other officers and committee members did an exceptional job of moving MURA forward in 2007-08. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to our organization. Your year will be a hard act to follow.

As you know, MU has just announced the largest enrollment in it’s history and as a result, they have stopped accepting applications, something that has happened only one other time in our memory. In spite of record enrollments, salaries are far below other comparable institutions and state support, while slightly improved this year, is still among the lowest in the nation. One can only speculate what the price of oil, a resource that seems to affect the price of virtually everything, will be in the future. Add to this the elections and the fact that we will have a new president, governor, many key legislators, and three new curators this year, we have to wonder what challenges and opportunities the new year will bring. Time will tell.

I had hoped to open my first letter like Jo Behymer did last year by commenting on a pension adjustment that we would all be receiving, but, sadly, I cannot. Unfortunately, no adjustment is forthcoming this year, but please be assured that MURA representatives will continue to make our case for an adjustment at every opportunity. You can all help by supporting MU, telling your elected officials of the many values of our institution to this state and to the nation, and encouraging more public support and funding. You can also help by recruiting new members for MURA and by staying informed by attending our fall informational meeting on November 15, 2008.

I hope to see you there.

Kee W. Groshong

Community activists: chancellor’s retiree of the year awards

Continuing to Give: Deaton says retirees bring wisdom, perspective, and expertise to MU

s the lunch clatter died down April 23 in the cavernous Hearnes Center field house and the award ceremony began, many of the more than 600 retirees in attendance knew firsthand that the award’s title—the Retiree of the Year Award—was just a touch misleading. Many retirees are just as busy as they were when they were still MU faculty and staff employees.

Each year at the chancellor’s retiree luncheon, a former faculty member and a former staff member are honored for their accomplishments during retirement. The 2008 recipients are Rod Gelatt, a professor emeritus of broadcast journalism since 1992, and Georgia Morehouse, who retired from the Division of Animal Sciences in 1984.

Jo Behymer, president of the MU Retirees Association and a retired education faculty member and assistant provost, talked about some of the countless contributions that MU retirees make to the university and to the Columbia community. They continue to teach courses on campus, and they volunteer through the provost’s office to mentor undergraduates.

“You bring wisdom, perspective, and expertise to our university,” Chancellor Brady Deaton told those in attendance. “We could not continue to thrive in these challenging times without your help.”

Deaton said that Gelatt, the faculty retiree of the year, “has become as outstanding in his many accomplishments in retirement as he was in nearly 40 years as a full-time faculty member at the University of Missouri.”

Thousands of mid-Missourians are familiar with Gelatt’s intelligence, wit, and melodious voice from his long stint as the moderator of KBIA-FM’s weekly radio program, Views of the News. Those who know him call Gelatt a tireless ambassador for the community and the university. He has been president of the MU Retirees Association. He volunteers weekly at the Reynolds Alumni Center to direct visitors and welcome campus visitors. He also greets visitors at the city’s tourist information center and is a docent at the Boone County Historical Society.

Deaton described Morehouse, the staff retiree of the year, as a “career volunteer who believes that doing for others is one of the most fulfilling and important parts of living.” Her volunteer accomplishments are as extraordinary as her enthusiasm, energy, and organization. Friends say she has worked tirelessly on behalf of the disadvantaged and the arts community, and has also encouraged physical fitness in both young people and seniors. Moorehouse is active in the Trinity Presbyterian Church, where she has taught adult Sunday school classes, served as worship leader, and has presented children’s sermons. She has been secretary, president-elect, and president of the Missouri Symphony Board, and has served on the organizing committee for the Missouri State Senior Games since it first began.

UM benefits news

by Mike Paden

During the recent tax preparation season, our office received a number of inquiries from UM retirees, and/or their tax advisers, with questions regarding whether or not benefits paid from UM’s Retirement, Disability, and Death Benefit Plan would be eligible for limited exemption available under Missouri tax law. Policy dictates that UM does not provide tax advice to employees, nor to retirees, so we were unable to respond to those inquiries.

We did, however, request a ruling on this issue from our Department of Revenue, to which we received a response that can be viewed at www.umsystem.edu/benefits. Please note that this response contains information in addition to the responses summarized herein, including words of caution about reliance by taxpayers upon the interpretations contained in the letter and the duration of its validity. A review of the actual letter by UM retirees and/or their tax advisors would be advisable. The letter provides the following questions and answers:

Question: Are benefits paid from Applicant’s Retirement, Disability, and Death Benefit Plan “retirement benefits received from sources other than privately funded sources” for purposes of Section 143.124.5, RSMo?

Answer: Yes, benefits paid from Applicant’s Retirement, Disability, and Death Benefit Plan are “retirement benefits received from sources other than privately funded sources,” for purposes of Section 143.124.5, RSMo.

Question: Are benefits paid from Applicant’s Supplemental Retirement Plan “retirement benefits received from sources other than privately funded sources,” for purposes of Section 143.124.5, RSMo?

Answer: Yes, benefits paid from Applicant’s Supplemental Retirement Plan are “retirement benefits received from sources other than privately funded sources,” for purposes of Section 143.124.5, RSMo.

The aging front

by Ann Gowans

The Aging Federation met in May to consider the following legislative items:

The Comprehensive Point of Entry Subcommittee is trying to understand how the various information systems work at this point in order to give everyone a baseline understanding of this issue. Successful implementation of this program would allow those who wish to contact state services to contact a single phone number or e-mail address to receive complete information. The federal government is interested in pushing all states to act on this issue, but questions remain in Missouri. For example, would this program provide Missouri HealthNet, private insurance, and case management information?

The Department of Health and Senior Services is applying for an Aging Resource Grant of $800,000, spread over three years, to study and create a system to involve hospital discharge planning for seniors who really cannot go home. One critical question is, ‘how can families be provided information and a voice in this critical decision-making process?’

One group of Missourians who need help is the ‘near poor’ who drop through the proverbial cracks, given current services. If state agencies and services are not involved in assisting these people, where do these private-pay patients and their families turn for help when trying to make health-care decisions?

About one-third of our state budget is spent on Medicaid/Missouri HeathNet. For this to be increased to one-half, either taxes would have to be raised or current services would have to be reduced. There appears to be a growing consensus that the system needs to be designed for all seniors to gain help, not only the lower income Missouri HealthNet population. To learn about benefits for which you might be eligible, please see the following two web sites, which ask for a personalized report: www.benefitscheckup.org and www.govbenefits.gov

Breakfast lectures continue

MURA’s Board announces a continuation of breakfast programs held the first Tuesday of each month. Ourlocation has changed to Jack’s Gourmet Restaurant, 1903 Business Loop 70 East at the junction of Old 63 and Business Loop 70, across from Westlakes. The cost is $8.00, payable at the door. Please make reservations four days in advance by phoning 573-442-5215 or by e-mailing jparkerok@aol.com.

Schedule, 2008–09 academic year

• Sept. 2 Quick-study Memory Mastery: Improving Your Memory After 60, by Bart Entrikin, personal and professional development specialist.
• Oct. 7 The 2008 Election and the Supreme Court, Fred Spiegel, MU professor emeritus of political science.
• Nov. 4 That’s All Folks: Some Possible Endings, Mack Jones, MU professor emeritus of English.
• Dec. 2 Why People Dislike Lawyers, Larry Dessem, Dean of MU’s School of Law.
• Jan. 6 Whose Land Is It? A History of the Israeli-Palestine Conflict, Larry Brown, MU professor of cultural geography.
• Feb. 3 The Trial of Frank James, Bill Berry, past-president, Boone County Historical Society.

Columbia Seniors Golf Tournament 2008

by Rex Dillow

The 2008 Columbia Seniors Championship golf tournament will be played Saturday and Sunday, July 26–27 on Lake of the Woods and A.L. Gustin golf courses. The 2007 winner, John Weston, will defend his championship against the strongest field in the 15-year existence of the tournament. In addition to seven past champions of this event, there will be several highly regarded newcomers to the senior (over-50) ranks who are eligible for the first time; e.g., Joe Bellmer, Dave Wier, and Bret Wilson.

Invitations will be issued in early July to those seniors whose performances in other tournaments make them legitimate contenders. Following the final round at Gustin on July 27, trophies will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, and to the super-senior (over-60) winner. The tournament continues to be sponsored by—the MU Retirees Association as a contribution to the quality of life of Columbia senior citizens.

Retirement, health, and other benefits advisory committee

by Allen Hahn

This committee finally got off the ground with its January meeting, at which time the full committee (as appointed) attended. Those on the committee are:

(*Retiree member) *Allen Hahn, Chair, *Doris Littrell, *John Bauman, *Marjorie Leavene, June Deweese, Debra Denham, David Mehr, Roger Heath, Jatha Sadowski, Jack Batterson, Patsy Higgins, Gordon Christensen, Mike Paden, and Barbara Savio.

All meetings were attended by Mike Paden, who supplied information and fielded questions. Ken Hutchinson retired from his position as UM Vice-president for human resources. Blake Danuser, who served as interim vice-president, attended one meeting. The newly hired UM vicepresident of human resources, Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Rodriguez, will be on-board beginning in mid-summer. Betsy will be invited to attend our meetings next academic year. All in all, we feel that we had a successful year. I thank all members for their contributions. You can find various kinds of information about the committee; i.e., its charges, membership, and minutes at: http://committees.missouri.edu/retiree-benefits/index.php. If you need additional information, or would like to offer comments, I will be happy to convey your thoughts to our committee. My e-mail address is HahnA@missouri.edu.

Annual MURA income and expense July 1, 2007– June 30, 2008

Submitted by Robert T. Marshall, Treasurer

Balance on hand July 1, 2007			$4,182
Income:
	Dues	$6,149.00
	Golf fees	$1,820.00
	Vanguard Fed Bond Fund	$314.70
	Vanguard 500 Index Fund	$692.71
	Country Breakfasts	$3,387.00
	Holiday Luncheon	$3,381.00
	Spring Picnic	$1,251.00
	Total Income		$16,995.41
Balance + Income Disbursements:
	Operations:
	Filing fee, State of MO	$10.00
	Bob Steward, travel to curator's meeting	$46.75
	Transfer funds to CD at Boone County Bank	$275.00
	Copies	$7.14
	AROHE member dues	$100.00
	P.O. Box rental	$26.00
	Subtotal		$464.89
	Golf tournament:
	Green fees, Columbia Parks and Rec	$833.75
	Green fees, University of Missouri	$592.00
	Rex Dillow expenses	$398.34
	Subtotal		$1,824.09
	University Club:
	Country breakfasts	$3,625.00
	Fall informational meeting	$332.10
	Spring informational meeting	$660.50
	Holiday luncheon	$3,173.64
	Spring picnic	$1,015.00
	Subtotal		$8,806.24
	Newsletter:
	August	$643.75
	November	$794.09
	February	$677.65
	Subtotal		$2,115.49
	Publications:
	Brochure	$315.24
	Welcome letter	$371.23
	Subtotal		$686.47
	Total disbursements		$13,897.18
Checkbook balance: May 30, 2008		$7,281.07
Other assets		06/30/07	03/31/08
	Lifetime Members Reserve Account: Vanguard Portfolio: Short-term Federal Bond Fund ($8,000 invested)	$7,704.93	$8,096.20
	500 Index Mutual Fund ($33,000 now invested)	$48,675.56	$42,811.32
	Certificates of deposit, BCNBC	0	$1,767.07
	Total	$56,380.49	$52,664.59