Newsletters

August 2006

From Our President's Desk

When I sat down to write this first letter From Our President's Desk, I reviewed all the similar messages by my predecessors and concluded that some things never change. Some common themes over the years since MURA was founded in 1990 have been the on-going efforts to secure and maintain a sound pension plan with periodic adjustments, reasonable health plans, more recognition for all that retirees do in continuing service to our university, and recruiting more MURA members. (Note: about 5,000 MU retirees live in the Columbia area; some 1,369 are members of MURA.)

These continue to be our more prominent objectives. We can report success with one particular plan this year. Last spring, Chancellor Brady Deaton endorsed our proposal to restructure the Chancellor's Retiree Advisory Committee, including doubling MURA's representatives on that committee from two to four. Early this month, the MU Faculty Council approved of our plan, as well. A recently expanded MURA nominating committee, convened by Tom Freeman, will soon begin the process of nominating those four representatives, and also will review MURA representation on other campus standing committees.

Restructuring committees does not mean that pension increases are on the horizon! But it does give us more voice in conveying retirees' concerns, hopefully getting the attention, and enlisting the support, of active faculty and staff who themselves will soon be retirees. Meanwhile, together with representatives from the other three campuses, we will continue to meet twice each year with President Floyd and Vice President Ken Hutchinson and continue making a case for pension increases in line with the long-established formula that has not been honored in recent years.

Rod Gelatt

Continuing to Care

Mizzou's retirees built the foundation of today's University

For the past 35 years, the University conununity has taken time to celebrate the many contributions MU's retirees have made and continue to make. On March 22, hundreds of retirees gathered at the Hearnes Center for the annual Chancellor's retiree luncheon. A highlight of that event is always the announcement of two Retiree of the Year Awards.

This year's faculty retiree award recipient is Verna Rhodes, professor emeritus of nursing. The Staff retiree award recipient is Darlene Schroeder, who worked out of the chancellor's office for many years.

"Without you, this university would not be what it is today," UM President Elson Floyd told the luncheon gathering. "This is a remarkable place, built on a very solid foundation that you have put in place. I celebrate the foundation you have laid."

Deputy Chancellor Mike Middleton stood in for Chancellor Brady Deaton, who was unable to attend because of a death in his family. "We recognize you as the heart and soul of what makes this a great university-its people," Middleton told the retirees.

Since Rhodes retired in 1995, her service work has extended to countries thousands of miles away. Through her work with A Call to Service, a group of concerned educators and health professionals, she has provided assistance to the strife-torn Republic of Georgia. Rhodes helps collect and ship books and medical equipment and supplies to the former Soviet republic. She was instrumental in developing a relationship between the MU nursing school and the school of nursing in Tibilsi, Georgia's capital.

Rhodes has also been a strong advocate of oncology nursing. She currently serves as president of the University's Fortnightly Club and is heavily involved in the activities of her church, the First Baptist Church of Columbia.

"It's very unusual, it seems to me, to get an award for something you truly enjoy," Rhodes said of her honor.

Schroeder retired in 2000 after working as secretary to MU's Staff Advisory Council and for many years as secretary to Elmer Ellis, the University's president emeritus. Since her retirement, Schroeder's service has focused on her family, church, and the community. As a member of the Columbia United Church of Christ ministry and fellowship teams.

To people outside her church, Schroeder is probably better known for her untiring volunteer work with University and community athletic programs. She has helped recruit, train, and assign volunteers for MU' s track and field and cross country programs for many years.

Colleagues say her caring, unselfish attitude makes people feel that they are understood and appreciated. Volunteering has always been a big part of her life, Schroeder says. "I believe we always receive more than we give."

Text taken from Mizzou Weekly 4/13/06

Three 'Good News' Items

by Mike Paden

First-In June 2006, UM received the first actual payment from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMMS) under the Medicare Part D subsidy program. This program is available to employers such as MU who sponsor post employment health care benefit programs. This support through CMMS will be of great assistance in controlling future premium increases and, actually, was taken into consideration in developing the 2006 premium structure.

Second-We are pleased to announce our plans to offer a vision benefit program to both active and retired employees effective January 1,2007. YSP is the group that has been selected to provide this coverage. In the OctoberlNovember time frame, UM Faculty and Staff Benefits, as well as YSP, will provide retirees with detailed information on the benefits to be offered under this program, the premium structure, the network of providers available, and the enrollment process. In addition to written communication and toll-free customer service numbers, group meetings will be held at each campus location for active and retired employees. The program will be offered on a basis where employees and retirees will pay for any required premiums.

Third-In the near future, we will be working with Express Scripts to make certain that all retirees are aware of the potential savings that are available for maintenance medications through the use of the Express Scripts Home Delovery service. Communication materials from Express Scripts will be customized for each retiree and will provide estimates of savings available through the home delivery program for the specific maintenance medications that individual retirees are using.

Questions should be directed to Faculty & Staff Benefits Office, 114 Heinkel Bldg., 882-2146.

Membership Drive

In an effort to encourage MU retirees to join MURA, why not invite one or more of your retired MU friends to be your guest(s) at our October 3rd Fall Social? Those of you who have attended our socials know that University Club hors d' oeuvres are well worth the price.

And, remember, one doesn't have to be retired to join MURA. MU pre-retirees over age 55 are eligible as well.

MURA Seniors Golf Tournament

by Rex Dillow

The 2006 Columbia Seniors Championship Golf Tournament was held on July 14 and 15 at Lake of the Woods and A.L. Gustin courses. The tournament featured outstanding golf and keen competition that produced a high level of interest within our community and excellent coverage by the news media.

Dee Sanders, a nine-time Columbia champion, who reached the 'senior' age of 50 years only four days before the tournament, won in a sudden-death play-off with the 2004 champion, Tim Rooney. Trailing Sanders by four strokes following the first round at Lake of the Woods, Rooney shot six under par during the second day at Gustin to force the play-off. John Weston, runner-up in 2005 and a past two-time Columbia champion, shot a five under par on the second day to finish in third place. Bob Martin repeated as over-60-years Super Senior Champion with an excellent score of 146.

This 36-hole invitational tournament has become one of the premier golf tournaments in our area. It is sponsored by the M.U. Retirees Association as a contribution to the quality of life of seniors in our Columbia community. Gary Smith, a past MURA president, presented the tournament awards in the ceremony at Gustin following the final round.

Tree Trails

Of Mizzou Botanic Garden an educational guide to the trees of our campus

Suggestion-Stop by the publications display in the lobby of the Reynolds Alumni Center and pick up a copy of the delightful guide, Tree Trails ofMizzou. This brochure highlights the horticultural diversity of our campus with colorful maps and descriptions of some 112 examples of various genera and species of trees-some native to Missouri, some of other lands.

The trails consist of three loops-Jesse Hall Loop, through historic Francis Quadrangle and Peace Park (.93 miles, 60 minutes); Lowry Mall Loop, centering on Ellis Library and areas popular with students (.61 miles, 30 minutes); and Memorial Union Loop, which meanders among early 20th century white limestone buildings (.61 miles, 35 minutes).

Trees on each loop are identified by sequentially numbered plaques, some of which exhibit dedications mounted on granite pedestals, while other plaques recognize folks who have 'adopted' individual trees in support of their care.

This is an enjoyable way to brush up on your botanical knowledge, heighten your awareness of the effort given to the beautification of our campus, while getting that essential exercise.

For information about contributing or volunteering, phone Landscape Services at 882-4240.

The Aging Front

by Ann Gowans

Missouri Governor's Advisory Council on Aging met in Jefferson City to hear a report from the It. governor's office regarding the 2006 legislative session update. We heard from Eric Feltner, of the It. governor's office, who informed us that the assisted lIving bill is well on its way toward passage. I am delighted to report that after four years of struggle, we have finally been able to actually pass the assisted living bill into law. Among other things, the bill mandates which specific activities will be included when any business offers assisted living. There is now also a new licensure category for assisted living that a business must meet. This mandate for licensure is an important part of ensuring safety and honesty among service workers.

One of the things involved in the mandate is the completion of a standardized assessment tool exercised by every client. This means that every person who enters any facility that offers assisted living as an option must complete the state assisted living assessment when accepting services. These assessments must be reviewed and renewed on a yearly basis for each client. Another part of the mandate states that there must be more patient choice when a transfer to a hospital or other facility is requested, and that a discharge accompany each patient who might be asked to leave. This would alleviate the problem of owners evicting clients if, in an owner's judgement, a client were to become too troublesome or costly.

More safety for the client will result from the planning of a safety route for each patient should evacuation be necessary. This plan must be explained to every client, and pathways to safety must be posted and given to families along with other introductory materials. Complete state rules and regulations that must be enforced are not yet complete, but will become law by January 1,2008. Every assisted living facility must comply with these R. & R.s in order to get state permission to advertise and offer assisted living services.

Other good news is that $1 million in new money is now made available for home delivered meals. This is something we have been asking the governor's office to help with for a couple of years.

The hoped-for long-telm care bill has died for this session, but don't give up hope. We intend to stay with it until we get some action on this much-needed bill. Maybe next year.

The Silver Haired Legislature thanked the sitting legislature for moving forward on home delivered meal legislation, and is now working on the Homestead Preservation Act.

Our university's own OCETA, our statistical workhorse, will conduct a senior count, which it hopes to complete this summer, giving us some demographic reports on all our counties. We must be mindful of the senior population in our state because it continues to increase, requiring ever increasing care for elderly.

The CMAAA is working on the Single Point of Entry initiative that will enable anyone to access a complete list of senior services and contacts in any p311 of Missouri. This will serve not only our seniors but also their families far away.

Brenda Campbell, of the Department of Health and Senior Services, brought us up-to-date on the progress of our sex offenders registry, which will be given to all providers of senior services. This is especially important to those who are accepting home care and services.

All in all it was a pretty good year for our agenda. Onward and upward.

End of COIN

With thanks, Ernest Hilderbrand

As some of you know, COIN e-mail service has been discontinued. To those MURA members with new e-mail address, please send those to me at HilderbrandE@missouri.edu.