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PURA History: 2004-2005

YEAR IN REVIEW

Officers and Advisor:
President: Roy A. Johnson
Vice President : Emily M. Wadsworth – resigned 10/2004; Christiane E. Keck – remainder of term
Secretary/Treasurer: Barbara A. Hansen
Historian: Velma Schanke
Advisor: Murray M. Blackwelder

Committee Chairpersons:
Benefits: Martha O. Chiscon
Communications: Lyn Doyle – resigned 2/2005; Oscar Hopkins – remainder of term
Hospitality: Lois K. Wark and W. Scott Rumble
Program: Paul L. Ziemer
Trips and Tours: Donald L. and Nadyne J. Parman

Ad-Hoc Committee Chairpersons:
Kick-Off Luncheon: Mary Alice Nebold
Living to 100 Securely: Program Committee
Campus and Community: Richard C. Nelson

Activities:

Annual Meeting:
Martin C. Jischke, president of the university, was the featured speaker at the luncheon in May 2005.

Archives:
It was decided to house PURA materials in the Purdue Library Archives.
With the assistance of the PURA historian, the library representative,
Sammie Morris, established guidelines for what materials should be
retained for the archives and organized the materials.

Award Recipients:
Arthur G. Hansen Recognition Award:Department of Agronomy, William W. McFee, Head
Betty M. Nelson Special Recognition Award: Harland White, founder of PACR

Benefits:
Renewal of the health insurance plan was with Anthem.
 
Big Ten Retirees Association Conference:
Roy Johnson and Martha Chiscon represented PURA at the Big Ten
annual meeting at the University of Minnesota.

Bylaws:
An amendment to the PURA bylaws changed the length of the president’s term to one year.
A second amendment to the bylaws allowed an exception to the committee membership rule of sitting out a year after six years of committee service before joining another committee.

Campus Campaign:
PURA representatives served on the Purdue Advisory Committee for the
Campus Campaign for Purdue.
 
Communication Committee:
 The new Communications Committee will be made up of a representative/liaison from each of the standing committees.

Dauch Center:
A request for volunteers to assist at the front desk of the Dauch Center has been communicated.

Executive Vice President and Treasurer:
PURA representatives participated in small group meetings with the five  candidates for the position of executive vice president and treasurer. Morgan R. Olsen was selected.
 
Handbook: 
The revised handbook for new retirees was included in the mailing of the Purdue Student, Staff, and Retiree Telephone directory.

Hospitality Committee:
The committee members continued efforts to encourage involvement of
clerical/service retirees and again called these new retirees to invite them to PURA activities.

“Inside Purdue:”
The Executive Board discussed adding information for pre-retirees in each issue of “Inside Purdue” to educate them about preparing for retirement. Topics to be addressed included social security, estate planning, and distribution of retirement funds. 
 
Kickoff Luncheon:
“A Purdue Tailgate Party” was the theme for the kickoff luncheon August 30, 2004.  One hundred ninety-eight (198) retirees registered for the event at the University Inn. 
 
Living to 100 in Style:
One hundred eighty (180) retirees attended the first healthcare seminar held in September 2004.  Sessions and exhibits received high ratings.

New Brochure:
“PURA: Serving Purdue in Countless Ways,” the new brochure
  accompanied with a letter from the president was distributed to list 39
  recipients and retirees from each department.

Newsletter:
Two national ( January and July) and four local (September, November, March, and May) issues of the PURA Newsletter were sent to retirees, deans and directors, the Purdue Libraries, Women’s Resource Center, and Big Ten Retirees groups.  The newsletter also was posted on the website.

Parking:
A retiree, Lanny Wilson, was named to the University Parking Committee.
Signage for the Speech and Hearing Clinic parking spaces in the parking
lot north of Purdue Memorial Union was changed to notify guests that at 5 p.m. the parking was designated for the handicapped.

Pre-retirement Meetings:
Representatives of PURA have been invited to attend the pre-retirement
meetings for Purdue employees nearing retirement.
Executive board members of PURA suggested content items for the
booklet, “Know Before You Retire,” that was developed by the Office of
Staff Benefits.

Programs:
Monthly meetings, held at MCL, featured a variety of topics presented by
engaging speakers.  A listing and description of the programs are included with the materials submitted for filing in the Purdue Archives.

Residence Halls:
Because only six retirees assisted students as they checked into the
residence halls in August, the discussion continued about other ways retirees can interact with students in the residence halls.

Spring Fling:
Standup calendars were distributed at Spring Fling.
 

TIAA/CREF:
TIAA/CREF established an office in Lafayette.
 
Trips and Tours:
A tour of the local underground railroad sites and trips to the Berghoff
Restaurant and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago; the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio;  and Amish Acres in northern Indiana provided diverse entertainment for those attending. 

United Way:
Purdue retirees again were selected to be pacesetters for the United Way
Campaign. Giving increased 20% over the prior year.

 
Comprehensive reports, regarding the above PURA activities and accomplishments during the year beginning June 2004 and concluding May 2005, are filed in the Purdue Archives.


May 2008
Mary Alice Nebold, Historian