The Retirees' Newsletter Page 3

The Faculty and Librarian Retirees' Association, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada

Vol.VII , No.3 -- June, 1997

CHAIRMAN OF OUR BURSARY COMMITTEE TO SET UP AN AD HOC GROUP TO ADVISE ON BURSARY PAY-OUT POLICY

THE ASSOCIATION'S BURSARY POLICY sparked a spirited discussion at the Spring meeting, held May 1st.

CORMAC SMITH, CHAIRMAN OF THE BURSARY COMMITTEE, told members that our Fund has now reached the $25,000.00 mark, and suggested that we consider instituting pay-outs in the form of bursaries without further delay.

AT ISSUE IN THE DISCUSSION were: whether we should hold off paying bursaries until the fund reaches a higher level, say $30,000.00; what size of bursaries to pay; and how to select the student recipients.

Cormac's report set off a lively round of discussion, which featured motions and counter-motions, amendments, voting on amendments, withdrawal of a seconding, summary rulings from the chair and other heights of animation rarely witnessed at retirees' meetings.

UNFORTUNATELY THE ASSOCIATION DOES NOT HAVE A COMPETENT SECRETARY (or even an incompetent one, for that matter), the post of secretary having been vacant for almost a year. Thus the detailed ebb and flow of a brief but exceptionally lively debate went largely unrecorded by default.

WHEN THE DUST FINALLY SETTLED, something like a consensus seemed to have emerged. The Bursary Committee Chairman, Cormac Smith, was asked to invite an ad hoc committee of his choosing, to consider the questions mentioned above, and to present that group's recommendations to the Annual General Meeting in October. There was also support for the idea of letting the Fund grow to the $30,000.00 level before instituting pay-outs, but this did not seem meant to limit the ad hoc committee's recommendations.

THE RETIREES' BURSARY FUND has been built up to its present level in less than three years by contributions from our members, aided, in part, by Ontario matching grants.

THE FUND ITSELF IS THE PROPERTY OF THE UNIVERSITY, under the control of the Student Awards Office. While the Association has the right to establish criteria applying to the awards, and to participate in the selection process, it has been understood from the outset that the ruling criterion would be that of need by the student.

REDUCTION IN GREEN SHIELD RATES

SOME GOOD NEWS from Jim Skinner on Green Shield rates. Decreases, particularly in semi-private and drug coverage rates will more than offset small increases in dental and extended care, to result in modest net reductions in total premiums. Mr. Skinner distributed a table detailing the changes. He indicated that he is still investigating possibilities of amalgamating ours with another plan or plans with a view to achieving better coverage and rates.

IN ATTENDANCE AT SPRING MEETING

The following 26 persons signed the book:EDWIN HABIB, GORDON DRAKE, NORM SHKLOV, JOAN HACKETT, LUCJAN KRAUSE, JOHN LA GAIPA, EUGENE MCNAMARA, Z. REIF, CORMAC SMITH, JOAN MAGEE IDALIA RAPPÉ, JAN GREGOR, JOSEPH HABOWSKY, MICHAEL PETRAS, BOB DORRELL, GINO FRACAS, ED CROWLEY, GEORGE CROWELL, JOHN HUSCHILT, FRANK HOLUJ, STUART NEASE, TERRY PARKINSON, MICHAEL ZIN, JOHN CALLAGHAN, RONOLD PAZIK, BILL PHILLIPS.

OF INTEREST

THE PREAMBLE to our Constitution reads as follows:

"The Association recognizes that, since its membership consists of persons retired from active duty in the work-force, there is no real need for formality or rigidity in its constitution. This is an informal document, therefore, and should be interpreted in that spirit".

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