April 14, 2009

ASEF Executive Council Meeting April 14, 2009

Present

Drs. Saunders, Goldfine, Asbury, Schleyer, Stinnett, LaRossa, Kefalides, Dalinka, Steinberg, MacGregor, Meadows, and McCarthy and Rachael Berget

Retirement Community

Dr. Saunders reported that he and Dr. Neville Strumpf, the incoming PASEF president, met again with the team of university administrators from Mr. Craig Carnaroli's office. Dr. Saunders said that it was impressive how well the university team had done its due diligence. Mr. Carnaroli's administrators had contacted: 15 retirement communities across the country; three academic retirement communities; all three of the authors of papers given to them earlier by Drs. Saunders and Strumpf; and a retirement community management company.

The university is most impressed with a 13-acre site located on the other side of the South Street Bridge (just north of Naval Square). The owners want to sell the parcel for $13 million. University planners believe that this is a good site for the proposed Penn retirement community. In the course of their due diligence, the planners have become concerned about the low number of people that actually buy into a retirement community (usually about 12% of a university's retired and emeritus faculty). The planners will do a study to determine whether Penn has the population of such faculty to support this community.

Dr. Saunders said that the university put a lot of effort into examining this issue. The “next step” survey will take place over the next 3 months or so. Dr. Saunders also said that the postal lands were not mentioned for this development. The university administrators said that there are a lot of other plans for that site.

Dr. Saunders said that the university administrators seemed particularly interested in the governance of these communities. Dr. Saunders suggested that this site should be operated like the Monell or WISTAR Institutes—people from Penn should be on the board of the retirement community. He said that the community should be seen as an arm of Penn.

Dr. Stinnett asked what form of financing—condo, rental, or co-op—does the University envision for these units? Dr. Saunders replied that the administrators did not specify that, but the Stanford University example, which is quite expensive, was not considered viable for Penn. Dr. Saunders said that next steps include identifying a manager for the community. The community's manager will hire the contractor to build the community. The land would be purchased by the University and then leased for 99 years to the retirement community's manager.

Dr. Saunders also said that university planners were excited about integrating the community's comprehensive care with Penn's Health System. He also said that Penn already has a nursing home facility. Dr. Steinberg commented that it would be nice if everything could be contained within one facility, instead of having to leave the community and go to another site for services such as health care. Dr. Saunders said that he and Dr. Strumpf had presented the planners with 3 or 4 pages of parameters for such a retirement facility.

Dr. Saunders also commented that anywhere from 5 to 8 units, or about 10%, would be graduate student apartments, in order to achieve some intergenerational benefits. Additionally, 3-7 units would be reserved for the recruitment of senior faculty candidates who are worried about caring for aging, infirm parents. Dr. Asbury commented that this retirement community would represent a great naming opportunity.

Emeritus status for research faculty

Drs. Saunders, Goldfine and Salzberg are scheduled to go before the Medical Faculty Senate Steering Committee (MFSSC) on May 12 to talk about the granting of Emeritus status to research faculty.

Speaker's Bureau

Dr. MacGregor said that he will collect responses to the Speaker's Bureau announcement after it goes out. He will speak to each faculty member who volunteers to participate. The topic of generating a list of community groups to whom the Speaker's Bureau can offer its services was also discussed. Dr. MacGregor would also like to hear suggestions from Executive Council members about talks to offer, i.e., topics that they believe would be of interest to seniors.

21 Penn Tower Space

Dr. Saunders has written to Kevin Mahoney and accepted the space on behalf of ASEF. Members can gain access to the space by next week.

Dr. Asbury said that he had talked to Eric Weckel the day before the meeting. Dr. Asbury and Mr. Weckel will go over to see what's left after the current occupants leave and then decide what else is needed.

The Second Tuesday of each month will be ASEF's new meeting date. This will enable ASEF to book space for its Executive Council meetings much further in advance.

In a discussion of allowing ASEF members access to the new space, Dr. LaRossa wondered if it was possible to have electronic access cards made that only allow access into the ASEF office space, instead of to the whole of Penn Tower. Dr. LaRossa believes that access cards can be programmed to do this. Dr. Saunders will explore this option for allowing ASEF members entry to the new office space.

Planning for Retirement

Dr. Meadows suggested that refreshments should be offered after the Vicki and Hilary show (the “Planning for Retirement” program). The Executive Council members approved having a reception following the program.

Miscellaneous Business

Dr. Meadows also suggested that ASEF should develop a strategic plan into which to fit its budget. She said that all of the organizations' boards on which she serves have a 5-year strategic plan.

Dr. Saunders stated that ASEF will not get a budget increase next year. He emphasized, however, that ASEF has used its budget wisely this year and had covered all of its expenses. Dr. Saunders will ask for the same amount next year that ASEF got this year.

Dr. Meadows commented that she needs to hold a meeting of the ASEF Program Committee. She stated that Dr. Goldfine will serve on this Committee as an ex-officio member, and said that Dr. Pasquariello is also on the Program Committee.

Dr. Kefalides showed Council members a University Club account card that PASEF got to charge its luncheon speakers' lunches. Dr. Kefalides suggested that ASEF should get the same card for its luncheon speakers' charges.

Fall Emeritus Dinner

Dr. Meadows asked if any of the Executive Council members had ideas for something different that ASEF can do. She is concerned that ASEF is not drawing enough people to its Fall Emeritus Dinner. Dr. Kefalides stated that he attended the PASEF Emeritus Dinner last Fall at the University Museum. He said that the president of PASEF introduced all of the emeritus faculty, who stood around him at the front of the room. His intro was brief (there were 30 retirees). They had elegant reception and dinner. Dr. Saunders commented that he would like for this year's Emeritus Dinner to be held in the 2nd or 3rd week of October.

The Council members expressed the belief that the BRB auditorium is too big, dark and dreary for the program part of the event. The suggestion was to return to the Inn at Penn. Rachael Berget or Julian Pugh will check out the costs of having the Emeritus event on campus vs. at the Inn at Penn. The event will be held on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thurs, not a Monday or Friday. Dr. Saunders said that he would check with Vicki Mulhern and Hilary Lopez to find out the number of emeritus and retired faculty for this academic year who will be honored at the Fall dinner.

Election of New Council Members for 2009-2010

We have nominees for President-Elect and for the At-Large Council positions. We still really need a Secretary-Treasurer.

Website

Dr. Schleyer will work on linking to The Almanac to get obituaries for the most-recently deceased emeritus and retired faculty. Dr. Schleyer reported that Dr. Saunders will take pictures of the new space on 21 Penn Tower and have them posted on the web.

The next ASEF Executive Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2009.

Respectfully submitted,
Rachael Berget