April 20, 2010

Location

Conference Room D, 21 Penn Tower

Present

Drs. Asbury, Downes, Goldfine, Hess, Kefalides, LaRosa, Meadows, Myers, Nachmias, Saunders, Schleyer, Steinberg, Rachael Berget from the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development 

Absent

Drs. Dalinka, Heppenstall, MacGregor, and McCarthy

Minutes

Dr Goldfine called the meeting to order at 12:05.  The agenda for the meeting and other documents were distributed. Certificates of Service to the ASEF were presented to Drs. Kefalides, Downes, Hess, Saunders, and Steinberg.  The President announced that the 2010 ballot for ASEF President and At-Large Council Members was about to be distributed.  The Council approved changes to the By-Laws would similarly be distributed to the membership but voted upon at short business meeting that will precede the Spring Seminar on May 18th.

The President reported on the April 12th meeting with the Dean of the School of Medicine.  The Dean was updated on the educational activities, the luncheon program, the record keeping mission, the Advocacy Program, the efforts to create a Penn Retirement Community, our headquarters use, and other ASEF initiatives.  The Dean urged the ASEF to continue its educational efforts and perhaps to revisit meetings with the Chairs to apprise them on faculty retirement issues.  He asked that we consult with the School Legal Office as the plan for the Advocacy Program moves forward.  He also asked the ASEF to work through the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development in identifying Department Academic Coordinators that would serve as the responsible person within Departments to keep track of Emeritus Faculty.  The Dean approved our budget request for the 2010-2011 year.

Dr. Goldfine also announced that the President of PASEF would be invited to the ASEF Executive Council meetings in the future.  There is much common ground between the two organizations and PASEF invites the President of ASEF to their Executive Committee meetings.

A discussion emerged about inviting members of PASEF to utilize the Headquarters space on 21 Penn Tower as guests.  The Council agreed that this was a good gesture and it was proposed that an invitation in this regard be sent to the leadership of the PASEF.  It was also decided that this invitation be sanctioned by the Dean of Medicine.  In addition, that it be undertaken for a one-year period, after which it would be reassessed to see how it might be improved.  A joint reception of the two organizations in late May or early June was considered as a means of introducing the headquarters space to our colleagues.

Committee Reports

Luncheon Seminar – Dr.  Kefalides

The ASEF website now lists the remaining PASEF and ASEF luncheons through early June.  The remaining scheduled dates are April 27, May 7, May 11, May 21, and June 1.  The fall schedule for ASEF lectures is being organized by the new Luncheon Chair, Dr. Asbury.

Education Committee

Dr. Schleyer noted that there was going to be an attempt to reconstitute the John Morgan Society, and the first lecture was planned for April 22 in the Hope Conference room on the second floor of CHOP.

Program Committee – Dr. Meadows and Dr. Pasquariello

Plans are now complete for the two spring events: The Retirement Planning Seminar will be held on May 6th and the Spring Lecture on May 18th in the Class of ‘62 Auditorium in the John Morgan Building.  A discussion was undertaken to decide the level of refreshments to be provided at the two events.  It was agreed to weight the distribution in favor of the Spring lecture.  Discussion also concluded that the newly organized Retirement Reception in the Fall  (October) was best held on the 14th floor of the BRB II/III.  It was deemed important to identify dates now and secure the Dean to make a short presentation.

Membership Committee – Dr. Steinberg

It was reported that the Emeritus Faculty survey has been sent out through the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development using the Survey monkey mechanism.  A second request for responses will be forwarded to emeritus members in mid-May.

Retirement Community Committee – Dr. Saunders

There have now been two sessions,  April 20th and May 3rd in which potential Consultants on Planning for a Retirement Community have been interviewed by the PASEF/ASEF Retirement Community Committee and folks from the Division of Facilities and Real Estate Planning Services.  The decision to contract with one of them may be forthcoming.

Headquarters Committee – Dr. Saunders

Between March 18 and April 19 there were 24 working days on which there were 20 visits to the HQ site, totaling about 39 hours of use. 

Thirteen different members used the facility in various activities.  The installation of WiFi capability is being explored with the Penn Tower Building IT people.

New Business

Dr Goldfine discussed plan to create an ASEF Medical Student Scholarship Fund.  It was again noted that both the Development Office and the Dean were very enthusiastic about the prospect of the ASEF establishing such a fund.  A statement on the purpose of the Fund is being prepared by Dr. Goldfine for submission to the Development Office.  A discussion continued on the mechanisms the ASEF might use to solicit funds.  Advertising on the web site, and direct e-mail and snail mail communication were endorsed.  Dr. Asbury noted that TIAA retirement accounts can be left to the University for directed purposes, and it might be productive if this possibility were explained to our Emeritus Faculty in greater detail.

The meeting adjourned at 1:30PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Jim Saunders

May 15, 2010