UC San Diego Emeriti Association Report

Highlights of Activities 2009-2010

1. The UC San Diego Emeriti Association continues its active roles, both as a stand-alone organization and in close partnership with the 950-member UC San Diego Retirement Association. As a result, emeriti are able to participate in the Retirement Association’s many interest groups. This relationship is supported by the excellent coordination efforts of Suzan Cioffi, Director of the UC San Diego Retirement Resource Center, and by the physical resources of the Center, a well-equipped facility located in the heart of the campus.

2. Membership of the UC San Diego Emeriti Association continues to grow and now includes 413 active members. A special reception for potential new members in March before our monthly program along with other outreach activities has led to this increase in membership. Our dues for annual and life memberships remain at $30 and $300, respectively.

3. During the academic year, the UC San Diego Emeriti Association's Executive Committee meets monthly to discuss Emeriti issues and plan upcoming events. Following this is the General Members’ Meeting at which a distinguished faculty member gives a talk on a timely topic. Typically these talks have been attended by 50-120 active Emeriti Association members. Special meetings during the year include a Holiday Party that is held jointly with the UC San Diego Retirement Association – more that 200 members attended this past year – and the Welcoming Reception for potential new members in March. In June we host a luncheon at the Faculty Club for Emeriti Association members with a special speaker invited to give the main talk. At this luncheon we conduct our Annual Business meeting at which time the new President, President-Elect and new members of the Executive Committee are installed.

4. Professor Emeritus Sandy Lakoff continues as Editor of the CHRONICLES, our official newsletter that is published bi-monthly during the academic year. In addition to maintaining his high editorial standards, Professor Lakoff was also a recipient last year on our campus of the Edward A. Dickson Emeriti Professorship recognizing his many contributions to our Emeriti Association.

5. The UC San Diego Emeriti Association Mentoring Program: This Fall, the Program paired 26 individual Emeriti members with undergraduates in the Chancellor’s Scholars Program, all of whom are the first in their families to attend college. Initiated in August 2007, the Mentoring Program has just expanded through an innovative partnership with the campus’s Express to Success program to provide Chancellor’s Scholars with monthly community building gatherings that include skills training in public speaking and group leadership.

6. Dickson Award: At our Annual Luncheon and Business Meeting in June 2009 we made our second two Edward A. Dickson Emeriti Professorship awards. The recipients were Professor Emeritus of Music Peter Farrell and Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics Bob Hamburger.

7. UC San Diego Emeriti Association Undergraduate Scholarship Fund: In the 2008-2009 academic year, the UC San Diego Emeriti Association raised $5,700 for the scholarship fund. During the current academic year, the award sponsored by our Association was given to a freshman with an outstanding high school record.

8. In recent months the Association’s Web site has been the expanded and updated. See http://emeriti.ucsd.edu/

Submitted by: Dick Attiyeh, Vice President, UC San Diego Emeriti Association