January 11, 2017 – Officers Meeting

George Mason University

Minutes of the Retired Faculty Association – Officers Meeting

January 11, 2017, 10:30 AM – 12:12 PM mtg.

Merton Hall 1402

 

Present:  Bob Ehrlich, Joseph Lieb, Julie Mahler, Jim Sanford, Janice Sutera, Veronique Klimonda.

I.   The meeting began at 10:30 AM. Jim Sanford presided. Minutes of Nov 10, 2016 meeting were approved.

II. Membership and Organization:

A.  Review of Next Steps: Plan for Your Retirement Seminar for Mason faculty and staff, Friday, November 18, 2016. (Janice S./Jim S.) – Jim and Janice provided a brief overview of RFA and RFA website. Fielded several questions about staff participation.  Shernita is revamping future offerings of this program.  More faculty participate in the seminar in the spring than in November.  Direct email about RFA appears to be best promotion of the organization.  Will assess participation in future seminar offerings once revisions are known.

B. Welcome Message to new retirees and Annual Email to RFA membership: (Jim Sanford)

  1. Discussed welcome letter for new retirees in HR packets distributed to faculty when they actually retire. Action: Revise letter annually in June as needed.
  2. Discussed annual membership email sent August/September to all RFA members in the database.  Action: Revise annually to include/feature activities, officers for the new year.

Action: Jim will revise letter and annual email as needed and connect with Veronique and Bob on logistics for distribution.

C.  People Finder/Mason Directory (Veronique)

Action: Veronique communicated with Philip A Stamper, Unit Manager of University Information, Office of Communication and Marketing.  Retired Faculty Association is listed in the Mason Directory and the RFA Secretary’s email address listed as the contact.

D.  Mason Club update: January 30, 2017 club opening.  See: http://dining.gmu.edu/mason-club/

E.  Succession Planning (Jim Sanford)

Several candidates were discussed because of their identified interests in becoming more involved in the Association.

 

III.  Programming/Events (Jim Sanford)

A. Event Marketing:

  1. National Cryptologic Museum. 18 RSVPs. January 12, 2017. Docent tour at 10:30 AM. Carpooling encouraged in reminder email. Lunch planned at Rams Head Tavern in Savage, MD.
  2. Greenhouse tour – cancelled.
  3. Talk by Jim Jones on Cybersecurity: Sifting through Digital Trash for Fun, Profit, Catch the Bad Guys.  February 9, 2017, 7PM: Free and sponsored by “Galileo’s Science Cafe” (not the RFA) at the Hylton Performing Arts Center will be listed as the February RFA event.
  4. March 22, 1130 AM — Talk by Patrice Winter, Assistant Professor, Global and Community Health, on Aging in Place: Do not blame the house.
  5. April 12, 10:30 — Talk by Marion Deshmukh, Robert T. Hawkes Emeritus Professor of History, about German Art and Politics based on her recent book.
  6. May 10,1030 AM– Talk by Evans Mandes, Professor of Psychology Emeritus, talk on Interpreting Visual Art based on his recent book

B.  Future event ideas (Bob Ehrlich)

A list of possible trips and talks for 2017-18 was distributed and discussed.

  1. Possible trips included: the environmental station on the Piedmont, Udvar Hazy Air & Space Museum at Dulles, African American museum, CFA faculty arts dinner and CFA event, Wilderness Civil War Battlefield, the Kreeger Museum, National Firearms Museum guided tour, Fairfax Museum (Randy Lytton).
  2. Talk possibilities included:
  • Dave Hall, The Senior Driver, AARP
  • Jim Sanford, Errors in Memory
  • Jane Flinn, Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Bob Ehrlich, Crazy Ideas in Science
  • Justin Ramsdell, Spotting Psychopaths
  • Don Boileau, Effective Communication and Dealing w Difficult People
  • Rober Rogowsky, Getting to Happy: Seven practical steps to a happier and more contented life
  • Robert Vay, The Early History of George Mason (Library Archivist at Mason)

Bob fielded questions and suggestions to vary talks and trips.

 

C. Fall 2016 Event attendance:

  1. Luray Caverns tour and talk by Doug Mose, Dec. 14, 2016. Attended: 7.
  2. Talk by Tom Davis, current BOV Rector, former Congressman, former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. His ‘take’ on the 2016 election results. Nov 10, 10:30 AM, JC rm C. Attended: 29.
  3. Pohick Bay Regional Park Guided boat tour of the river ecology with Chris Jones. Oct 12, 10:30 AM.  Attended: 5 + 7 = 12
  4. Tour of Gunston Hall – with docent and Mason retiree, Libby Hall. Sept 14, 2016. Attended = 16 for tour and box lunch.

 

IV.  2016-17 Executive Committee Meetings

  • Next meeting: Wednesday, March 22, 9:30 – 11:00 AM, 4102 Merten Hall

 

V.  Adjournment: About 12:12 PM

 

Respectfully submitted,

Janice Sutera Wolfe, Ph.D.

2012 Retiree