December 2021 Minutes
UM President’s Council of Retired Employees
umaine.edu/retirees
December 3, 2021
Minutes
Meeting via Zoom
Attendees: David Bagley, Louis Bassano, Nancy Boyington, Dusty Dowse, Marian Dressler, Richard Judd, Sarah McPartland-Good, Michael Pullen (on phone), Sue Randall, Thomas Sandford, Phyllis Thibodeau, Gloria Vollmer
Absent members: None
Call to Order:
Dusty Dowse called the meeting to order at 8:13 a.m. He announced that the Zoom monthly meetings are being recorded for individuals who are interested in reviewing the meeting.
Review and approval of the November meeting minutes:
Tom noted that the mission statement in the November minutes was the old one and that the mission statement on the website is the correct document. Phyllis will make this correction.
Discussion of Procedural Matters going forward:
Dusty updated the Committee on his review of the PCRE archive files. The Mission Statement he reviewed includes Membership, which includes Vice Chair (which we don’t currently have), Chair, and Secretary. Officers are elected annually with membership and officer terms being for a calendar year (January to December).
Officers for 2022:
Dusty suggested we elect officers for 2022 at this time. Dusty was elected Chair. Thomas Sanford was elected Vice Chair. The Vice Chair position is assumed in line to become the next chair (succession). Phyllis Thibodeau was elected Secretary.
Subcommittee staffing roster:
Dusty emphasized that Subcommittee staffing was crucial for the PCRE to do their work. There is a lot of PCRE information and files and it is essential that we list where and how to store these documents as well to have a corporate memory. Currently files to be given to successors are the Scholarship folders (to Sue Randall), the Hikel Award (Tom), and the Oral History folders. Sue is the coordinator and contact for the newsletter. It was suggested to use Google docs to share information and documents.
Dusty will email a letter again requesting volunteer sign up from the members.
Question of memberships:
Current members termed out are: Gloria, Nancy and Marian. Sue and Richard will re-up for a new term and continue.
Needed is a “Gold Card Eligible employee” who is a current employee. Marian suggested Mazie Hough as a excellent nominee. Richard will ask Mazie if she would be interested in serving on the PCRE.
PCRE members will submit names to Dusty to be considered as future members. Dusty will also email Deans to bring the names forward to the President’s Office.
Discussion of options for an on-site Homecoming in the spring of 2022: June 7, 2022 (the first Tuesday of June) was decided as our Homecoming (hopefully to be held in Wells). Serge will work with us to also offer it via Zoom (as an option for those not attending in person). It was agreed that we would not offer the Homecoming ONLY virtually (having a guarded optimism that it will be live). It was agreed no completely virtual homecoming for 2022, probably hybrid at minimum.
Phyllis explained that the latest date to cancel a live Homecoming would be the first PCRE meeting in March. Sarah agreed that March would be a good goal to aim for.
PCRE newsletter:
Thoughts about content and potential contributors:
Sarah explained that the Silver Tracks Newsletter goes out in February or March, and can include a “Save the Date” for the Homecoming. Sarah added that the best time for her (marketing) staff to get the newsletter out would be February.
Next was a discussion of what has been included in the newsletter in the past. Open invitation for Hikel nominations, visit to the winery, Oral History write up, Scholarship award, President’s message and special interest profile (i.e. Hannah Carter, Dean of UMCE).
Gloria suggested adding a column on profiles of retirees, either people on the PCRE committee or any retirees. She thought it would of great interest to retirees, especially after recently finding out David Bagley’s and Dusty’s fascinating retirement projects.
Other Matters:
Discussion about the “Call for nomination for the Hikel” awards. Phyllis and Sue explained that the winners are announced at the Homecoming and their writeup is in the following year’s Winter newsletter. Someone needs to be in touch with the President’s Office, (i.e. Meredith) to send an email to all staff requesting Hikel nominations. (Perhaps check with Joseph Genco for a copy of email he sent in the past).
Tom will update the website to add the most recent (2021) Hikel awardees.
Dusty thanked outgoing members for their service and appreciation to those continuing.
Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 9:30 am.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Boyington (outgoing secretary)