Why Was It Formed?
The UCSB Emeriti Association, the second emeriti unit established in the University system, was formed in 1978 to serve as the emeriti representative and advocate in matters involving their welfare, their perquisites, and their continuing participation in University and campus governance. In addition, the Association's founding members anticipated the value of providing occasional social interaction among its members.Who Is Eligible for Membership?
- All retired UCSB faculty who held membership in the Academic Senate at the time of retirement, and their spouses or survivors.
- All retired UCSB Librarians belonging to the Librarians Association of the University of California.
- Others
on whom the University has conferred individual emeritus or
emerita status.
In addition, the UCSB Emeriti Association has extended membership to:
- Faculty members who left UCSB before retirement, but are now retired.
- Emeriti from other University campuses.
- Persons on campus whom the Association judges to offer outstanding service records.
How Does One Join the Association?
There is no formal application. The Association routinely obtains the names of newly retired faculty members and librarians and adds them to its mailing list. In late summer all those newly eligible to join receive one-half year complimentary memberships, along with an invitation to all members to attend the annual Fall luncheon. Upon payment of yearly dues, one becomes or remains a member. Those who attain the age of 85 are exempted from the payment of dues while retaining all benefits. This exemption also holds for spouses or surviving spouses.How is the Association Organized?
There are seven elected officers: President, Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Representative to the Council of the University of California Emeriti Associations (CUCEA), and Alternate Representative to CUCEA.The seven elected officers, together with up to 10 appointed Members-at-Large, serve as the Board of Directors. The Board appoints a Nominating Committee which presents a slate of proposed officers and Members-at-Large for membership approval at the annual Spring meeting of the Association.
The Association maintains close liaison with the UCSB Senate Committee on Emeriti Relations and Retirement Matters, the UCSB Alumni Association, and the UCSB Faculty Club, in which emeriti are eligible for membership at one-half the regular dues. (Contact the Faculty Club, 893-3096, for additional information.)
Liaison with Emeriti Associations on other UC campuses is maintained through our CUCEA representative.
What Does the Association Do?
- The Association strives to advance the general welfare of all emeriti and their spouses and survivors.
- The Association works at the campus level through its representation on the Academic Senate Committee on Emeriti Relations and Retirement Matters, and its representation on the Health Care Facilitator Advisory Board; at the system-wide level, through its representation on CUCEA, and thereby on the Academic Council Committee on Faculty Welfare.
- The Association regularly brings to the attention of the campus administration and active faculty the continuing research and grant awards of a number of emeriti which redound to the credit of the University, as well as the involvement of emeriti in teaching on recall and serving on Academic Senate, departmental, and administrative committees. Here, the Association conducts a biennial survey of retired members on their continuing level of academic, professional, and community activity.
- The Association serves as a "watch dog" for preserving the rights and privileges of emeriti as stated in the By-Laws of the Academic Senate. The Association attends to this task by keeping before department chairs the policies and procedural provisions adopted by campus and University administrative officers and by campus and system-wide Academic Senate bodies, and by supporting actions to rectify reported violations of rights and privileges that may have been abridged.
- The Association identifies the concerns and needs of emeriti, as well as those of faculty members planning to retire, and informs the Chancellor and the appropriate Academic Senate committees of these needs and concerns. The Association works closely with the UCSB Academic Senate Committee on Emeriti Relations and Retirement Matters to keep abreast of and to anticipate the pertinent needs and concerns.
- The
Association promotes social and cultural activities for emeriti.
The Association schedules two luncheons, one in the Fall and
one in the Spring, each year. These luncheons, open to the
public, not only bring emeriti and spouses and friends together,
but also include presentations of general interest by outstanding
faculty and community members. The Association also co-sponsors
with the Retirees Association publication of a quarterly Emeriti
and Staff Retirees Newsletter, and on occasions joins with
staff retirees or the Alumni Associations on excursions.
What Has the Association Done?
- The Association successfully persuaded the Santa Barbara Division of the Academic Senate to establish as Committee on Emeriti Relations and Retirement Matters. Prior to that time, no Senate committee had as its main priority the needs and concerns of what promised to be an increasing number of emeriti. The Committee has been instrumental in promoting the welfare of the emeriti in a number of ways, including protecting the privilege of use of the Library, and securing free parking permits for emeriti and surviving spouses.
- The Association developed the support of the Chancellor for space and budget for the establishment of the Emeriti Center, later renamed the Emeriti/Retirees Center. The Center, and its Coordinator, located in the Human Resources Division on the third floor of the Student Affairs and Administrative Services building, assists emeriti and retirees, and faculty and staff anticipating retirement, by furnishing information and referrals on benefits and privileges. The Center provides a continuing liaison between all University units and retired personnel.
- One of the Association's founding members was instrumental in the establishment of the Council of the University of California Emeriti Associations (CUCEA), which successfully secured membership of two emeriti on the system-wide Senate Faculty Welfare Committee. Membership on this Committee has set in place an effective line of communication on emeriti matters with ranking members of the President's staff.
- The Association developed and funds a competition and research award to recognize and to encourage significant undergraduate scholarship, including creative work and activity, such as studio work and performance. Students at the junior and senior level in all fields: Creative and Visual Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences and Engineering are invited to submit current creative or research projects for consideration by a committee of Emeriti faculty.
- The Association has increased its membership since 1978 from a handful of emeriti to more than 200 members presently.
- Given the Association's unique role in successfully protecting and promoting the interests and benefits of emeriti, the Board of Directors encourages all emeriti, spouses and surviving spouses to support the Association by joining and taking an active role in it.