The meeting of the Steering Committee of the MSU Emeriti Faculty Association was called to order by the Chairman with the following members in attendance:  Stone, Nelson, Ishino, Wickert, Gliozzo, Adams, Nelson, Fischer and Shaw.

1. OPENING COMMENTS

• Stone reported that the membership in AROHE had been received. 
  He reminded everyone to send in their reservations for the retiree lunch on April 8. 

• Stone indicated that the Faculty Council had been meeting and was discussing the Task Force 1 proposals dealing with Faculty Voice in Academic Government.  Another proposal that was adopted by Academic Council was a motion to approve a recommendations for a task force to be established to work with the UCFA Budget Subcommittee and to participate with the MSU administration and Human Resource Program in developing policies, procedures that improve the health of MSU faculty, maintain and improve quality health care service and address the issue of cost containment on behalf of the MSU faculty.  Faculty Council approved this motion.  Several days later Academic Council also approved this same motion.  The FEA Steering Committee approved a motion that directed Chair Stone to send a letter to UCFA and request that a member of the FEA be put on the task force.  The fact that benefits to retirees are an important part of the total health care budget only makes sense for emeriti faculty to be represented on this Committee. 

• The minutes of the 1-22-2008 meeting were approved.
  

2. FEA ON-LINE JOURNAL

• Gliozzo, Stone and Funk participated in several meetings to discuss the possibility of establishing an on-line journal targeted at emeriti faculty. Meetings were held with representatives of the International Business Center as well as a meeting with representatives of the Office of Intellectual Property.  All parties encouraged the FEA to move forward with the concept of an online journal.   A motion was made and passed approving the moving forward with the next steps in developing a journal.  Roger Funk had stated that he would make a mock-up of what a journal might look like for review by the Steering Committee. 
  

3. NOMINATING COMMITTTEE

• Stone reported that the Nominating Committee would meet within the next two weeks to start work on establishing a slate of potential new Steering Committee members and Officers to be selected for the 2008-2009 Academic Year.  Members agreeing to be on the Nominating Committee are Stone, Gliozzo, Rivera, Forsyth and Jones.  In addition to presenting names of nominees for three-year terms on the Steering Committee, the group will need to set a date and determine the format for the spring business meeting.

  
  
4. UPDATES
1. Wickert reported that the Retiree Association now has its own website with the address being www.msu.edu/msura/ .  He also indicated that the annual luncheon of the group would be on  May 12, 2008 in Kellogg Center. 
2. Gliozzo indicated that letters and applications for the award had been sent to appropriate administrators and units and several nominations had been received as of this date. The deadline for the return of applications is February 22, 2008 and it is expected that a number of additional nominations will be forthcoming.  The awards will be presented by the Provost at the spring luncheon honoring this year’s retirees. 
3. Gliozzo indicated that letters and applications for the award had been sent to appropriate administrators and units and several nominations had been received as of this date. The deadline for the return of applications is February 22, 2008 and it is expected that a number of additional nominations will be forthcoming.  The awards will be presented by the Provost at the spring luncheon honoring this year’s retirees. 
4. Professor Fischer reported that he was in the process of getting a seminar set up for late March or April.  Several names of potential speakers were discussed.  Professor Fischer will update the Committee at the next meeting.
5. Shaw described an interest by the College of Music in acquiring used instruments that can be distributed to Detroit area schools who are participating in a special MSU project.  A motion was made and passed to send out an email to faculty emeriti about the project. 

The next meeting will be held on March 19, 2008. The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.