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UIC Chapter
of SUAA
Minutes
of the Fall Meeting
Thursday,
September 27, 2005
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1. The meeting was called to order by President Irving Miller
at 10:05 am.
2. Minutes
of the April 21, 2005 Spring Annual meeting were approved.
3. President's Report ----- President Miller gave a brief overview of the
FY2006 changes in SURS. He commented that
most changes do not directly affect current annuitants since pension benefits
are guaranteed by the State constitution but will impact SURS members who
are currently employed. He pointed out that health benefits are not guaranteed
and will probably be eroded over the next few years unless steps are taken
to protect them.
Following are the changes in SURS:
a. Responsibility for setting the rate of interest for calculation
of benefits using the money purchase formula will move from the SURS Board
to the State Comptroller's Office.
b. Pension enhancements due to salary increases in excess of 6% in the final
years of employment must be paid for by the employer.
c. Calculation of pension benefits using the money purchase formula will be
eliminated for anyone hired after July 1, 2005.
d. The State, in essence, borrowed 2.2 billion dollars from the pension fund
by decreasing the contribution required by the 1995 law.
Pension legislation enacted in 1995 required the State to make specified
annual contributions to raise the funding level to 90% by 2045. That law has
not been repealed but the State continues to borrow with the intention of
repaying the fund. By putting off payments to the pension fund, the State
is getting into great financial difficulty. The ratio of assets to liabilities
is currently less than 65%, making Illinois the worst funded pension system
across the United States.
SUAA-UIC is undertaking a number of actions to increase its visibility and
to make our voices heard in Springfield. Included among these are:
a. increasing membership;
b. offering a family option for membership;
c. recruiting faculty and staff who are still employed;
d. forming partnerships with like-minded agencies and other chapters;
e. influencing legislators directly by developing Political Involvement Committees
(PIC) to alert legislators and people of influence about our concerns.
4. Legislative Report ----- Richard Johnson reported that a statewide Political
Involvement Committee (PIC) is being formed. He stressed the importance of
contributing to the PIC because SUAA is non-partisan and cannot engage in
political activities. He believes that a UIC PIC is critical in terms of the
statewide impact that it could have, given the number of legislators that
could be influenced.
The PIC will help individuals to identify their legislators and to encourage
them to establish a personal contact. Political clout is necessary to influence
legislators in dealing with pension funding issues. During the recent pension
deliberations, there was no representation from the UIC administration acting
on our behalf. Given the current climate, it was felt that SUAA must make
sure that our voices are heard by protecting benefits, especially for new
employees. Offering reduced benefit packages to new hires is hurting the University
and its ability to attract and retain good faculty and staff.
5. Treasurer's Report ----- President Miller presented the treasurer's report
in the absence of Wally Wadycki.
Current balance: savings $36,498.60, checking $1,800.00
President Miller announced that the SUAA-UIC chapter now has an organizational
account with the University.
6. Membership Report ----- President Miller presented the membership report
in the absence of Geraldine Piorkowski. The current membership stands at 1,223
with 57 more expected to renew. SUAA-UIC is the fourth largest chapter in
the State. The statewide SUAA membership is 13,000. We need to increase membership
and get more people involved.
7. Program Report ----- Nancy Hirsch announced the upcoming programs for
2005-06:
October 27: Brown Bag Discussion - "Full time Career
after Academic Retirement and After 65" (Edward Suntrup)
Dec 13: SUAA Annual Holiday Party with entertainment
Feb/Mar Brown Bag Discussion: History and Development of the Chicago Circle
Campus (William Jones)
April: Presentation on Pharmaceuticals from Nature (Norman Farnsworth)
8. Newsletter ----- Larry Poston, the new editor of the SUAA newsletter,
is exploring the possibility of producing a livelier format. An editorial
committee has been established to assist with changes that will include a
new format and content. He is seeking a good amateur photographer to help
on a part-time fee-for-service basis. If all goes well, Larry expects the
next issue of the newsletter to be published in November.
9. The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 am.
Respectfully Submitted,
Marsha Borders, Secretary
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