The Annual General Meeting took place on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 2 pm in the Music Room and South Dining Room at Hart House.
Program:
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1. Approval of the agenda.
2. Approval of minutes of 2011 Annual General Meeeting.
3a. President's Report.
3b. Treasurer's Report.
3c. Commemorative Initiatives Report.
3d. Membership and Events Committee Report.
3e. Public and University Policy Report.
3f. Benefits Report.
3g. Pensions Report.
3h. Nominations Committee Report.
4. Election of the Board of Directors.
5. Adjournment.
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Members of the RALUT Executive present: Jack Stevenson, Chair; Tom Alloway, Don Bellam, Doug Creelman, Elinor Fillion, Diane Henderson, Beate Lowenberg, John Munro, Ruth Pike, Scott Rogers, Helen Rosenthal, Peter Russell, Toselyn Stone, Fred Wilson. The President and Committee Chairs provided written reports, which were distributed together with the Agenda and Minutes of the 2010 AGM to all members attending this AGM. Total number of AGM attendees: 59.
1. Approval of the Agenda. It was moved by T. Alloway, and seconded by G. Warkentin, that the Agenda be approved as circulated. Carried.
2. Approval of the Minutes. It was moved by S. Rogers, and seconded by J. Munro, that the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on April 27, 2010 be approved as circulated. Carried.
3. Report of the President. In his report as circulated, the President remarked on the fact that RALUT was celebrating ten years of achievements. he then reviewed three main things he attempted to achieve during his term in office, collegiality, setting up new organizational and governmance arrnagements (e.g., incorporating RALUT to protect the financial interests of its members) and preparing RALUT for the chanlleges that might lie ahead.
4. Report of the Treasurer. E. Filion reported that RALUT continues to be in good financial order. She noted that while the balance sheet shows that RALUT spent more last year than it took in, there is no cause for concern: RALUT has funds slightly in excess of $53,600. J. Stevenson said that RALUT had incurred some considerable expenses last year with respect to its incorporation. He urged financial prudence in order to be in a position to handle what may lie ahead.
5. Report of the Commemorative Initiatives Committee. B. Lowenberg read a letter from a recipient of an award from RALUT's Endowed Fund, expressing gratitude for the assistance. With a very small amount added to interest generated by the Fund, RALUT will be able to make two awards in the next academic year. She thanked D. Henderson and H. Rosenthal for their support during the year.
6. Report of the Membership and Events Committee. R. Stone mentioned RALUT's declinihng membership, which is partly due to demographics. She said new members are needed and urged existing members to spread the word. She reminded members of the very pleasant and social First Wednesday lunches at the Faculty Club. D. Creelman, P. Russell and J. Stevenson will be speaking to prospective retirees at a seminar later this week. RALUT has received utoronto email addresses for prospective retirees and so will be able to contact them for recruitment purposes.
7. Report of the Communications Committee. T. Alloway acknowledged the time commitment of D. Henderson, E. Barbeau and others who worked on the development of a new RALUT website which is a vast improvement over the old one. The Committee has recommended, and the Board approved, a change for distribution of the Reporter as outlined in his report. The current method is expensive: it cost almost $3500 to print and mail the last issue. In response to a query, T. Alloway said that about 100 RALUT members do not have email. J. Stevenson mentioned a survey carried out over a year ago which included a question about receiving publications by email: about 85 per cent approved this method of distribution.
T. Alloway asked for an appreciative response for F. Wilson who will retire as Editor of the Reporter after doing the job for eight years. F. Wilson thanked all the people who have assisted him. He has agreed to edit the next issue of the Reporter and urged individuals to submit material.
8. Report of the Public and University Policy Committee. D. Bellamy thanked members of the Committee for their efforts. He will be leaving as chair after almost seven years. he asked RALUT members to consider, and bring forward, issues of interest such as relationships with the University community. He also noted that the Committee will need new members.
9. Report of the Benefits Committee. D. Creelman identified a major item in his report, that of persuading the University community that retirees form a part of it. In response to a query about the fact that some drugs are no longer covered by the drug plan, he said that the Committee will continue to keep a watching brief to ensure that the benefits of retirees are not eroded. The Committee's recommendation that the benefits and Pensions Committees be merged will be discussed at the next Board meeting. J. Stevenson thanked D. Creelman for assuming the chair of the Benefits Committee over the past year.
10. Report of the Pensions Committee. H. Rosenthal identified some salient features in her report. When he made his award early in the past academic year, the arbitrator did not award pension augmentation to retirees. There is an increasing attempt on the part of emplyers to replace defined benefit plans such as U of T's with defined contribution plans. The Committee will continue to work on members, behalf to represent their interests. In response to a query about the management of the University of Toronto's Asset Management (UTAM), she replied that she is concerned about the situation and hopes to make some progress through the Governing Council Pension Committee on which she serves as the UTFA retiree representative.
11. Report of the Nominations Committee. The following have agreed to stand for election to, or to continue on, the RALUT Board for 2011-12.
Continuing: Peter Russell (Honarary President), Jack Stevenson (Past President), Beate Lowenberg (Secretary), John Munro, Roselyn Stone (Vice-President Operations).
For re-election:Tom Alloway (President), Don Bellamy, Doug Creelman (Vice-President Policy), Ruth Pike, Scott Rogers, Elinor Filion (Treasurer), Fred Wilson.
New members: Hans DeGroot, Lino Grima, David Olson, John Valleau.
12. Election of the Board of Directors, 2011-2012. J. Stevenson introduced the Nominations report, explaining the various categories of nominees. Suggested officer titles are included for information, not election: election will be at the first Board of Directors meeting. Honarary President and Past President are not elected. There are eleven nominees for election or re-election to a two-year term on the Board. Moved by D. Creelman that the Nominations Committee slate be approved, seconded by T. Alloway. Carried.
13. New Business.
Moved by Jacob Ziegel, seconded by Richard Cobbold:
WHEREAS at its Annual Meeting held on April 29, 2009, RALUT adopted a resolution urging the University of Toronto to take all appropriate steps to ensure that retired Members of Faculty and Retired University Librarians are recognized as a separate and eligible constituency for representation on, and election to, the Governing Council of the University of toronto and the committees of the Governing Council, both on the grounds of equity and because of the important contribution Retired Faculty and Librarians can make in the work of the Board of Governors and the Board's committees;
AND WHEREAS much to our regret, no steps have been taken by the University authorities to implement the RALUT resolution;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this meeting of RALUT strongly reaffirms the 2009 Resolution and calls upon the University authorities to meet with RALUT representatives with a view to exploring the best means for early implementation of the resolution.
A friendly amendment was moved by J. Munro, second by S. Rogers to make changes/corrections in the first paragraph of the original motion to read:
WHEREAS at its Annual Meeting held on April 29, 2009, RALUT adopted a resolution urging the University of Toronto to take all appropriate steps to ensure that retired members of faculty and retired university librarians are recognized as a separate and eligible constituency for representation on, and election to, the Governing Council of the University of toronto and the committees of the Board of Governors, both on the grounds of equity and because of the important contribution retired faculty and librarians can make in the work of the Governing Council and the Board's committees.
The friendly amendments were accepted by the original mover and seconder.
After a substantial debate, the question was called and approved without debate, by the required two-thirds majority.
The motion as amended was defeated by a large majority of those present.
14. Adjournment.
It was moved by J. Munro that the meeting be adjounred. The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 pm.
Signed: President, John Stevenson; Corporate Secretary, Beate Lowenbeg
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As Jack Stevenson explained in the latest issue of the RALUT Reporter, some of the functions that RALUT filled in the past have been taken over by Senior College. As a consequence, RALUT's principal function at the present time is to promote the interests of U of T retired faculty and librarians. In other words, RALUT's main job these days is advocacy on behalf of our members.
To this end, we have recently instituted a new service. RALUT members who encounter difficulty making claims to the University's health and dental plans can now contact Doug Creelman, who has volunteered to assist members with their claims. Doug has undertaken to be in the Retiree Centre on Fridays for face-to-face meetings, or you can contact him via email creelman@psych.utoronto.ca.
However, RALUT's main focus will be advocacy on behalf of retirees as a group, and we need your opinions about what issues we should be focusing on. Today's AGM program contains a survey, which I am asking you to fill out and turn in before you leave. The survey (which is a slightly expanded version of the one that Jack Stevenson prepared for the Board to fill out) contains a list of issues about which RALUT might be concerned and asks you to rate their importance. I will report the results in the next issue of the Reporter, and we will use the results to help us plan and act on your behalf in the coming year.
The survey has spaces for your name and address. You can fill out the survey anonymously if you want to. However, please let us know who you are if you would like to help out with our advocacy offorts during the coming year.
Tom Alloway President
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Balance on hand January 1, 2011: $48595
Income
Membership dues $21946; Donations $3385; Interest $577
Total Income $25908
Expenditures
Administration $9982; Reporter $7302; Annual General Meeting $2408
Affiliations $402; Conferences $712; Board of Directors $1667; Committees $79
Endowed memorial fund $130; New retirees reception $191; Bank charges $140
ARC coffee $136
Total expenditures $23149
Other
Additional xpenditure from appropriated amount for website redesign $1500
Balance on hand December 31, 2011 $49854
Appropriations for special purposes
1. Legal expenses $10000
2. Special projects $16000 - $1500 = $14500
3. General contingency $11000
Total appropriations $35500
Elinor Filion, Treasurer
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Pensions have certainly become a hot button issue; MP's and federal emplyees' pensions, CPP, OAS, have been prominent in the news recently. We are mostly interested in the U of T Pension Plan governance and particularly in augmentation. Both matters have been discussed by your Board and Pension Committee.
The Governing Council Pension Committee [GCPC].This Committee was set up largely at the insistence of UTFA and it includes representatives of the employees, including five faculty/librarians appointed by UTFA. One of the faculty/librarians has to ba a retiree, currently Helen Rosenthal. The GCPC is responsible for policy and for monitoring, rather than investment decisions. The GCPC is a major step forward since representatives of pension plan members now have the opportunity to monitor and influence policy at a high level in University governance.
For example, at its December 14 meeting, the GCPC passewd a motion that asks the University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation (UTAM) to prepare a report that sets out options for investment approaches that could substantially reduce costs. For more information on the GCPC go to http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/bac/PC_1.htm.
Augmentation.The steep increase in administrative cost is only one reason for the sad financial state of our pension plan. The decline in the value of investment is another. In addition, during the 1980s and 1990s, the Administration took many contribution holidays, worth about $750 million in all. Of course we would expect that the sad financial state of our pension plan will be trotted out as the main reason for denying augmentation. However, the U of T pension plan would be in muich better shape if the managers of the pension plan had not decided to take pension contribution holidays to the tune of hundreds of millions. Past mistakes by management should not be visited on retirees.
Another argument could be that pensioners should be expected to do their bit in the current plans to reduce deficits at all levels. However pensions, including augmentation, are not a burden on the public purse because pensions are deferred salaries and include a contribution from the salaries of academics and librarians.
Augmentation is significant to all, including the current salaried academics and librarians, who would eventually want to retire on a pension that at least keeps pace with inflation. It is gratifying to note that in a 2006 UTFA survey, 80.2% of the 668 salaried faculty/librarians who responded to the question about augmentation were in favour of UTFA's continuing demand for augmentation.
Many thanks to all of your Pension Committee: Tom Alloway, Doug Creelman, Ralph Garber, Kelly Gotlieb, Diane Henderson, John Munro, George Luste, George Milbrandt, Scott Rogers, Helen Rosenthal, Peter Russell, John Valleau. Please contact any one of us or any member of the Board with suggeswtions. We would welcome new membes to this Committee.
Lino Grima, Chair
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The Benefits Committee has discussed the availability of benefits and has agreed to submit to the Faculty Association's (UTFA) Salary, Benefits and Pensions Committee a list of items the committee would like to see covered. In order of importance they are: Insulin pump for those requiring one, incontinence products, podiatrist fees, computerized eye tests of peripheral vision, extended caps for physiotherapy and optometrist and eyeglass expenses.
A subcommittee has been formed to explore the listing of retired faculty, librarians and senior administrators as having formal status as members of the university community.
Discussions have taken place in relation to providing new technology for the hearing impaired.
The committee has recommented to the RALUT Board that RALUT adopt a policy of making a good faith effort to conform to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
In conjunction with the Membership Committee we have discussed the possibility of providing an advisory service to retirees who have questions about coverage of medical expenses. Douglas Creelman has volunteered to make himself available, at least for the time being, for such consultation. Doug's willingness to take on this extra work is much appreciated.
Hans B. de Groot, Chair
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REPORT OF MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS COMMITTEE
RALUT's most basic function is to act as an advocate for ithe interests of retired U of T academics and librarians, especially with respect to pension arrangements and benefit entitlements. Since the University does not recognize RALUT as a bargaining agent, much of this advocacy takes place somewhat behind the scenes, as RALUT ensures that the Faculty Asssociation (UTFA) is aware of the importance to retirees of possible or proposed modifications of pension or benefit rules. Naturally, the weight we carry in such advocacy depends on our resources and in particular on the number of memembers we have. Thus maintaining our membership remains the central task of our Committee. However the rewards of advocacy fall equally on all retirees, whether or not they are RALUT members; it seems prudent therefore to ensure that membership should carry attractive features beyond that of simply adding weight to our voices as advocates!
Of course RALUT already does this, in the forms of our monthly shared lunch at the Faculty Club, the rather festive AGM, the publication of the RALUT Reporter, for example. In former years RALUT introduced as well a number of quasi-scholarly activities for its members, including annual publication of a list of members' publications adn awards, an annual day-long Symposium in which members could share reports of their activities and so on. It was feared, however, that this led to an uneasily-split personality; the quasi-scholarly role depends on recognition and support by the University, while the advocacy role could easily lead, from time to time, to confrontation. The solution seemed to be to separate the roles between two institutions: the more scholarly activities were embraced by one, called Senior College, the rest which retained the name we abbreviate as RALUT. Peter Russell, our Honorary President and Principal of Senior College, drew attention in the Fall edition of the Reporter to some concerns this separation raises.
The RALUT Membership Committee therefore asked itself: what might RALUT, stripped of its quasi-scholarly initiatives, now be offering its members? This will of course be an ongoing question, and we very much want your suggestions and ideas. So far this year we have put two such ideas in motion.
1. The first proposal was that RALUT should put in place, for members only, an advisory service regarding any queries and confusions they might have regarding their pensions and the rules concerning their medical and dental benefits. This found approval by your Board, and is already in place, thanks to Doug Creelman's volunteering to offer this service -- we are very grateful for his enthusiasm and generosity. Elsewhere in this AGM material you will find an advertisement of this service, giving the relevant contact information -- it may well be worth your while to retain this for future reference!
2. The second proposal hinged on our expectation that many members retain a lively interest in matters of public policy (for example in the inadequate public funding of the University and its consequences, in matters of the University's governance, in healthcare policy, perhaps especially as its affects seniors, and so on). If so, they would welcome the opportunity to take part in regular discussion groups on such topics. Furthermore our members have not only an interest but often the very special expertise that is needed to generate good policy, and such groups may well wish to expand their activity to a public advocacy role. Our proposal was that RALUT should facilitate the creation of self-directing groups. The Board agreed, and has assigned the further development of this idea to the Public and University Policy Committee (which includes some members of the Membership Committee). You will shortly therefore hear more about this proposal.
To repeat, the Committee will continue to explore new proposals that might be attractive to members. Whatever suggestions you have will be very welcome.
John Valleau, Chair.
members: Tom Alloway, Claudia Colas, Elinor Fillion, Diane Henderson, David Olson, Roselyn Stone, Fred Wilson
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REPORT OF THE COMMEMORATIVE INITIATIVES COMMITTEE
RALUT Endowed Memorial Fund
The Endowment Fund Book Value as of March 15th 2012 was $73,980. It has been five years since the fund was inaugurated in April 2007. Its growth is dramatic testimony to the generosity of our donors. We expect to receive updated information respecting the fund after the end of the current fiscal year on April 30th 2012.
This total includes matching funds from the government's Trust for Student Support (OTSS) program. However, we were recently notified that this invaluable OTSS fund-matching program has now been cancelled and there is currently no information available regarding its replacement.
Two awards of $1000 each were made during this current 2011-2012 academic year. One of the recipients has discovered a keen interest in brand marketing while participating in the commerce program at the Rotman School of Management; her long-term goals include obtaining an MBA. Assuring RALUT that this award has produced a major positive influence by lightening her financial burden thus allowing her to increaseher focus on studying, she states that she is keenly aware of the honour of receiving this award. Eventually she hopes to help others in a like manner.
The other recipient is currently majoring in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Business, and has the intention of eventually gaining a Masters. In thanking RALUT for the assistance that this award has provided, he comments that it has made his university experience possible, thus allowing him to gain a potentially lifetime's worth of valuable knowledge. It was especially gratifying to read the comment by one of these students, that "the awards that are offered by RALUT assist many students to pursue their career goals".
Our intention is to keep pace with the ever-increasing needs of academically excellent students hampered by daunting financial challenges. As convincingly demonstrated through the assurances given by our current two recipients, financial assistance such as that provided by the RALUT Endowed Memorial Fund commemorating our deceased members can provide timely assistance. Also with the possibility, by such examples, of even perpetuating such charitable deeds into the future (as suggested by the recipient quoted above).
Every donation will receive a university-issued income tax receipt when made online via the University of Toronto link on the University or RALUT websites: https://donate.utoronto.ca. Type "RALUT" in the box labeled "enter keywords here". For those who prefer the more traditional alternative, a donation pledge form is always available from the RALUT office and also on the RALUT website.
With grateful thanks to committee member Diane Henderson for all her support. Beate Lowenberg, Chair.
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REPORT OF PUBLIC AND UNIVERSITY POLICY COMMITTEE
The release of the Drummond Commission Report last month in advance of the Ontario budget led to the reactivation of the Public and University Policy Committee, dormant since the 2011 AGM.
The Policy Committee, with the Membership Committee's support, invites RALUT members to submit policy issues for discussion by study groups of like-minded members, which they would join. One expected outcome would be the dissemination of information as a basis for advocacy.
The details of this project are being worked out at the time of the 2012 AGM.
Donald Bellamy, Chair
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REPORT OF THE COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE
There was no report from the Communications Committee presented at the meeting. However, members should note that the website has been redesigned. RALUT is grateful to Diane Henderson for her thorough supervision of this process, assisted by the webmaster, Ed Barbeau, and our consultant, Behdan Nowrouzi.
Report of the Editor of the Reporter
Fred Wilson, Editor, RALUT Reporter
Report of the webmaster
Ed Barbeau
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REPORT OF THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
According to the RALUT Constitution Article 3.01 the Board of Directors consists of fifteen elected members and two ex officio ones, for a total of seventeen.
The continuing elected Board of Directors members are:
Tom Alloway (President) 2011-2013
Don Bellamy 2011-2013
Doug Creelman 2011-2013
Hans De Groot 2011-2013
Elinor Fillion 2011-2013
Lino Grima 2011-2013
David Olson 2011-2013
Scott Rogers 2011-2013
John Valleau 2011-2013
Fred Wilson
The ex officio members are:
Peter Russell (Honorary President)
Jack Stevenson (Past President) 2011-2013
The Committee will nominate for election at the AGM
Robin Healy 2012-2014
Beate Lowenberg 2012-2014
Goerge Luste 2012-2014
John Munro (2012-2013)
Roselyn Stone 2012-2013
For your information only, the Nominating Committee proposed to nominate at the first meeting of the 2012-2013 Board the following as Officers of RALUT:
President, Tom Alloway
Vice-President (Operations), Roselyn Stone
Vice-President (Policy), Doug Creelman
Corporate Secretary, Beate Lowenberg
Treasurer, Elinor Fillion
John Stevenson, Chair, Tom Alloway, John Valleau
DECEASED MEMBERS May 2011 -- April 2012
Bohne, Harald
Brown, Virginia
Collins-Williams, Cecil
De Koning, Jan
Friesen, Colin M.
Gregor, Richard
Griffin, Allan
Leah, Philip J.
Moir, John S.
O'Donnell, Patrick
Roschlau, Walter
Slemon, Gordon
Talesnik, Rebeca
Winter, Frederick
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