HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
ASSOCIATION OF EMERITI FACULTY
1988 to Present
In 1987, under the auspices of Roberta James, then director of the UK
Council on Aging, five recently retired faculty members met to consider the
possibility of establishing an association for UK retirees. Involved were
Gifford Blyton, Communications; Paul Oberst, Law; Fannie Miller, Education; Don
Ivy, Music; and Jean Pival, English. As a first task, they researched other
such organizations: their institutional affiliation, degree of independence,
and membership patterns. After an extensive search, they found that there is no
definite pattern; some originated from institutional benefits offices, some
were independent, some were open to all retirees- faculty and staff.
Sensing little interest for such a project from UK offices, the committee opted
for an independent association. First, they needed to determine interest in the
project. Financially backed by the Council on Aging, the group distributed a
questionnaire to about one hundred faculty retirees. The findings from that
mailing verified interest in an organization that would provide a venue for
continued professional and social interaction with other retirees, but would
also serve as a watchdog of retiree rights and privileges. After much
debate, the committee determined that membership in the organization should
primarily be faculty, but open to staff retirees who had close relationships
with students or educational programs.
In 1988, the committee formulated the association by-laws which included its
three-pronged purpose: to enable retirees and their surviving spouses to
maintain an association with the University; to promote common interests; and
to be of service to the University and its educational goals. Dues were set for
$15 annually, which also included spouses as members. The officers and chairs
of the standing committees serve as an Executive Committee which meets prior to
each membership meeting and once in the summer. Elections are held once a year
at the spring membership meeting.
In September 1988, the association held its first meeting which included a
speaker, followed by a business meeting. Since then, using that same format,
the organization has met four times each year. Four newsletters per year
announce meetings and keep members informed of pertinent activities of the
organization and of university decisions that will impact retirees, such as
retiree benefits.
In 1994, then treasurer Sydney Ulmer and Jean Pival, with the help of Fred
Whiteside, a retiree from the UK College of Law, led the Association effort to
become a non-profit entity, which allowed for bulk-mailing and tax-free
purchases.
In 1995, at the suggestion of Michael Adelstein and Paul Oberst, the
Association voted to set up a scholarship or fellowship for doctoral students
who plan to teach at the college/university level. In 2002, thanks in large
part to sizable contributions by William Wagner and Juan Hernandez, the
Association in collaboration with the Development Office set up an endowed fund
of $50,000 which was matched by the Commonwealth of Kentucky Research Challenge
Trust Fund (Bucks for Brains). The Fellowship fund of $100,000 is
administered by the Graduate School, with direct input from the Association. An
AEF committee evaluates the fellowship applications and chooses the winners.
Each year, the Association, through donations from members, adds to the
Fellowship fund. Because of this project, UKAEF was designated a UK Fellow.
From January 1996 through January 2023, the association has granted eighty-seven fellowships
amounting to a total of $154,500.
In 1993, the Association began a study of university-based retirement centers.
Acting on a news item sent to the Executive Committee by Lila Boyarsky, an
ad hoc committee was set up, chaired by her. The committee charge was
to research facilities connected to other universities and to test the interest
of UK retirees and the University in such an enterprise. In 1998, the committee
joined forces with Ed Carter, coordinator of the Coldstream Project. At that
time, the University offered land on Coldstream Farm for a three-tiered
retirement facility. Although contracts were drawn up with the Evergreen
Heritage Group from Louisville, the Board of Trustees never voted on the
project. In 2004, President Lee Todd rejuvenated the effort and a committee
chaired by Jack Blanton was commissioned to choose a company to build a
three-tiered, life-long learning facility. Praxeis was chosen and, after
several false starts for a location, they chose land between Brannon Crossing
and Ashgrove Pike for the project. Praexis did not successfully obtain
financial commitments from interested faculty for a variety of reasons. The
location of the proposed facility seemed to isolate members from their valued
connections to U.K. and perceived over-charges for the units were cited as
reasons for the reluctance to make down-payment commitments to the project. In
addition, the 2008-09 recession led to the project's demise.
Members of the Association have from its inception been actively involved with
University functions-teaching and tutoring, working with students on projects,
reading undergraduate applications for scholarships and Medical School
admissions, serving on graduate student committees, assisting with fund drives,
recording for the blind, helping in the libraries, fund-raising for the
library, serving on committees that deal with retiree benefits, participating
in UK community outreach programs, U.K. Medical School and Sanders-Brown Aging
studies, serving as officers for the Osher Life Long Institute (OLLI), and in
the Elder-Link Mentorship Initiative with undergraduates who are taking
gerontology classes.
In accordance with its by-laws to promote common interests, UKAEF has worked
diligently with the Benefits Committee. Its members have served on special
committees to protect retiree benefits; have
championed parking privileges for retirees; have lobbied the legislature to
prevent passage of a bill that would tax TIAA-CREF; and have successfully
petitioned for a voting seat on the UK Senate, Parking and Transportation
Committee, and the Employee Benefits Committee.
Retired faculty (from a wide range of disciplines) have held offices in UKAEF.
Presidents: Gifford Blyton (Communications) 1988-89; Jean
Pival,(English) 1989-1990; Harriett Rose (Psychology & Testing) 1990-1991;
Richard Anderson (Statistics) 1991-92, 1992-1993; Thomas Ford (Sociology)
1993-94, 1994-95; Beatrice Gaunder (Nursing) 1995-1996, 1996-1997; William
Wagner (Chemistry) 1997-98, 1998-1999; John Shawcross (English) 1999-2000;
2000-01; Theodore Guiglia (Medicine) 2001-2002; 2002-2003; Jacqueline Noonan
(Pediatrics) 2003-2004; 2004-2005; Robert Straus (Behavioral Science) 2005-06;
Thomas Lillich (Oral Health) 2006-2007, 2007-08; Mary Witt (Horticulture)
2008-09; James Wells (Mathematics) 2009-10; William Green (Laryngology)
2010-2011; Bradley Canon (Political Science) 2011-12; Thomas Garrity
(Behavioral Science) 2012-13; Lee Edgerton (Animal Sciences) 2013-14; Austin
Cantor (Animal Sciences) 2014-15; Susan Abbott-Jamieson (Anthropology) 2015-16;
Thomas Miller (Psychology) 2016-17; Timothy Sineath (College of Communications
& Information Studies) 2017-18; Michael Kennedy (Geography) 2018-19; F.
Douglas Scutchfield (Public Health & Medicine) 2019-20; Douglas A. Boyd,
(Communications and Journalism) 2020-22; Michael R. Reed, (Agricultural
Economics and International Programs) 2022-23; Sue Fosson (College of Medicine Administration) 2023-24.
Treasurers: Don Ivy (Music) 1988-94; Sydney Ulmer (Political
Science) 1994-96; Beth Hicks (Nursing) 1996-97; Kurt Anschel (Ag.Economics)
1997-99; William Stober (Economics) 1999-2012; James Chapman (Chancellor Office
Administration) 2012 to 2023; Claudia Heath (Family Sciences) 2023 - present.
Recording Secretary: Michael Adelstein (English) 1988-89; Jean
Pival (English) 1989-2008; Thomas Blues (English) 2008-09; and Ed Sagan
(Education) 2009-12; Bradley Canon (Political Science), 2012 to present.
Executive Secretary: Jean Pival (English) 1989-2012; Sue
Fosson (College of Medicine Administration) 2012 to 2023; Janet Cabaniss 2023 - present.
Administrative Consultant (beginning 2006): Casie Clements.