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UC Riverside Retirees' Association Report

April 2024 Report

Submitted by Andy Plumey, UC Riverside CUCRA Representative

Fundraising / Scholarships / Budget

We continue to raise funds for the UCRRA Undergraduate Student Scholarship Endowment.  The UCR Retirees’ Association participated in a campus wide UCR Give Day campaign on April 3rd and 4th, which resulted in donations totaling over $12,000.  We were able to secure a corporate donation this year and will be working toward an on-going sponsorship to reach an endowment fund level that will fully fund our annual scholarships.  In winter, we awarded 3 UCR students from over 30 applications with UCRRA scholarships, totaling $10,000.   Scholarship requirements include recipients being a child, grandchild, or close relative to a UCR staff member or retiree and express a financial need. 

One of our goals this year has been to develop a budget to ensure we continue programs and activities for the association.  The campus has recently implemented a new budget system, along with a new development system.  This has severely hindered our ability to develop any budget, let alone provide information on our current financial position.  We are hoping to have reports soon.

By-Laws

Last year we did a major update to our Bylaws to better reflect how we have been operating.  In order to keep our Bylaws up to date on a continual basis, we did a minor review and will be putting forward a few changes at our annual business meeting next month.  The most significant change will be to provide language dealing with the term for President.  We have in place a three-year consecutive term limit for President, but there was nothing in the Bylaws on what to do should no one runs for President when an incumbent reaches the three-year maximum.  The proposed change will allow for an extension of one year in this circumstance.  Other changes include the requirement for developing an annual budget, allow transfer of membership dues to UCREA should a retiree obtain emeriti status, allow Past Presidents to continue participating in CUCRA, and changing reference of a June business meeting to a Spring business meeting.    

Retirement Center

We reported last year that UCR campus has been reviewing departmental space needs at a campus-wide level.  Since then, we have been meeting with Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources about a physical space for the Retirement Center, in addition to relocating campus Human Resources to a campus location.  Space has been identified in Hinderaker Hall, the main administrative off building housing the Chancellor, Provost, and many Vice Chancellors.  The HR AVC has committed to providing a space for the Retirement Center, bringing together the Director along with our retirement counselors, which UCR has retained.  Inclusive of this space will be consideration for UCRRA and UCREA.  

Membership

UCRRA membership is 372, which is an increase of 4.5% from last fall, and with over 71% being lifetime members.  We have made great efforts in enhancing our outreach, which has included updating all our marketing materials, and we will soon be launching a refresh to our website.  The campus continues to do more in-person events for retirement and benefits, and we attend these when possible.

Events and Activities

Events and activities sponsored by UCRRA, UCREA and the Retirement Center Director include:

  • Quarterly Luncheons:
    • The Holiday Luncheon was held in December 2023 in person. The featured speakers were UCR Entomologists Barbara Baer-Imhoof and Boris Baer, and they discussed “The Baers and the Bees, Center for Integrative Bee Research.”  We were also treated to a special holiday concert performed by children from the UCR Kindergarten Academy.  In addition, we also collected over 172 clothing donations for UCR’s R’Professional Career Closet.
    • The Winter Luncheon was held in February 2024 in person and featured “A History of UCR” presented by retired AVC of Auxiliary Services, Andy Plumley. We also recognized our three scholarship recipients.    
    • In May 2024, we will have our Spring Luncheon in person. The featured speaker will be Dr. Ilana Bennett, UCR Associate Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of the UCR Aging Initiative.  She will discuss “Advancing Aging Research at UCR.”  This luncheon also includes our annual business meeting, where we will elect 2024/25 board members, vote on bylaw changes, and receive our financial report.
  • Reception Honoring all Retirees and Emeriti, featuring Chancellor Kim Wilcox. This annual reception is hosted by UCRRA and UCREA, and this year featured a performance by PhD student and guitarist Jorge Chalaf.  The Chancellor thanked all retirees and emeriti for the role they played in UCR becoming a member of the Association of American Universities.  
  • Mystery Book Club, sponsored with UCREA, are held monthly and books featured included Becoming Inspector Chen by Quijano Xiaolong, Forty Thieves by Thomas Perry, The Likeness by Tana French, Norwegian by Derek Miller, The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid, and Devil’s Peak by Deon Meyer.
  • Walks, Talks & Tours, sponsored with UCREA. In February 2024, the group toured the California Citrus Historic Park in Riverside.  Park Ranger Jose Cabello related the histories of the Gage Canal, the itrus industry in Southern California, and of the Citrus Park.  The walk included seeing the many different common and unique varieties of citrus, as well as native plants species used as landscaping.     
  • The Retirement Center sponsored programs on Fidelity Investments and Tech Tip seminars.

 Download/View PDF version of the PARRA Report.