The UCD Emeriti Association launched 2024 with a Brain Food Talk by Barbara Sellers-Young that focused on the relationships between art and environmentalism in Oregon. It was virtual and brought together colleagues from around the state and nation.  We look forward to the last Brain Food Talk with Kay Dewey which is currently being rescheduled, but likely in April or May.

We invite emeriti to open their calendars:  On February 7, a day long celebration of new emeriti (9am-4pm) in the International Center. The event is organized by Walter Leal, co-sponsored by UCDEA and many deans’ offices.  Registration is required  https://forms.gle/StM8fq39yPqLdYbW9

Soon the Retiree Center Newsletter will offer registration for the UCDEA/UCDRA joint tour of the Museum of Science and Curiosity in Sacramento.  The event will be subsidized by both organizations. For those in Davis, a bus has been reserved. Registration will be required, through the UCD Retiree Center (see upcoming newsletter)

April 12 Chancellor May relaunches the annual Chancellor’s lunch for all emeriti, at the Conference Center. Registration required (see upcoming newsletter).

The UCDEA Welfare Committee (Tom Rost and Ted DeJong) have succeeded in developing an campus approved protocol for surviving spouse who may need to access their faculty partners computer, box or other IT.  The forms and guidelines are posted on the UCDEA webpage https://emeritiassociation.ucdavis.edu/

The UCDEA Membership Committee (W. David Wilson, Warren Picket) have worked extensively to update membership lists, invite emeriti to join.  They have made significant progress in developing emeriti surveys will be carried out in collaboration with the deans’ offices of the College of Letters and Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, School of Law, School of Veterinary Medicine and College of Biological Sciences. The surveys will be sent out by the deans’ offices and focus on what the emeriti need from their departments, schools/colleges and the UCDEA and what would they like to do/offer/volunteer etc.

UCDEA Executive Committee created a new subcommittee (FE Curry, Suad Joseph, Ted DeJong) to develop suggestions for projects which might be funded by the UCDEA endowment. The proposals will be discussed and taken up by the Executive Committee.

The UCDEA Manual is continually updated: https://emeritiassociation.ucdavis.edu/ucdea-manual

The Communications and Outreach Committee (Klea Bertakis and Suad Joseph) have been actively updating the website with the marvelous assistance of Sachi Milind Nandedkar. We thank Retiree Center Director Juliane Crowley for releasing some of Sachi’s time to help with the updates.  The COC committee will soon send out another invitation to emeriti who would like to share they activities and stories to be posted on the webpage.  Request will come to you via email and the Retiree Center Newsletter. 

The UCDEA Fund Raising Committee has launched its campaign to support students with housing insecurity (through Aggie Compass)  click here.

The UCDEA Awards Committee presented nominations to the January Executive Committee for the Distinguished Emeriti award and the Panunzio award. More on that in the next column.

The January Executive Committee proposed the idea of setting up a “mentorship” program for current emeriti to be available to faculty considering retirement to discuss the process of retirement and the aftermath.  This will be developed in partnership with the Retiree Center. More on this next column.

The Committee on Committees (Klea Bertakis and Barry Klein) are always welcoming emeriti volunteers who would like to join committees and engage in projects.   Join us!!

Join UCDEA:  https://ucdavis.imodules.com/s/1768/rd18/index.aspx?sid=1768&gid=2&pgid=4999&content_id=3509