Activities Unit Reps

Click on this button to get the PDF of the text below

Activities associated with College Unit Representatives

Preamble

The Membership Committee of the UBC Emeritus College is establishing a comprehensive network of administrative unit representatives to carry out liaison between the College and all associated academic units. The network will build upon and augment the contributions made by the splendid group of departmental representatives who were critical to the success of the former UBC Association of Professors Emeriti (UBCAPE).

This document is a revision of the existing Association description of the role of the Department representatives.  It considers the broader mandate of the Emeritus College, and the new need for it to be fully integrated into the UBC administrative structure. Our intention is that there will be a representative for each administrative unit.

Just as many of the Association activities have continued under the aegis of the College, we hope that the cohort of departmental reps will happily change hats to become College Administrative Unit Reps (CUR).  Those units that do not yet have Emeritus representatives now have an increased obligation to appoint them. In the past, the liaison rep has been a member of the Association, typically chosen collegially from among their colleagues. While this may well continue to be the norm, for units at present without reps, it is desirable that an Emeriti be assigned the administrative task of liaison with the Emeritus College.  Every administrative unit leader should ensure that a person has agreed to act as liaison between the unit and the Emeritus College.

The College recognizes that there has been a wide variety of activities that different unit representatives have used to foster the flow of information between departments and retired faculty. No single "job description" will be appropriate for the CUR, but it is possible to identify a few minimal obligations and to mention a range of further activities that different units have found useful. These will be discussed below.

As for the job description itself, there are some tasks that the College expects that every unit rep would take on – those mentioned in Part A on the next page. But then there are some additional activities that the emeriti of different units have found useful and enjoyable.  These are activities that reps might consider introducing if they find it appropriate. In Part B we mention only some such ideas.

Part A
(Expected of all CUR)

• Maintain regular contact with unit emeritus faculty and College members in person or by email
• Maintain current contact information for each member and forward changes to the Emeritus College Administration.
• Ensure that the Principal of UBC Emeritus College is aware of recently deceased emeriti so that appropriate letters of condolence can be sent.
• Encourage colleagues with UBC emeritus status as well as other eligible retired UBC personnel (age plus UBC service of at least 70 years), such as retired UBC sessional lecturers, to join the UBC Emeritus College. New Emeritus faculty members, as well as those who were previously members of UBCAPE, are now automatically members of the College
• Encourage faculty colleagues from other universities who have academic links to UBC, to apply for membership in UBC Emeritus College.
• Ensure that members of their unit are aware of College initiatives.
• Be aware of significant activities, achievements, honours and other newsworthy items for the College Newsletter,
• Maintain regular contact with unit administrators and be aware of administrative changes that may impact retired faculty.  Inform the unit administrators of Emeritus College activities that may be of interest to current department members.
• Attendance at the annual Unit Representatives meeting.
   

Part B
(Possible additional CUR initiatives)

• Establish, or maintain, regular formal or informal meetings of unit College members.  Some groups have coffee hours or common rooms where informal get-togethers happen. Other units have monthly, or even weekly, lunch dates operating on a drop-in basis. 
• Recreational activities have sometimes been established:  one department holds an annual poker retreat. other former colleagues have regular golf foursomes.
• Arrange for space to be assigned to Emeritus College activities. This may take the form of a large shared office or may be a social “club room”.
• Facilitate access to University resources in support of the continuing academic activities of emeritus faculty.
• Facilitate access to resources in support of continuing emeritus academic activities.
• Many departments and faculties already hold regular social events specifically for retired faculty members. It is to be hoped that invitations to such events will be extended to members of the Emeritus College.  Emeritus faculty are sometimes neglected when the invitation lists for other such events are prepared, and it will be helpful if the unit reps keep an eye out for any unintentional errors.

UBC Emeritus College Membership Committee
September 2020