RFSA Newsletters are published occasionally, two or three times a year, as needed to communicate information of interest to our membership. These newsletters are archived on our web site, http://www.txstate.edu/rfsa/

First Annual RFSA Business Meeting

    More than fifty members of the Texas State Retired Faculty and Staff Association attended our first annual business meeting on April 7 at the Price Seniors Center.  
       At the meeting, members approved the organization's constitution and bylaws (see http://www.txstate.edu/rfsa/constitution.html) and unanimously elected five officers for the 2008-2009 membership year: Marianne Reese, president; Everette Swinney, vice president; Oliver Maier, secretary; Darlene Schmidt, treasurer; and John Beck, ombudsperson. Thus, RFSA emerged from an informal nascent phase governed by an ad hoc Organizing Committee into a formally constituted University entity.

Four Retired Faculty Named “Distinguished Professor Emeriti”

    At its May meeting in San Marcos, the Texas State University System Board of Regents promoted John Beck, Educational Administration and Psychological Services; Lydia Blanchard, English; Daniel Hannon, Theatre; and Michael McBride, Journalism and Mass Communications to the institution’s most prestigious rank, Distinguished Professor Emeritus/Emerita. Framed copies of the Regental resolution were presented to the honorees by President Trauth at the Fall Convocation in August.

    Since this title was first authorized in the late 1970s, only forty-four faculty have been awarded Distinguished Professor status. This list includes many of the most prominent Texas State faculty of the last thirty years. The title is granted in perpetuity which means recipients become a permanent part of the University’s history.
     Of the forty-four, the following seventeen are deceased (with the date of their award in parentheses): Ralph Houston (1978), Emmie Craddock (1980), Elton Abernathy (1982), J. Lloyd Rogers (1982), William E. Norris, Jr. (1983), Ira Bowles (1989), Henrietta Avent (1995), Daniel E. Farlow (1995), Betty J. Kissler (1995), Tollie R. Buie (1996), Martin O. Juel (1997), James Barton (1998) , Richard B. Henderson (1998), Robert W. Walts (1998), Empress Y. Zedler (1998), William Bechtol (1999), and G. Jack Gravitt (2001).
     See http://www.txstate.edu/rfsa/distprofs08/ for details, copies of the regental resolutions, and the full list of recipients.

Fall Social and Fund Raiser

    Over one-hundred retired faculty, staff, spouses, and guests attended the first annual RFSA Fall Social on September 19 at the scenic Pecan Grove, part of the Aquarena River Center complex, on the Texas State University campus. The event was marked by beautiful weather, good food, and convivial conversation.

     An annual social event is the activity most often selected by retirees who join our new organization, and this was our initial attempt to satisfy that preference. If you have suggestions as to how we might improve the affair for next year, please contact our President, Marianne Reese, at mr11@txstate.edu or 353-5569 with your ideas.

Fifty Faculty and Staff Retire in 2008

   On October 13 at the End Zone Complex at Bobcat Stadium, President Denise Trauth formally recognized the fifty faculty and staff who retired in 2008. RFSA President Marianne Reese welcomed the new retirees, and Advisory Committee members greeted guests as they arrived. The new retirees included:
   Emeriti Faculty--Dr. J. Karen Brown (Social Work), Dr. Michael R. Carns (EAPS), Dr. Barbara A. Hatcher (C. & I.), Dr. John S. Hill (English), Mr. Phillip W. Kostroun (Clin. Lab. Sci.), Dr. Wilda F. Meixner (Accounting), Dr. Diane Parkin-Speer (English), Dr. Francis L. Rose (Biology), Mr. John C. Stansberry (Music), Dr. D. Theron Stimmel (Psychology), Mr. Eric C. Weller (Art & Design), and Dr. Timothy D. Woolsey (Music).

     Retired Faculty--Dr. Dede Armentrout (Biology), Mr. Harvey H. Latson (HPER), and Dr. Marla W. McGhee (EAPS).

     Retired Staff--Dr. Michael L. Abbott (Aca. Aff.), Mr. Guadalupe A. Aguilar (Fin. & Support), Mrs. Margery E. Castellaw (Info. Tech.), Mr. Mike O. Cervantes (Fin. & Support), Dr. Charles A. Christopher (Stud. Aff.), Mr. Richard V. Cruz (Info. Tech.), Mrs. Juanita S. Delgado (Info. Tech.), Mr. Michael L. Elliott (Aca. Aff.), Mr. Raul G. Espinoza (Stud. Aff.), Ms. Mary P. Esquivel (Fin. & Support), Mrs. Oralia Flores (Aca. Aff.), Dr. John H. Garrison (Stud. Aff.), Mr. Laurence E. Gieschen (Info. Tech.), Mrs. Maria R. Gonzales (Fin. & Support), Mrs. Mary A. Gonzales (Fin. & Support), Ms. Christie M. Kangas (Aca. Aff.), Mrs. Homa H. Khosh-Khui (Aca. Aff.), Mrs. Susie N. Longoria (Fin. & Support), Mr. Eleazar A. Lopez (Fin. & Support), Ms. Betty M. Miller (Fin. & Support), Mrs. Josephine Miranda (Stud. Aff.), Mrs. Dana A. Murray (Fin. & Support), Dr. M. Louise Phillips (Aca. Aff.), Mr. Frank P. Puentes (Fin. & Support), Mr. Delfino R. Ramirez (Stud. Aff.), Ms. Dianna G. Richards (Univ. Adv.), Ms. Catherine M. Robbins (Stud. Aff.), Mr. Raul R. Rodriguez (Info. Tech.), Dr. Janis L. Schiller (Aca. Aff.), Ms. Myra L. Shavers (Pres. Office), Mr. Margarito T. Sierra (Stud. Aff.), Mr. Arnulfo P. Talamantes (Fin. & Support), Mr. Alexander A. Travieso (Univ. Adv.), Mrs. Carmen Villalpando (Fin. & Support), and Mrs. Mary S. Warren (Fin. & Support).

In Memoriam 2008

     For details and obituaries see http://www.txstate.edu/rfsa/memoriam/. Most of these retirees and spouses, along with other members of the University community who died within the last year, will be remembered at the Annual Bobcat Pause Memorial Service on April 15, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. In the Student Center Theater.

Help Wanted

   We need your suggestions!  
    As the Retired Faculty and Staff Association grows, the Advisory Board plans to add programs to accommodate members’ interests. Of the twelve activities listed on our membership form, over 50 percent of you indicated an interest in four types of events: an Annual Social, Monthly or Quarterly Luncheons, Lectures or Programs, and Travel.
     The September Steak Fry (see above) was our first Annual Social. Planning has begun for a similar event this fall and your suggestions on how to improve the event are welcome.
     Monthly or Quarterly Luncheons and Lectures or Programs overlap, so we are thinking of trying a couple of experiments during the next few months. We would appreciate any ideas you may have on possible venues or speakers or performers from the University community.
     There is lots of interest in travel. The proposed trip to the Shiner Brewery a while back looked very promising, but ultimately the cost seemed prohibitive. How can we accommodate this interest in a cost-effective manner? What day trips in the Central Texas region do you recommend we should consider?
     Roughly one-third of our membership has indicated an interest in books, exercise, health, investments, and bridge. If you are passionate about one of these activities a program and would like to volunteer to chair a committee or to help organize a program, please let us know. Contact Marianne Reese at mr11@txstate.edu or 353-5569.

In Brief

    Looking for a Colleague? As recommended by RFSA, retired faculty and staff are now included in the People Search conveniently available on the Texas State Homepage at http://www.txstate.edu/. In the upper-right-hand corner, type in the name in the “Search web/people” box, select “People Search” from the adjacent pull-down menu, and click on “Go.”

     Sports Pass. Under the UPPS re Honors and Benefits for Retired Faculty and Staff, retirees are entitled to “two complimentary general admission tickets to all regular season varsity athletic events except football to be provided upon presentation of a ‘retired faculty’ or ‘retired staff’ identification card at the event.” Early difficulties with securing such tickets has been removed with the issuance of a permanent “Retired Faculty & Staff Sports Pass” sent to eligible retirees within a seventy-five mile radius of San Marcos in October. These passes are not transferable, and the holder must be present and have a photo ID to gain entry to the sports event. If you did not get or have lost your pass, contact Kimberly Garrett, kg20@txstate.edu.

     New Email Address. The Retired Faculty and Staff Association has a new email address: rfsa@txstate.edu. This account will be used to send out our newsletters and relevant announcements to our members and, on occasion, other members of the University community. It is also an easy way to contact us regarding matters related to the Association.

     Death Notices. At our December meeting the RFSA Advisory Committee authorized using this address to send our members notices of deaths of retirees or their spouses as soon as we learn of such events, in time, if possible, to include dates and times of visitations and funerals.

     Web Site Revision. Within the next few weeks we plan to revise our web site (http://www.txstate.edu/rfsa/) by adding a site index and a calendar of RFSA and other University events of interest to retirees. Also, we would like to include on the site brief features regarding interesting or unusual post-retirement activities of Texas State retirees. If you or someone you know are up to something which might be of interest to our membership, please drop us a note at rfsa.txstate.edu.

     Pass It Along. If you know a Texas State retired faculty or staff member who might be interested in our organization, please forward this Newsletter. Joining is easy; just click on https://secure.its.txstate.edu/irsurveys/vpaa/retired/member.pl and fill out the on-line form.
     
     This email has been sent to you as a member of the Retired Faculty and Staff Association. It has also been sent as information to members of the President's Cabinet, Council of Deans, Departmental Chairs, Faculty Senate, and Staff Council. If you do not wish to receive future Newsletters, please let us know by addressing a brief note to rfsa@txstate.edu.