January 2007

UARA WINTER LUNCHEON

January 25, 2007

TANQUE VERDE GUEST RANCH

East End of Speedway

Proceed to East end of Speedway Boulevard. Allow 20 minutes from Wilmot Road. At the end of Speedway you

will see a sign announcing Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. You will turn left and then right and continue to the parking area. Follow the crowd to the dining area. Stop at the registration desk (first building), if you need assistance.
11:30 a.m.

Arrive early or stay later and enjoy the ambiance of a working ranch.

Meal is a self-serve buffet with multiple meat entrees, vegetables, salads, breads and desserts.

Coffee and iced tea available at table.

MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS BY JANUARY 18, 2007

Reserve early _ Attendance limited by room size

At-door registration is not accepted

$15.00 per person

Questions, Attendance Issues/Cancellation Requests:

Call Dianne Bret Harte at 323-2216

No portion of this cost is tax deductible

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Reservation Form for Winter Luncheon

(Please print as you would like on nametag)

Retiree _________________________________________________________________

Department or unit retired from (optional) ____________________________________

Guest Name #1 ___________________________________________________________

Guest Name #2 ___________________________________________________________

Enclosed is a check for $__________ made payable to UARA ($15.00 per person)

Receipt of your check is guarantee of your attendance.

No refund possible unless cancellation request is received three days prior to event.

Mail reservation form and check to:

Dianne Bret Harte

723 N. Treat Avenue

Tucson, Arizona 85716

Thursdays: North and South America before Columbus; The Future According to Kurzweil; The Art of the Story; Trials of the Centuries; They Made America (Inventors); and Book and Film Groups.

Fridays: A Call to Moderates; Faith and Public Policy; Mandarin Chinese for Tourists.

Study groups start on January 8-12. All meet for two hours once a week on the U of A campus at Euclid and Second Avenue. Some last seven weeks, most last 14. You can skip or not, no exams, just great socializing, participatory learning, and mental stimulation. There's even a half-off-the-annual-fee deal for new members, so it's only about $150 to take as many "courses" as interest you. This may be the semester for you, so do call for more detail on the study groups, on membership, and on OLLI in general. It really is a mental turn-on!

Governor's Advisory Council on Aging

602-542-4710

Home & Community Based Services

602-542-4446

Legal Services 602-542-4446

Life Care Planning 602-542-2124

Long Term Care Ombudsman 602-542-4446

Motor Vehicle Division 602-255-0072

Ombudsman Citizen's Aide 800-872-2879

Social Security Admin. 800-772-1213

State Health Insurance Assistance Program

800-432-4040

Talking Books (Phoenix) 602-255-5578

Talking Books (Outside Phoenix)

800-255-5578

Unemployment Insurance 602-364-2722

Utilities Assistance 800-582-5706

Veterans Services 800-852-8387

Voter Registration 877-843-8683

ABOUT US OR IS IT?

1. In the 1940's, where were automobile headlight dimmer switches located?

a. on the floor shift knob

b. on the floor board, to the left of the clutch

c. next to the horn

2. What was the popular chewing gum named for a game of chance?

a. Blackjack

b. Gin

c. Craps

3. What was the name of Caroline Kennedy's pet pony?

a. Old Blue

b. Paint

c. Macaroni

4. What was a Duck-and-Cover Drill?

a. Part of the game of hide and seek

b. What you did when you Mom called you in to do chores

c. Hiding under your desk, and covering your head with your arms in an A-bomb drill

5. How was Butch wax used?

a. to stiffen a flat-top haircut so it stood up

b. to make floors shiny and prevent scuffing

c. on the wheels of roller skates to prevent rust

Answers to History Exam questions on page 8.

TRY OLLI THIS SPRING

John Guilbert

What a course list! What a deal! What fun!

Yes, the Winter Study Group list for OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, ex-SAGE) is out and it's a real turn-on. Without any detail (which you can get by dialing 626-9039 or going to www.ceao.arizona.edu/olli), here is the list.

Mondays: Economic Philosophy; Huck Finn; The Rise and Fall of Athens; Don Quixote, a New Look; Cultures and Cuisines; Steinbeck's East of Eden.

Tuesdays: Color in the World; Learn and Lead; Artists of the Mexican Revolution; Scandinavia and Scandinavians in America; Iran Then and Now; 20^th Century English novelists and Short Subjects.

Wednesdays: Poetry in Music; What's in your Genes; Literature from the "Axis of Evil?"; History of the Bible(s) in Western Culture; Writing Your Memoirs; and Issues in Assisted Reproduction Technology.

GOVERNOR'S OFFICES

Phoenix: 602-542-4331

800-253-0883

Southern AZ Office: 520-628-6580

Contact the Governor

Phone: 602-542-1318

Email: azgov@az.gov

Message of the Week:

www.azgovernor.gov/signup

Web Site: www.azgovernor.gov

EMERGENCIES 911

COMPLAINTS

Adult Protective Services 877-767-2385

Assisted Living Facility Violations

602-364-2639

Better Business Bureau 602-264-1721

Consumer Fraud 602-542-5763

Discrimination 602-542-5263

Elder Affairs 602-542-2124

Skilled Nursing Facility Violations

602-364-2690

HOT LINES

Domestic Violence 800-799-7233

Drug Assistance 800-662-4357

Elder Abuse 877-767-2385

Food Stamps 800-352-8401

Medicaid (Phoenix) 602-417-4000

Medicaid (Outside) 800-962-6690

Medicare 800-633-4227

Social Security Admin. 800-772-1213

State Health Insurance Assistance

Program 800-432-4040

Suicide Prevention 800-784-2433

INFORMATION AND REFERRAL

Area Agencies on Aging

Maricopa County 602-264-2255

Pima County 520-790-7262

Apache, Coconino, Navajo & Yavapai

Counties 928-774-1895

La Paz, Mohave & Yuma 800-782-1886

Gila & Pinal 520-836-2758

Cochise, Graham, Greenlee & Santa Cruz

520-432-5301

Navajo Nation 928-871-6783

Intertribal Council of AZ. 602-248-0071

STATE AGENCIES

Administration 602-542-1500

Agriculture 602-542-4373

AHCCCS 602-417-4000

Banking 602-255-4421

Commerce 602-771-1100

Corrections 602-542-5536

Economic Security 602-542-5678

Emergency Affairs 602-267-2700

Environmental Quality 602-771-2300

Game & Fish 602-942-3000

Gaming 602-604-1801

Health Services 602-542-1001

Highway Safety 602-255-3216

Housing 602-771-1000

Information Technology 602-364-4482

Insurance 602-912-8444

Juvenile Corrections 602-542-4302

Land 602-542-4631

Liquor Licenses and Control 602-542-5141

Lottery 480-921-4400

Parks 602-542-4174

Public Safety 602-223-2000

Racing 602-364-1700

Real Estate 602-468-1414

Registrar of Contractors 602-542-1525

Revenue 602-716-6090

Tourism 602-364-3700

Transportation 602-712-7011

Water Resources 602-417-2400

Weights & Measures 602-255-5211

RESOURCES

Advanced Directives Registry 800-458-5842

Benefits CheckUp 800-432-4040

CopperR× Card 888-227-8315

Do Not Call Registry 888-382-1222

Elder Law 800-231-5441

Eldercare Locator 800-677-1116

Emissions 800-284-7748

Family Caregiver Support 602-542-4446

Foster Grandparents 800-424-8867

(continued on page 10)

(Make a difference continued from page 7)

We found a baby duck. We made a sign saying, "A duck is lost." But then my mom took off the sign because we felt sorry for the duck. My brother cleaned the mess from the rug.

Naturally, volunteers encounter a variety of students. Children who don't need extra help, don't need tutors. But individualized assistance can provide a priceless opportunity for those struggling for a good educational beginning. My recently retired husband, observing the satisfaction I've gained through tutoring, is now supporting a seven-year-old boy as he reaches toward the second grade reading level.

There are a number of tutoring programs available but, regardless of which you choose, helping a child blossom through personal mentoring is definitely a worthwhile way to spend some time.

A hundred years from now it will not matter
What my bank account was
The sort of house I lived in,
Or the kind of car I drove.
But the world may be different,
Because I was important in the life of a child.
(from an essay by Dr. Forest E. Witcraft)

1. Not to get married.

2. Not to keep company with men.

3. Not to loiter in downtown ice cream stores.

4. To be home between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. unless involved at a school function.

5. Not to leave town at anytime without the permission from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

6. Not to smoke cigarettes. This contract becomes null and void immediately if the teacher is found smoking.

7. Not to drink beer, wine, or whiskey.

8. Not to ride in a carriage or automobile with any man except her brother or father.

9. Not to dress in bright colors.

10. To wear at least two petticoats.

11. Not to wear dresses less than two inches above the ankles.

12. To keep the school room clean

a. to sweep the classroom floor at least once daily

b. to scrub the classroom floor at least once weekly with soap and hot water

c. to start the fire at 7:00 a.m. so the room will be warm when the children arrive

d. to clean the blackboard at least once daily.

13. Not to use face powder, mascara, or paint

the lips.

Answers to History Exam

(questions on page 10)

1. (b) On the floor, to the left of the clutch. Hand controls, popular in Europe, took until the late

60's to catch on.

2. (a) Blackjack Gum

3. (c) Macaroni

4. (c) Hiding under your desk and covering your head with your arms in an A-bomb drill

5. (a) Wax for your flat top (butch) haircut.

medical intervention (best facilitated by calling 911 and NOT going on one's own to an ER).

It is not part of normal aging to experience problems in speech and swallowing. A speech problem related to nervous system damage is called "dysarthria;" the swallowing problem is known as "dysphagia." While both dysarthria and dysphagia can be the result of a stroke, they may also be symptoms caused by head trauma or from such neurological diseases as Parkinson's (PD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Both speech and swallowing problems related to neurological problems are best treated as soon after onset as possible by the speech language pathologist.

Perhaps the most common cause of a slight speech problem in the aged is ill-fitting dentures. For example, a loose fitting upper plate may interfere enough with tongue movements to produce some slight speech errors, such as a noisy /s/ or /z/. Fortunately, refitting the denture by the dentist can often do immediate wonders in correcting the problem.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD
Bonnie Donis

Soon after retiring from the U of A, I discovered the OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring program. OASIS (Older Adult Service and Information System) is a national, non-profit, educational organization that offers a variety of programs, classes, trips, and special events for seniors. Membership is free to anyone 50 years of age or older. In Tucson, OASIS is sponsored by TMC HealthCare, Pima Council on Aging, and Macy's Department Store. The OASIS office and classrooms are located on the third floor of Macy's at El Con Mall.

Intergenerational Tutoring is a program in which volunteers, school districts, and OASIS work together in an effort to help elementary (primarily kindergarten through third grade) school children attain a positive attitude toward learning and gain confidence while developing reading skills. No teaching experience is needed to be a tutor. OASIS volunteers are viewed as mentors and role models rather than teachers. More important than a teaching degree are flexibility, patience, compassion, enthusiasm, humor and perseverance.

Each year OASIS sponsors two tutor training workshops, as well as monthly support meetings. Participants are given a comprehensive handbook and tutoring supplies. Each Tucson area school district has a District Coordinator and each school a Building Representative to whom OASIS tutors may turn for assistance.

The program is not designed to help a child with class work or homework, but rather to motivate reading and language improvement and to build self-esteem through one-on-one sessions _ usually for one hour, once a week. A basic tool used in this program is a journal that the tutor fills with the child's stories. Because these are his/her own words, the student is thrilled to discover reading is not so hard after all.

(continued on page 8)

pension plans with defined contribution (DC) plans (similar to 401(k) plans) would reduce government costs and better meet workers' needs. While DC plans are useful for supplementing pension benefits and encouraging additional employee savings, replacing public pension plans with DC plans is unlikely to reduce government costs or better meet workers' needs.

How Does Arizona Compare?

The ASRS completed a white paper this past year comparing Defined Benefit (DB) plans with Defined Contribution (DC) plans both in terms of advantages and disadvantages. Clearly, the DB plans provide for a more secure retirement at less cost for the broadest number of employees. This study, as well as a pamphlet addressing the particular advantages of the ASRS DB plan, is available through ASRS at their web site, www.azasrs.gov.

In summary, your ASRS Defined Benefit plan is a healthy, well-managed system and is so recognized through multiple levels of review and audit. Our members can be confident that the ASRS is well-positioned to meet obligations of providing a lifelong income and a range of additional benefits when they retire including an annual pension, a medical and dental benefit, long term disability protection, and additional savings opportunities.

I have only excerpted passages from the article by Zorn and Brainard. Please refer to their complete article for more extensive discussion. Also, refer to past discussions in Jubilación regarding DB and DC plans.

If anything, many of us seniors speak as well as we ever did. A few of us, free of the distractions and stresses of our younger years, may actually enjoy greater speech accuracy and fluency.

Problems in speech as we get older are usually the result of some kind of interference or disease. In normal aging, there is some continuous reduction in breath volume. As the elasticity of lung tissue and chest expansion decreases normally with increasing age, we are forced to renew our breath more often. This often results in a slowing down of our overall-speaking rate.

Older people with a history of moderate to heavy smoking will find it necessary to say fewer words on one breath. Trying to speak a normal sentence of ten to fifteen words on one breath may be difficult. Such a reduction of lung function may require the speaker to reduce the number of words spoken on one breath (maybe only four or five words). Medical doctors best manage other respiratory diseases, such as asthma or emphysema.

The normal voice changes only slightly with age. The pitch level of the woman's voice lowers with each successive decade of life. The male voice also deepens until the late seventies when his voice pitch begins to rise slightly. When a couple reaches over eighty years of age, their pitch levels may be similar, making it difficult for telephone callers to know if they are talking to "her" or to "him." A slight hoarseness may also be present in aging voices, often related to lack of proper breath support.

Severe changes in voice that last more than seven days and are not related to a severe cold or chest infection should be investigated medically. Continued hoarseness is not part of normal aging. The aged person with a continuing hoarse voice should be seen by a physician, preferably by an otolaryngologist (ear-nose-throat doctor).

Difficulty in swallowing or changes in speech clarity are not part of normal aging. One symptom of a stroke may be a sudden change in clarity of speech. For example, the left side of the tongue, mouth, and face may move differently than the right. Such sudden asymmetry of muscle movements of the mouth and face may indicate that a stroke is developing. The onset of a stroke requires immediate

liabilities amount to hundreds of billions of dollars. In fact, pension plans covering the vast majority of public employees are in good financial shape. According to the Public Fund Survey, the average funded ratio for more than 100 of the nation's largest public plans was 87% in 2005, with two-thirds of the plans at least 80% funded. While a handful of plans do have funded ratios below 60%, the financial health of the plans covering the vast majority of public employees is sound.

How Does Arizona Compare?

The year of 2005 is the most recent year reported because that is the most recent year that has been fully audited. Arizona's funding status for the pension fund in 2005 was 86.1 % (85.3% if the Health Fund is included). Arizona's funding status for fiscal year 2006 is approximately 84.3%. Like most other states, Arizona's funding status has trended downward due to various factors including past benefit enhancements, lower mid-term investment returns, low historic contribution rates, and changing demographics. That trend is beginning to slow and funding is projected to begin an upward trend beginning approximately 2012. Our investment returns continue to be healthy following the downturn in 2001-2003. The rate of investment return in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, was 9.8%. The annualized rate of return was 8.7%, which exceeds our actuarially assumed rate of return of 8%.

Zorn and Brainard compare the funding status of a fund to a mortgage. Given that pension liabilities are long-term liabilities amortized over 30 years (in the case of Arizona), Arizona is like a homeowner who has paid approximately 84% of the cost of their home with 30 years remaining on the mortgage.

Myth 2: Public Pension Plans Lack Oversight and Standards

Recent media reports suggest public plans are not subject to oversight, fiduciary requirements, or even accounting standards. In fact, all public plans are governed by federal and state laws that regulate how they are established and the level of benefits they can provide. Public plans also are governed by comprehensive accounting standards established by the Govern

mental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). These standards provide the framework for the annual financial audits most governments contract to independent accounting firms. Since credit rating agencies pay close attention to the auditor's report in assessing a government's credit quality, there is significant incentive to adhere to the GASB's standards.

How Does Arizona Compare?

The ASRS is subject to all of the standards listed above. In addition, over the past year, two independent auditors reviewed ASRS operations and issued favorable reports. The Arizona Auditor General's Office conducted an extensive review as part of the ten-year Sunset Review process. This culminated in legislation being passed that authorizes continuation of the ASRS through July 2016. The Joint Legislative Budget Committee also contracted for an independent actuarial audit of many of the State funds, including the funds managed by ASRS. This audit indicated that the actuarial methodologies that are the basis for determination of the health of the funds such as funding status and contribution rates are "appropriate and reliable."

The ASRS has received two significant awards in recognition of its activities. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the ASRS for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005. The ASRS has received this prestigious award in each of the last 17 years. In addition, the Public Pension Coordinating Council awarded a Pension Standards Award for 2006 to the ASRS for meeting professional standards for plan design and administration. This is the second year that ASRS has received this award. The awards are indicators that ASRS meets and exceeds standards that are recognized by the appropriate professions.

Myth 3: Converting to a Defined Contribution Plan Will Save Money

Media reports also suggest that replacing public

(continued on page 6)

freezing their current pension plan and either opening a new plan or eliminating their pension program altogether. What is a person supposed to think? The report usually neglects to point out that these are corporations within the private sector and that the corporation as an entity is in difficulty, not just the pension plan. Frequently the decision is based on moving the risk (and reporting) from the corporation to the employee. We are led to believe that most corporations are experiencing these difficulties and all pensions (including public pension programs) are at risk and going down the drain.

At the same time, we are informed about extreme pressures that exist for public pension programs across the nation within states and municipalities and, again, the implication is made that all pension programs are in great danger and must be rescued. The stories neglect to mention that the reason for the crisis is often neglect by legislatures, poor management of some funds, and even fraud. Again, what is a person to think?

Our concern primarily focuses on public pension programs like ASRS because the pressures on private pension programs and public pension programs are quite different. They really are apples and kumquats. A recent article was published in the PlanSponsor Magazine (November 2006) entitled "Three Myths About State and Local Government Pension Plans." The authors were Paul Zorn and Keith Brainard. Paul Zorn is director of Governmental Research at Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Company. He specializes in research related to public retirement systems and employee benefit plans. Keith Brainard is research director for the National Association of State Retirement Administrators. His primary responsibilities include the collection, preparation and distribution of news, studies, and reports pertinent to public retirement system administration and policy to NASRA members. Their article provides an appropriate framework for the status of the ASRS. Following are quotes from their article followed by my comments specific to the ASRS.

Myth 1: Public Pension Plans Are in Crisis

The claim that public pension plans are in crisis often is supported by references to a handful of poorly funded public plans and a statement that public plans' unfunded

The Spousal Notification bill - HB 2082 - passed last year and is now part of ASRS' routine practices. As required by statute, spouses are notified of the retirement option chosen by a member at the time of retirement, and of any subsequent changes.

The "Equity Bill" introduced in the 2005 Session did not get far. (This is the bill that would give to people who retired before August 11, 2001, the same "graded multiplier" that was awarded to those retiring after 2001). Even its previous sponsor, Rep. Marian McClure, was too unnerved by the 85% funding level of the Plan to consider any further burden on the contribution rate. Nonetheless, Dan Gilbert of the NAURA reported that his friend and Representative Ann Kirkpatrick (D, Flagstaff) wants to introduce such a bill and to talk to the Governor about including it in her budget. He felt that Marian McClure and Gary Pierce might help. The question of whether or not this could be made retroactive to 2001 was posed. Alan Johnson of ASURA, who had worked such bills in the last three years, assured us that such a retroactive proposal would find no support in the Legislature. A motion was made, seconded and passed to try again in 2007, hopefully with some help from the Governor.

There was much discussion of a growing practice whereby retired teachers are hired by private businesses that then contract with school districts to put the teachers back in the classrooms. Initially this solved a pressing problem in rural school districts that have a hard time finding new teachers. But now it is getting quite popular, leading the AEA to become concerned that there are fewer spots available for new teachers. Additionally, ASRS is impacted by earlier retirements than they would have anticipated. As a start, the AEA representatives decided that they should begin earnest discussions with the State

Board of Education.

- Charlie Chittenden informs us that the nature of the demographic volatility he has seen in the annual System valuation is not simply what one might expect as the number of participants decreases. Rather it is the fact that members with large pensions live substantially longer than expected, while those with small pensions do not. For this reason the System valuation in future years will probably be done using "generational" mortality tables, which are attuned to the particular attributes and history of the population in question.

- Contrary to the statements and inferences we have heard and/or read from some members, and have at times entertained ourselves, we came away from the meeting with the conviction that ASRS is NOT "trying to get rid of us System members." We posed that question quite directly at the beginning of the meeting. We came away convinced that their only interest is in doing the very best they can to satisfy our needs and expectations.

- Charlie Chittenden proposed a new scenario wherein the System surplus, now 9%, is transferred to the Plan in return for guaranteeing as much of the non-guaranteed benefits as that $45,000,000 can buy, say 90%, for example. After the transfer the System would continue as it has always been, with 13^th checks and supplemental credits as well as the possibility of benefit reductions, but reductions much smaller than are possible now and limited to a maximum of 10%, say. (Needless to say, the ASRS people at the meeting made no response to this suggestion. They will probably discuss it further with Charlie and maybe even do some calculations. But we won't hear another word before the Board does.)

If you have any questions you think we can answer, please send us an email.

meeting on October 10 we were joined by several other System members in an extended discussion of the proposals with Keith Meredith, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ASRS and a past UARA President and continuing active participant in UARA activities. Needless to say, we did not, nor could we, resolve anything at that meeting. Most members had yet to attend any of the public meetings and/or to return their Feedback Forms.

After the ASRS Board of Trustees meeting on the morning of November 17, we had the opportunity, courtesy of Director Paul Matson and Assistant Director Pat Klein, to meet with them, actuaries Charlie Chittenden and Bill Hallmark, and staff members Susanne Dobel and John Hendricks. During September and October we had been in contact, in person and/or by email, with about 50 members. Before the meeting we had emailed to the other attendees our digest of the comments and suggestions of these members, as well as the results of market research done by one of us (UF), and studies addressing the volatility of the funding status of pension plans with small populations. The market research suggests that, at current System over-funding of 109%, we can expect the funding status of the System to drop below 95% 1.5 times during the next 10 years. In order to ensure that the probability of such a drop is reduced to less than 0.02, we must increase the funding status to 141%. In addition to asking ASRS to verify these predictions independently, we suggested several additional studies that should be conducted to give us the information needed to evaluate the proposals. Because they were still in the process of reading and digesting the Feedback from members, some of who sent lengthy and very thoughtful attachments, Paul and Pat could do no more than thank us for our comments and suggestions. They assured us that they would be carefully considered as they put together their report to the Board, now scheduled for the December 15 Board meeting.

We did learn a few new things at the meeting:

NEW CAMPUS BOOK GROUP

BETA, a networking organization of office professionals, is starting a new book group on campus, open to the campus community and to interested retirees. Members will be

asked to contribute a commitment to reading the book selection for that month, a willingness to discuss it enthusiastically (even if you don't enjoy the book, it is crucial to be there and tell why), and a tolerance and respect for others' opinions. For further information, call Anna Wilkinson,

621-1986 or email alw@email.arizona.edu.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Jim Burke and Uwe Fink, Legislative Action Committee Co-Chairs

New Options for "System" Members

We reported on this new initiative by ASRS in the September issue. During October, ASRS hosted approximately 17 meetings around the State to introduce new proposed options they are considering, seeking member comments, questions and suggestions. Three options were presented:

(1) Stay in the System, with the understanding that approximately 63% of benefits, on average, are not guaranteed;

(2) transfer to the Plan, forfeiting some current benefits in order to guarantee the rest;

(3) take a lump sum benefit equal to the Present Value of current benefits.

A total of about 500 members attended at least one of these meetings and roughly the same number completed and returned the Feedback Form that came in the package mailed to members. At our UARA Council

UARA will be hosting the tri-university meeting at ASU in March. We have found this annual meeting to be productive. In addition to becoming better informed about the ASU and NAU retiree activities, there are issues on which we can work together.

Our Council meetings are the second Tuesday of each month, 9:00 a.m., in the Foundation (Swede Johnson) Building. Parking is not a problem. We have an invited speaker at each meeting as well as reports from our legislative committee on bills affecting retirees, a monthly update on the Arizona State Retirement System and UARA business. Speakers from the U of A for the first three months of 2007 are connected with the political process: January 9, Ted Downing, Arizona Research Laboratories, legislator for four years; February 13, Greg Fahey/Charlene Ledet, Government Relations; March 13, Shay Stautz, Federal Relations. We invite you to come to a meeting and learn along with us.

Donning my Jubilación "hat," my special thanks to Jim Burke, Uwe Fink, Legislative Committee co-chairs, and Keith Meredith, chair, ASRS Board of Trustees, for their contributions. They are each extremely thorough, provide me with an interesting article for every issue of this publication and they don't take themselves too seriously! That is a winning combination.

Thank you for your on-going support of UARA. May the new year bring you joy.

Janice Murphy

UARA is having a good year! We have over 1000 members who have said with their dues that this organization is important to them. You are turning out for events. The Paul Matson lecture attracted 140 attendees from the UARA and the University, who hopefully had at least some of their questions answered about ASRS pension plans and funding. There was a capacity crowd at the fall luncheon at Skyline Country Club with the opportunity to meet President Shelton. President Shelton had to leave somewhat early for another meeting; however, he was "waylaid" before he got to the door so he could meet our scholarship recipient. Indeed, he spent some quality time with her. This meant a great deal, especially to Corinne Wilson, who has worked hard to build the Irving Yall scholarship to the point where it will benefit students. This fall, generous donors contributed $2,000 more to the fund. As the fund grows we can give more book scholarships. You are making a difference.

We have had informative speakers at our Council meetings. George Evanoff, Chair of the Governor's Council on Aging, told us about resources available for seniors in the state. Did you know that by the year 2020, one in four Arizonans would be over the age of 60? Peter McAllister, Director of the School of Music, shared goals and new changes with us at the November Council meeting. We were impressed and his enthusiasm is catching. Most of their events are free, fulfilling outreach to the Tucson region. These include faculty recitals, performances by outstanding musicians. Check them out at www.music.arizona.edu.

We're ready for the new year. The first luncheon will be at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch on January 25. It is in such a beautiful location and the buffet is inspiring! Because it is a popular spot and we are limited in the number of reservations we can accept, please get your response to Dianne soon.

Dan Boone, professor emeritus, has generously shared with us in Jubilación this year through his series of articles on speech and hearing. He is our invited guest speaker for the spring seminar. If you have ever had the pleasure of attending one of his lectures, you know that he is an accomplished and entertaining speaker.