2 President’s Message s some of you know, the graduate assistant who keeps our RAPS office going left us suddenly on March 2 when she was offered a “real” job that would pay a salary and keep her employed after graduation. The most important response was to congratulate Maya on finding employment in this difficult job market. The secondary response was an appalled realization of all the tasks that our graduate assistant does and that none of us have any idea how to accomplish. Fortunately, MiMi Bernal-Graves, who worked with us for the two years prior to Maya’s appointment, has agreed to come in on Saturdays and give us enough help to keep us going until we have a new graduate assistant. Otherwise, I think that rather than writing this month’s President’s message I would still be sitting at the desk in the RAPS office pondering the forms and instructions for – well, for whatever needed to be done. And surrounding me at that desk would be a large group of RAPS members, all pitching in to help. That may really be the most important response to suddenly being without an office manager. The willingness of RAPS members to take over projects – to do what they usually do and also what the graduate assistant does – has been really amazing. We had a wonderful March program. Ballots got into the mail for elections (don’t forget to return yours). The invitation and mailing lists for the April President’s Event got to the President’s office, and many of you have been involved in planning the agenda for the event. The work of updating our membership lists and getting a new RAPS directory produced has continued. And our President-elect has taken over the process of selecting our new graduate assistant. So, once again, I want to offer thanks to the many members who have helped us during a crisis. I have joined the “I never expected this workload” club. Until recently, this club had just one member, former President Bob Tufts, who had to find new office space for RAPS. And I have been rewarded by getting to know many of you better as we worked to solve knotty problems. The “fellowship” part of the RAPS mission has really been illustrated during the month of March. --Joan Shireman Membership committee spreads the word about RAPS newly formed RAPS Membership Committee – Marge Terdal, Dave Krug, and Mary Brannan – is working on the following ways to promote membership in RAPS: • Informing future retirees about RAPS by sending the RAPS Sheet via email to all PSU staff and faculty age 60 and over. • Improving the method for obtaining names of all new retirees. (This is done through Human Resources, but due to frequent staff changes, efforts to obtain accurate lists on a regular basis have yielded inconsistent results.) • Continuing to offer an introductory one-year free membership to all new retirees. • Changing the membership fee structure as follows: 1-year membership $20 3-year membership 45 10-year membership 120 Lifetime membership 200 (The goal is to encourage members to renew for longer periods. At present about one-third of the members have lifetime memberships.) • Continuing to offer free membership to any member at age 85. (Please inform the RAPS office if you are eligible for this free membership.) RAPS continues to offer the following benefits to all members: • Informative and entertaining programs and social events • Special interest groups, including the Book Club, Bridge Club, RAPS Hikers, and Writers’ Group • The RAPS Sheet, our monthly newsletter • PSU Currently • RAPS Membership Directory • Internet privileges for staff members, including university email account ($25 annual fee) • Discount membership to the Academic Student Recreation Center • Free admission to a PSU football game Most of all, RAPS provides an opportunity to stay connected with colleagues at PSU and to make new friends by becoming an active RAPS member. --Marge Terdal, Membership Chair A A
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