BGSU Retirees Association and OCHER

The Ohio Council of Higher Education Retirees is a nonprofit organization to support the formation of retirees organizations at each member institution within the Public Universities of Ohio, to share information about the structure and the activities of presently constituted retiree organizations via a state network of inter-institutional communications, and to provide advocacy leadership and representation for university retirees at the State Teachers Retirement System Board, the Ohio Legislature, the Inter-University Council and other appropriate groups.

HISTORY

In the fall of 1992 Charmer Hixson, Emeritus Professor of Physical Education at The Ohio State University, contacted representatives from some of the state-supported universities in Ohio and invited them to attend a meeting in Fawcett Center at The Ohio State University. The purpose of the meeting was to share information concerning the retirees organizations on the various campuses and consider formulating a statewide network of retirees groups.

The meeting was called for January 25, 1992 and representatives from the following institutions were present: The University of Cincinnati (Emeriti Association), Cleveland State University, The Ohio State University (Retirees Association), Ohio University (Emeriti Association), Wright State University, Miami University (Emeriti Association).

At the January 25 meeting the representatives described the nature and structure of the various retirees organizations, explained the type and extent of support and the benefits provided to retirees by the host institutions, shared common concerns, and discussed interest in forming an Ohio Network of University Retiree Groups.

All agreed that there was a need to establish a statewide communications network among retirees organizations. Representatives from institutions without retirees organizations would be contacted and invited to attend future meetings of this, as of now, unnamed network. A special point was made that at no time would such a Council be in competition with the Ohio Retired Teachers Association, ORTA, or the Ohio Education Association, OEA.

The second meeting of the "network of retirees organizations" was held at Ohio State University on April 9, 1993. In addition to the other institutions represented at the first meeting, a representative from Kent State University reported that the University has an Emeriti Association which meets twice each month and a representative from the Medical College of Ohio reported that the Medical College has a Retirees Club which meets four time per year.

At the third meeting held at Ohio State University on June 25, 1993, it was agreed the name be, "Ohio Council of Higher Education Retirees," and become an Agency of Advocacy on issues affecting retirees.

At the meeting on May 24, 1994, the revised constitution was approved unanimously.

Bowling Green State University became a member of OCHER in 1995.

BGSURA

Richard Edwards, BGSURA, is the current president of OCHER, and Genevieve Stang, BGSURA, serves as secretary. They are the official representatives of the BGSU retirees' organization.