Phone: 814-227-2420

www.apscuf.org

November 2017

Executive Committee: President – Ray Feroz; Vice President – Joyce Overly; Secretary – Christopher McCarrick; Treasurer – Linda Lillard; Delegates –
Ray Feroz, Barry Sweet; Jonathan Touster, Annette Rosati, Lorie Taylor; Alternate Delegates – Ellen Foster, Jennifer May, Cristin Ketley, Karl Sprenger,
Jacqueline Knaust; Coaches President - Sean Esterhuizen; Coaches Vice President – Al Modrzejewski; Coaches’ Grievance Chair – Eric Laughlin; Venango
Campus – Renee Bloom; CAP – Joseph Croskey; DRC – Amy Love-Conner/Mary Buchanan; Grievance – Mary Buchanan/Mark Kilwein; Health & Welfare –
Marilyn Howe; Legislative – Jonathan Touster; Membership – Paul Klenowski; Negotiations – Ray Feroz; Nominations & Elections – YooJin Ha; Social
Justice – Amy Conner-Love; Public Affairs/Relations – Christopher McCarrick; Student Liaison – Naomi Bell O’Neil; Rules & Bylaws – Carey Childers;
Mobilization Co-Chairs – Lorie Taylor & Jacqueline Knaust; State Temporary Faculty Committee – Michael Hissam; State APSCUF Executive Council –
Joyce Overly

The President’s Message…
Dear Colleagues,
Time flies – here we are in the final third of the fall semester. I hope all is going well with
you! Heads up: we will have an end-of semester Holiday Social in town – watch for the
announcement!
Since the last Newsletter, we now have a new interim president. APSCUF certainly wishes Dr. Fackler success in his
role. He has hit the ground running and we appreciate his communications and the respect that he has already
shown to faculty.
Next week faculty will be engaged in the process of ratifying the new one-year CBA. It is a reasonable contract and I
recommend your affirmative vote.
On Thursday November 30th, Ken Mash, State APSCUF President, will be here. Please plan to join us at the Rhea
conference room at 3:00 pm to hear his remarks and Q&A.
Management has asked us to participate in labor-management committees to look at tenure, sabbatical and
promotion. I will be speaking with the Executive Committee, Departmental Representative Council members, and
the Meet and Discuss team about composition. These are intended to provide a good-faith analysis of these
systems with no preconceived agenda. Similarly, our members may have other university systems that also could
benefit from such analysis. Advising, CCPS and the Adjunct hiring processes come to mind, but there are certainly
other areas. Please let me know if you have any other systems in mind that would be good to review.
Congratulations to our colleagues who were tenured and promoted last year, recognized at the Carlson Library
reception today!
Have a great November! Get in some quality time with your loved ones. In this month of Thanksgiving, we can all
be thankful for our brothers and sisters and the strength and support we gain from each other here at the
university.
In solidarity,
Ray

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FALL 2017 MEETINGS
(Please mark your calendars!)
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EC)
(Rhea Conf. Room @ 3:30 pm)
Tuesday, November 7
Tuesday, November 28

Friday, December 8 (Meet & Discuss)
DEPARTMENTAL REP COUNCIL
(Rhea Conf. Room @ 3:30 PM)
Tuesday, November 14
Tuesday, December 5

Fall 2017 MEET & DISCUSS @ 2:30 pm
Friday, November 10 (Pre-Meet)
Friday, November 17 (Meet & Discuss)
Friday, December 1 (Pre-Meet)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES
February 8-10, 2018 (Wyndham, Gettysburg)
April 12-14, 2018 (Toftrees, State College)

The Clarion APSCUF Office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 23 - 24,
in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO
ALL!
State APSCUF President Ken Mash will on the Clarion University
campus Thursday, November 30 at 3:30 pm in the Rhea Conference room. APSCUF
Members are invited to attend. Come meet Ken and hear him speak about current
APSCUF issues and updates.
Please make an effort to attend this and let’s give Ken a BIG CLARION WELCOME to our
campus!! Light refreshments will be served.

CONGRATULATIONS to Deb Kelly who was recently elected as Chair of the Nursing
Department.
Also, CONGRATULATIONS to Ellen Foster who will serve as the English and Modern
Language Chair for the Spring 2018 semester at which time Katy O’Donnell will be on
sabbatical leave.
State APSCUF is now accepting applications for their annual scholarship program. The scholarship
award of $3,000 will only be presented to one (1) eligible applicant in his/her higher education career
in August 2018. An eligible applicant must be a “family member” of an APSCUF/APSCURF member in
good standing or an APSCUF staff member and must be enrolled at one of the fourteen (14) stateowned universities. Deadline is March 2, 2018. For more information on eligibility and to download
the complete application, go to http://www.apscuf.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/05/APSCUFStateScholarshipProgram2018.pdf .

A HEALTHY U REMINDER: The activity period for Healthy U 2017-18 began July 1st.
Program requirements remain the same. To participate, both the employee and covered
spouse/same-sex domestic partner enrolled in the Sate System’s Highmark PPO plan must complete the
wellness profile (worth 30 Healthy U points) and earn 40 additional points by participating in wellness
programs and activities. The deadline to complete requirements is May 31, 2018.

IMPORTANT WEBSITES: FOR QUICK REFERENCES, ADD THESE TO YOUR “FAVORITES”!!
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APSCUF – www.apscuf.org
Clarion APSCUF webpage – www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion
PA Health & Welfare Fund – www.pafac.com
PASSHE – www.passhe.edu
 Highmark BlueShield – www.highmarkblueshield.com
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WELCOME New APSCUF Members!!
 Joel Christine – Biology & Geosciences
 Brenda Manno – Social Sciences
 Giovanni Montenegro - Human Services, Rehab, Health & Sport
Sciences
 Cynthia Pittser – Nursing
 Adam Romanik – Library Science
WE ARE APSCUF PROUD!! Clarion APSCUF Members: If you did not
receive your APSCUF PROUD pin, please contact Jan in the Clarion
APSCUF office.

NEW FACULTY EXTENDED ONE-YEAR CONTRACT
APSCUF and Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher
Education tentatively agreed to a new faculty contract
that would run through June 30, 2019. On October 7,
the Faculty Negotiation Team recommended to forward
the tentative agreement for ratification. On October 7,
the Negotiations Committee voted to recommend to
the faculty delegates of the Legislative Assembly the
tentative agreement. The Faculty Delegates of the
Legislative Assembly took action on the tentative
agreement during a Special Legislative Assembly
conference call held on November 2 and approved that
an authorization vote by the faculty membership be
taken.

On this ballot there are two questions. The first
question is the ratification of the one-year contract in
which only APSCUF faculty members can vote on. While
the first question on next week's ballot is about the
faculty contract, the second question is about
membership dues which will be voted by ALL APSCUF
members including APSCUF Coaches.
BELOW: Clarion Delegates that voted to recommend the
Tentative Agreement (L to R) Ray Feroz, Jackie Knaust,
Lorie Taylor, Barry Sweet, Ellen Foster & Joyce Overly

The tentative agreement, if approved by the
membership, would take effect at the conclusion of the
current contract, which expires June 30, 2018. Details of
the new agreement will be released upon ratification by
the APSCUF membership and approval by the State
System’s Board of Governors. On-campus voting dates
will be Monday through Wednesday, November 13–15,
2017, with specific dates and times varying by
chapter. Only full APSCUF members may vote on the
tentative agreement. Counting of the ballots will be held
on Friday, November 17 in the Harrisburg office.
NOTE: Prior to voting, full members can view the tentative agreement in APSCUF’s “Members Only” website. You must be
registered with the website and logged in to view the page . If you have not logged into the APSCUF’s “Members Only” webpage in
more than a year, you may need to create a new account. After registering, your account may not be activated for about 24 hours,
while State APSCUF verify your APSCUF membership. Thank you for your patience.
FACULTY CONTRACT RATIFICATION VOTE & VOTE ON MEMBERSHIP DUES POLLING SCHEDULE:
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Monday, November 13 from 9 am till 3 pm (Carlson Library & Suhr Library, Venango Campus)
Tuesday, November 14 from 9 am till 3 pm (Carlson Library & Suhr Library, Venango Campus)
Wednesday, November 15 from 8:30 am till 12 pm (Clarion APSCUF Office – Rhea Building)

**ABSENTEE BALLOTS: You must request this directly from the APSCUF Office. All absentee ballots must be back
in the Clarion APSCUF office BY Wednesday, November 15 @ 12 pm (NOON). No exceptions! For an absentee
ballot, please contact Jan Walters at (814) 227-2420 or jwalters@clarion.edu .
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Thinking about retiring? Check out APSCUF’s “Pre-Retirement Checklist”
inserted in this newsletter!
Please Note: This checklist should only be used as a guideline. All
faculty/coaches contemplating retirement should consult with their retiree
handbook from either SERS or PSERS. Those enrolled in TIAA-CREF should
have their portfolios in order. In addition, faculty/coaches should have a copy
of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between APSCUF and
the State System of Higher Education and the current State System Employees
Benefit Booklet to consult as a reference in making this decision. For additional information about
retirement, go to http://www.apscuf.org/members/forms-and-benefits and scroll to the very bottom of the
webpage under the heading RETIREMENT.

EMERITUS STATUS PROCEDURES: Nominations for Emeritus Status should be initiated
by member(s) of the appropriate department/unit and announced at a
department/unit meeting, normally within one year following retirement. The
nominating member(s) of the department/unit shall forward a one-page summary of
the significant accomplishments made by the nominee to the Dean and appropriate
Vice President.
The Office of the Provost and Academic Vice President will be responsible for the implementation of this
policy and its procedures. The above procedures for departments to follow to request emeritus status
for retiring faculty in departments are taken from the Clarion University of Pennsylvania Policy on
Emeritus Status. A copy of the entire policy is available from the APSCUF office.
If you have faculty who are retiring at the end of the fall or spring semester in your department, please
follow the procedures in this policy to request emeritus status for the nominee.

FLU SHOT OPPORTUNITIES – FALL/WINTER 2017
STATE SYSTEM Health Plan Members – Highmark PPO Plan
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All Highmark members (who are age 9 and older) can obtain a no-cost flu shot at any Rite Aid Pharmacy or
Giant Eagle location in Pennsylvania, and at many other pharmacy locations (see attached list). No
appointment is needed – the member must present their Highmark member ID card. The State System
health plan will be billed directly for this service.
Highmark members of all ages can obtain a flu shot from their physician (an office visit co-pay may be
charged).

STATE SYSTEM Health Plan – UPMC HMO Members
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UPMC HMO members of the State System plan can obtain a no-cost flu shot at the following retail
pharmacies:
o Rite Aid
o Giant Eagle
UPMC HMO members can obtain a flu shot at their doctor’s office (an office visit co-pay may apply).
UPMC HMO members can also obtain a flu shot at any pharmacy or clinic. They may then submit a claim
form with a receipt to UPMC and they will receive reimbursement. See your HR office for claim form.

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APSCUF’S Pre-retirement checklist

Getting ready to retire? Check out this checklist to get prepared!
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Select an anticipated date of retirement and begin to contemplate
pension options.
Check beneficiary information.
Contact your retirement counselor and/or investment counselor
o SERS members need only to contact 1-800-633-5461 (tollfree) to be connected with their local counseling center. The
SERS website is www.sers.state.pa.us.
o TIAA-CREF members can call 215-587-8530. TIAA-CREF’s website address is www.tiaacref.org.
o PSERS members need to contact 1-888-773-7748 (toll-free). PSERS’ website address is
www.psers.state.pa.us.
Visit APSCURF's web page, www.apscuf.org/members/apscurf, for direct links to a variety of
different sites including the Social Security Administration's website which provides answers to
quite a number of questions. Visit the APSCURF page for an abundance of information on retiring
and retirement!
Contact your human resources office.
Confirm “credited” years of service.
Certify any outstanding qualified service time while in active status. No payment is required to
purchase the value of this service during active service. The amount owed can be subtracted from
the pension.
CBA health retirement requirements to retain lifelong health benefit coverage include one of the
following:
o 25 years of “credited” service at any age
o 10 years of “credited” service at superannuation age (60 years of age) (applies to those
hired prior to the fall semester of 1997)
o 15 years of “credited” service at superannuation age (60 years of age) (applies to those
hired for the fall semester of 1997 through June 30, 2004)
o In addition, “credited” service for those faculty members hired for the fall semester of 1997
and after will only include Commonwealth and/or State System service.
o Those hired on or after July 1, 2004, "20 years of “credited” service at superannuation age.
o Please Note: Your spouse and/or eligible dependents are only entitled to your State System
health benefit package as long as you are alive. The Surviving Spouse Act provides the
right to purchase your package from the State System for your spouse only.
ALL annuitants must draw a pension check (annuitize) from their retirement plan in order to
receive the health benefit coverage. Those retiring on or after October 20, 2005, are permitted to
waive enrollment under the retirement health package IF THEY ARE COVERED UNDER ANY
OTHER HEALTH INSURANCE. If the health package is waived at retirement, retirees may enroll
during an open enrollment period or upon loss of their current coverage.
ALL annuitants must draw a pension check (annuitize) from their retirement plan as one of the
criteria to be eligible to obtain sick leave buy-out benefits. In addition, the member must be retiring
at 60 years of age or more with five years of Commonwealth/State System service or under 60

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years or age with at least 25 years of Commonwealth/State System service (may include periods in
other positions other than a faculty/coach position).
PA Faculty Health and Welfare Fund benefits will terminate on the last day of the next month in
which you retire. Schedule any services for which you are eligible prior to the termination date
(Dental, Vision, Hearing, etc.). Those retiring on or after November 1, 2005, may qualify for
COBRA coverage.
Coaches dental and vision plans will terminate per the Management Supplemental policy. Check
with the local Human Resource office about COBRA rights.
All eligible APSCUF members joining APSCURF has the option to enroll in APSCURF’s dental
and vision plans. Visit APSCURF's page for more information
Employer purchased life insurance will terminate upon your retirement. If desired, you may want to
check into your conversion rights under this policy with the local human resources office.
Basic health plan coverage. Until you reach Medicare eligibility, coverage will be the PPO plan. All
health plans carry the same Medco RX drug plan. On the first day of the month in which you
become Medicare eligible, Medicare Part A and B become your primary insurance carrier. The
CBA provides you with supplemental coverage under Highmark Blue Shield's Medicare
Complement Plan, an your RX coverage will be under the Major Medical plan where you purchase
your prescription and manually submit them to Highmark for reimbursement. Those who retired on
or after July 1, 2005, will have an employee health contribution assessed on their health plan
premium in retirement based on the date of retirement per the collective bargaining agreement
provisions in place at that time. Please note that if you are Medicare eligible or will be at
retirement, you will need to enroll in Medicare 3 months prior to your retirement month so that
Medicare is in place when your annuitant health plan begins. Check with your local HR office to
determine the date where your active coverage will transfer to the annuitant Medicare Complement
coverage.
o The PASSHE decided not to include the health care reform mandates under the annuitant
health plan so the benefits vary somewhat when you are transferred to the annuitant PPO
plan. The main change is that if you have dependents between the ages of 19 and 25 who
are not enrolled as a full time student, the dependent(s) will lose their eligibility under the
annuitant health plan.
Contemplate purchasing a long-term nursing care policy. The benefit package provided to you does
not cover custodial, intermediate or assisted-living services. APSCURF has a recommended plan
and check with your insurance agency for comparisons. Visit APSCURF's page for more details
about the retired association benefits and other useful links.
Annuitants can only return to Commonwealth service for a period of 95 days under the Emergency
Hire guidelines.

This checklist should only be used as a guideline. All faculty members contemplating retirement
should consult with their retiree handbook from either SERS or PSERS. Those enrolled in TIAACREF should have their portfolios in order. In addition,
faculty should have a copy of the current Collective
Bargaining Agreement between APSCUF and the State
System of Higher Education and the current State System
Employees Benefit Booklet to consult as a reference in
making this decision.

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