A Brief History of NAU Retirees Association (NAURA)

NAURA became a reality in 1985, through the efforts of Glennda Lake, Director of NAU Payroll, and a student working on her bachelor’s degree. Glennda was especially interested in the study of aging and NAU had just approved an undergraduate program in gerontology.

On October 24, 1985, Glennda, Elaine Brenfleck and Mina Thompson, along with twenty other retirees, attended their first meeting. From that meeting, and several meetings later that year, the name, NAU Retirees Association (NAURA), a constitution, membership dues and elected officers, were all voted on and approved.

Membership grew, 1985 to 1987, to one hundred retirees and seventy-five spouses. Dues had been set at $6.00 for the first year and $12.00 a year thereafter, with retirees and spouses each paying a separate fee. The fees were changed back to $6.00 per year at the August 26, 1987, meeting.

Joe Rolle announced at the January 1988 meeting that free parking permits were approved by NAU’s administration led by President Eugene Hughes. The parking permit for retirees would not be completely resolved, however, until 1989 when it was finally determined that blue permits to retirees created no hardship on the parking system.

By the May 1988 meeting NAURA had 106 paid members and a bank balance of $2042.25.

Through the efforts and involvement of NAURA, specifically Ken Bean, in August 1986 NAURA had successfully built a list of retirees. At this time, and in later years, NAURA not only relied on its own resources to build this list but also coordinated construction of a total retirement list with NAU Human Resources, The Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA), and the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).

In 1988 NAURA leadership became actively involved in the legislative process for NAURA benefits working with NAU Human Resources, ADOA, ASRS and the state legislature. From 1988 to 1990 NAURA helped create stable conditions for insurance benefits and retirement benefits for retirees from NAU, the other two universities and several state and county government agencies. This involvement continues to this day.

In 1993 Shirley Wooldridge finally found a copy of the NAURA constitution and, due to NAURA’s expanding role, the executive committee amended it to reflect those changes. The executive committee revised the constitution again in 1996, 1997, and 2003 to give leadership greater leeway in scheduling meetings, levying dues, defining members, and designating committee composition. Also in 1993, the FLASH Newsletter finally became a reality when Fern Richards became the first of many editors.

In early 1994 Dan Julien proposed a NAURA Life Membership. All life dues would be invested and only the interest would be used for committee expenses. The dues were set at $60.00, however, effective January 1, 2000, members approved an increase to fifteen times the annual dues of $6.00. Life membership became $90.00. Dan and Jane Julien were the first life members.

Records indicate that membership increased from 245 in 1996 to 299 in 1999, however there were many different records being kept and quite a bit discrepancy between them all.

Dan Julien, in 1999, crusaded for a retiree endowed scholarship, which he considered an important contribution to university life. A persistent theme in NAURA’s history is support and contribution to the NAU Foundation. NAURA made appeals to the membership and Dan Julien placed the scholarship directly within the NAU Foundation framework. NAURA operates within university policy and the university has supported NAURA aims and objectives.

By the year 2000 membership had grown to about 376. Again, records varied depending on the source, but most numbers were over three hundred.

From 1988, perhaps earlier, through 2005, NAURA continued to be actively involved in the retirement process, benefits committee with NAU, ASRS, ADOA, and the state legislature. Through NAURA’s involvement and participation, many changes were made that benefitted retirees from NAU, ASU, U of A, and other state agencies.

Our history continues as NAURA is now 36 years young and we continue to support and advocate for our retiree membership. NAURA has had many volunteers and advocates in its history, which includes NAU presidents, HR directors, faculty, staff, and spouses. NAURA thanks all members for your participation through membership, contributions of your time and contributions to the NAURA Centennial Scholarship.

Respectfully submitted February 4, 2022, by Kathleen O. Zahl, President-Elect

Information contained in this document is excerpted from the written Twenty-Year History of the NAU Retirees Association, 1985-2005, by Arnold S. Brown and William H. Lyon