December 2019
What happens when you retire? There’s usually a party, people wish you well, you turn in your keys and other college property and you go home. You have done the research, your pension and finances are set, your health insurance is excellent, and now is the time to live happily ever after. There are travel plans and time for hobbies you have long neglected. You can author a book, volunteer and enjoy so many other activities you now have the time for. You spent most if not all your professional life at SCCC. You made so many friends and you believe in the mission of the college. Does that get all thrown out when you retire? It need not be. Staying connected to the college is a way of staying in touch with the college community, former colleagues and friends. There are two retirement organizations designed to keep you informed of retirement issues and keep you connected to SCCC. Retirees Association of Suffolk Community College Every retiree of SCCC becomes a member of the Retirees Association of Suffolk Community College (RASCC). I mean everyone: support staff, security, maintenance, full-time and adjunct faculty, administration—no one is left out. The purpose of RASCC is to encourage retirees to remain connected to the college and to sponsor events, on and off campus, to socialize with former colleagues, to provide support to retirees by providing information about changes in benefits and other issues affecting retiree quality of life, to provide a forum for retirees to express their concerns to the college and political representatives and to provide opportunities for retirees to volunteer their time and talents with the SCC Foundation in its support of the college. I encourage you to visit the RASCC website where you can read recent RASCC newsletters, see pictures taken at recent RASCC activities and events and learn what RASCC is all about. RASCC is currently investigating ways it can support programs that will enhance the mission of the college. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please send them to us. NYSUT Community College Retiree Council NYSUT boasts one of the most active union retiree organizations in the nation. Central to this is Retiree Council 39 (RC39). The purpose of RC39 is to promote the best interests and welfare of NYSUT community college retirees, to promote the aims and objectives of NYSUT and its national affiliates, to promote mutual communication and assistance with NYSUT in-service members and to provide RC39 members with support and appropriate information. Just because you are retired and enjoy a good pension and Social Security and health insurance does not mean these well earned benefits cannot be taken away. Do you remember the recent effort for a New York State constitutional convention where the hawks were ready to take away public employee pensions? Without organizations like NYSUT with its many resources, public employee pensions could have become unprotected. Community college retirees have the opportunity, by being active in RC39, to participate in the formation of NYSUT’s policies and activities. RC39 delegates attend and have voting rights in the annual NYSUT Retiree Contiguous meeting and the NYSUT Representative Assembly. This way retiree interests are front and center. I encourage you to visit the NYSUT RC39 website, where you will be able to read recent RC39 newsletters and see lots more. Every FA member becomes a member of RC39 upon retirement, including adjuncts. There are no dues. So what really happens when you retire? You stay active in the life of the college, just in a different way. Join us! |
