Chapter Meetings

Spring, 2025, Chapter Meeting, Sunday, April 27, 2025 –in person meeting
 3:00 pm, I-Hotel and Conference Center
The invited speaker was John Coleman, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He presented a talk on “Boldly Illinois 2030: Building Our Future,” in which he discussed current special initiatives and strategic planning processes. These initiatives include operational excellence, student success, generative AI solutions, and the investment for growth program. A short business meeting with reports from Executive Committee members followed. The meeting summary is here SUAA Spring 2025 Meeting Summary View the video of the presentation and meeting here SUAA Spring 2025 Meeting. Vice Chancellor Coleman’s powerpoint slides are here Provost presenation to SUAA

Fall, 2024, Chapter Meeting, Sunday, October 27 - in person meeting
 3:00 pm, I-Hotel and Conference Center
The topic was “Updates on Pending Budget and Legislative Proposals That Could Impact Pensions and Benefits.”   Invited speakers were Kristin Houch, SURS Director of Legislative and Stakeholder Relations, and Bryan Soady, SUAA Executive Director. The meeting summary is here SUAA Fall 2024 Meeting Summary View the video of the presentation and meeting here SUAA 2024 Fall Meeting 10.27.24. Kristin Houch's powerpoint slides are here Houch SURS Update.

Spring, 2024, Sunday, April 28 -in person and via zoom
 3:00 pm I -Hotel and Conference Center
The topic was “Health Care Issues and A Review of Possible Upcoming Legislation" and the invited speakers were State Senators Chapin Rose and Paul Faraci and State Representative Brandun Schweizer. Bryan Soady, SUAA Executive Director, moderated the panel discussion.  A short business meeting with reports from Executive Committee members followed. The meeting summary is here SUAA Spring 2024 Meeting Summary

Fall, 2023 Chapter Meeting. Monday, October 30 - in person and via Zoom
 6:00 pm, Alice Campbell Alumni Center
The topic was "Recent Changes at UIUC and Reasons to be Proud of Your Campus" and the invited speaker was Associate Chancellor Robin Kaler. A short business meeting with reports from Executive Committee members followed. View the video of the presentation and meeting here. A transcript file of the meeting is here.

Spring, 2023 Chapter Meeting. Tuesday, June 13 -- in person and via Zoom
 6:00 pm, Alice Campbell Alumni Center
The topic was "Avoiding Retirement Regret" and the invited speakers were Dean Jeffrey Brown of the Kies College of Business and Dean Emerita Wynne Korr of the School of Social Work who discussed financial and social strategies for preparing for retirement. A short business meeting with election of new Executive Board members followed. View the video of the presentation and meeting here. A transcript file of the meeting is here. Dean Korr's powerpoint slides are here.

Fall, 2022 Chapter Meeting. Tuesday, October 25 -- in person and via Zoom
 7:00 pm, Alice Campbell Hall
Due to the growing concern about the change in the administrator for TRAIL (the Medicare Advantage plan provided by CMS for retirees who are eligible for Medicare) from United Healthcare to Aetna, and the apparent lack of an agreement between Carle Clinic and Aetna, the SUAA-UIUC board decided to prempt the previously planned program and hold a town-hall style discussion of the change. Background presentations were made by board member Carol Livingstone and SUAA Executive Director Linda Brookhart, followed by comments and questions from the audience. A recording of the entire session is here. ; the audio was not acceptable for Ms. Brookhart's talk, so she recorded it again for us and it can be seen here. More than 600 people attended, about 300 online and 300 in the meeting room. More details about the change to Aetna are available here.

Spring, 2022 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 24 -- via Zoom
 1:30 pm   Open chat via Zoom
2:00 pm Program
The invited speakers were SURS Executive Director Suzanne Mayer and Kristen Houch, SURS Director of Legislative and Stakeholder Relations. The meeting was recorded and can be viewed here.. The slides presented by Mayer are here., and Houch's slides are here.. A business meeting followed with an election of Executive Committee members and committee reports.

Fall, 2021 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 24 -- via Zoom
 1:30 pm   Open chat via Zoom
2:00 pm Program
The invited speaker was J. Fred Giertz, emeritus Professor of Economics whose topic was "The Financial Status of the State of Illinois and Our Pensions". A short business meeting followed. A video of Prof. Giertz's talk and the business meeting is here..

Spring, 2021 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 25 -- via Zoom
 1:30 pm   Open chat via Zoom
2:00 pm Program
The invited speaker was Barbara J. Wilson, the Executive Vice President and Vice President of Academic Affairs of the University of Illinois system. Dr. Wilson's topic is "Higher Education in the time of the pandemic: The University of Illinois responds". A video of her talk is here. and her powerpoint slides are here..

Fall, 2020 Chapter Meeting. Sunday December 6 -- via Zoom
Speaker: Ralph Martire, the Executive Director for the Center for Budget and Tax Accountability. A recording of Dr. Martire's talk is here., and his slides are available here.. A major revision of the chapter bylaws was approved unanimously.

Spring, 2020 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 19 Cancelled due to pandemic

Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 20, 2019 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: Martin Noven, the Executive Director of the State Universities Retirement System (SURS).

Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 28, 2019 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Legislative Panel followed by discussion and election of Executive Board members

Fall, 2018 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 28 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Report of Ad hoc Pension Committee, with discussion to follow

Spring 2018 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 22 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Report of Ad hoc Pension Committee
Speaker: Prof. Wendy Rogers, "How current technologies can be used to support successful aging and to enable autonomy and independence for older adults."
Business meeting and election of Board members

Fall 2017 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 22 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: Martin Noven, SURS Executive Director
State legislator Chad Hays

Spring 2017 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 30 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: UIUC Chancellor Robert Jones
State of the State update by Professor Robert Rich
Business meeting and election of Board members

Fall 2016 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 9 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: Linda Brookhart, Statewide Executive Director, SUAA

Spring 2016 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 24 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: Timothy Killeen, President, University of Illinois
Business meeting and election of Board members

Fall 2015 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 18 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: Bryan Lewis, Executive Director, SURS
Report: Upcoming Legislative Issues -- Professor Robert Rich, emeritus Director, IGPA
Report: SUAA's legal challenges to recent health care and pension legislation. -- Linda Brookhart, SUAA Executive Director
Business Meeing

Spring 2015 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 26 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Panel:State Senators Chapin Rose and Scott Bennett and Representative Carol Ammons
Business meeting and election of Board members

Fall 2014 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 19, 2014 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Panel: Pension Reform Efforts across the Country -- Professor Jeffrey Brown and Professor Robert Rich
Report: Status of Pension and Health Insurance Lawsuits -- Linda Brookhart, SUAA Executive Director

Spring 2014 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 13, 2014 -- Hawthorn Suites and Conference Center, Champaign, IL
Panel: Pension Reform and the Legal Challenge -- Professors John D. Colombo, Laurie Reynolds, and Robert Rich
Report: Status of the Lawsuits, Linda Brookhart, SUAA Executive Director
Business meeting and election of Board members

Fall 2013 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 20, 2013 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speakers: Janice Bonneville, Associate Director, Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS)
Richard Perry, Owner, Perry & Associates

Spring 2013 Chapter Meeting.  Sunday, April 7, 2013 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Legislative Panel:  Current Issues in the General Assembly -- State Senators Michael Frerichs and Chapin Rose, and State Representative Naomi Jakobsson
Business meeting and election of Board members

Fall 2012 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 21 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Presentation by Professor Robert F. Rich, Director of the UI’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA)
Meeting Summary

Spring 2012 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 22 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: UI Vice President and Chancellor Phyllis Wise
Business meeting and election of Board members

Fall 2011 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 16 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: UI President Hogan
Meeting Summary

Spring 2011 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, May 1 -- Hawthorn Suites and Conference Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: Governor James R. Edgar, with questions & answers following
Election of Executive Committee members & vote on proposed By-Laws

Fall 2010 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 17 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker: William E. Mabe, newly appointed Executive Director of SURS
Report: An update on e-mail for retirees through the University
Meeting summary

Spring 2010 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 25 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Business meeting and election of Board members
Speaker: University of Illinois President Stanley O. Ikenberry

Fall 2009 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, October 25 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Business meeting
Panel: Newly elected members of the Board of Trustees of the State Universities Retirement System (SURS):
    Dorinda K. Miller, Urbana; J. Fred Giertz, Champaign; John Engstrom, Sycamore

Spring 2009 Chapter Meeting. Sunday, April 19 -- I-Hotel & Convention Center, Champaign, IL
Speaker :Stephen D'Arcy, Professor Emeritus of Finance, University of Illinois
Topic: Coping Skills for Retirees during a Recession
Presentation Outline: PDF or Powerpoint
Business meeting and election of Board members

Previous history of the chapter is in the Archive.

Last Updated on Sept 08, 2025