Welcome from Emeriti/ae Council Chair Pat Jones
I am delighted to serve as the third Chair of the Emeriti/ae Council. Following Iris Litt, and David Abernethy before her, I have large shoes to fill. Under Iris’ leadership, our university-funded pilot project, Enhancing the Emeriti/ae Experience, accomplished much during its first year. Four working groups were established—Communications, Community Programs, Educational Programs, and Evaluation—comprised of Council members as well as other emeriti/ae volunteers. An enhanced website was developed (https://emeriti.stanford.edu), and the first quarterly Connections newsletter for the Emeriti/ae Community launched in the spring. We initiated the Emeriti/ae Lounge, Lunch Roundtable, and Lunch Roundtable Discussions at the Faculty Club, providing opportunities for emeriti/ae to get together informally. And we conducted a Survey to learn about the experiences and needs of emeriti/ae faculty and staff; survey results will be available in the coming weeks.
In the coming year the Emeriti/ae Community can look forward to new programs, opportunities, and resources. The Council has approved two exciting new annual lectures, one that focuses on teaching—Award-winning Teachers Reflect—and a second entitled Stanford Professors in Government Service. Other new activities for emeriti/ae are under discussion, including increased opportunities for volunteering in departments, schools, and the community. We also plan to expand the resources that are provided to emeriti/ae faculty and staff.
This is an exciting time for the Stanford Emeriti/ae Community. With university support we have the opportunity to improve significantly the experiences of our distinguished and valued faculty and staff colleagues as we all move into and through our retirement years. I encourage your input and participation in this effort, and very much look forward to seeing you at our events during the year.
With warm regards, Pat Jones
Patricia P Jones
Dr. Nancy Chang Professor of Biology, Emerita
Bass Family University Professor of Undergraduate Education, Emerita
Chair, Emeriti/ae Council
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305
July 1, 2025