Skip to main content

Purdue University Retirees Association (PURA) records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 31

Scope and Contents

The Purdue University Retirees Association (PURA) records document the history, growth, and development of PURA, the Retirees Association for Purdue faculty and staff. Topics include employee retirement benefits, medical benefits, supplemental retirement income, employment options, volunteerism, and retiree activities. Correspondence between PURA and Purdue presidents Frederick Hovde, Arthur Hansen, Steven Beering, and interim president John Hicks is also included.

Committees files from 1991 to 1994 have not been donated to Archives and Special Collections; in addition, the Purdue University Retirees Newsletters holdings are not complete.

Dates

  • Creation: 1976 - 2019

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection material is in English.

Access Information

The collection is open for research.

Copyright and Use Information

Portions of material in this collection are in the public domain. Other material copyrights held by Purdue University. Consult with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections prior to reproduction of materials.

Historical Information

The Purdue University Retirees became active as an organized group in 1976. Purdue President Arthur G. Hansen created the President’s Advisory Council on Retirement (PACR) in response to concerns raised by retirees that the university had become disconnected from the needs of its retired employees. Originally the council consisted of an Executive Committee composed of the council chairperson and chairs of three other committees: Benefits, Program, and Communications. Over the years, several other committees formed.

In the 2001-2002 year, two major events occurred which would have a significant impact on PACR. The first was the creation and associated funding of the Arthur G. Hansen Recognition Award to be awarded to a department/school for cultivating and maintaining a particularly meaningful relationship with its retirees. The second event, approved by Purdue President Martin C. Jischke, was the adoption of an official set of bylaws that changed the name of the organization to the Purdue University Retirees Association (PURA) and guaranteed a source of annual funding from the Office of the President.

PURA’s primary purpose is to serve Purdue’s retirees. At its beginning, the President’s Advisory Council on Retirement stated that, "The purpose of PACR shall be to bring into closer association the retired staff members of Purdue University in order to carry out educational programs for such staff members, to enhance their welfare and fellowship, and to strengthen communication channels with the University in such a manner as to be mutually beneficial."

Extent

3.852 Cubic Feet (Three cubic foot boxes and two letter-size full-width manuscript boxes)

Arrangement

The PURA records are arranged into ten series.

  1. Boards and Committees
  2. Financial Information
  3. Newsletters
  4. Annual meetings, Minutes, and Annual Reports
  5. Policies, Procedures, and Bylaws
  6. Membership
  7. Awards
  8. History and General Information on the Association
  9. Directories and Rosters
  10. Events, Activities, and Programs

Technical Access Information

Some material is only available on computer disk (CDs). Contact Purdue University Archives and Special Collections if interested in using this material.

Custodial History

The collection was donated to Purdue University Archives and special Collections by Purdue University Retiree Association, M. S. Salla, M. A. Nebold, and C. Jones between 2008 and 2018.

Acquisition Information

Materials donated by Michele S. Salla on April 23, 2008, Mary Alice Nebold on June 21, 2011, July 20, 2017, Carolyn Jones on July 29, 2015, March 15, 2018, Sue Hume Graham on August 19, 2019, and Purdue University Retirees Association (PURA) on May 21, 2014.

Accruals

New materials are added to the collection annually or bi-annually.

Separated Materials

Many of the photographs found in the PURA records were subsequently removed from the collection and transferred to MSP 43, Collection of Purdue University Photographs.

Processing Information

All materials have been housed in acid-free folders and acid-free boxes.

In February 2019, the records were re-organized to simplify discovery and create an organizational structure better suited to the future addition of new materials. Materials were re-arranged within each series chronologically, and the records were consolidated into size-appropriate containers. The number of series decreased from 11 to 10 total. Contents from the series President's Council on Retirement were distributed into subject-specific series to aid in accessibility and ease discovery.

Materials from the 2018-2019 year were integrated into the collection in December 2019.

Title
Purdue University Retirees Association (PURA) records
Status
Completed
Author
Rich Bernier, Neal Harmeyer, and Kayla Trowbridge
Date
2019-02-04
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Edition statement
Seventh edition. Collection description was first completed 2005-04-10.

Revision Statements

  • 2015-09: Revised collection description, by Rich Bernier.
  • 2018-10-10: Revised collection description to meet new standards and updated arrangement of collection, by Neal Harmeyer.
  • 2019-02-04: Update collection description, by Kayla Trowbridge.
  • 2019-12-19: 2018-2019 materials added to collection, by Adriana Harmeyer.

Repository Details

Part of the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
504 Mitch Daniels Boulevard
West Lafayette Indiana 47907 United States
765-494-2839