University of California
Retirees' Association at Berkeley (UCRAB)
About the Retirees' Association
The Retirees' Association serves critically important functions, such as
watchdog and advocate, helping ensure that a level of benefits appropriate to retiree needs
is maintained by campus and statewide University of California administrators. A strong and
large association guarantees that voices and concerns are noticed.
The UC Berkeley Retirement Center is a major example of the capacity of the Emeriti and Retiree associations
to successfully lobby for programs that benefit retired faculty, staff, and surviving spouse
beneficiaries. Many of you have participated in its ever-growing activities. The appointment
of a campus level Health Care Facilitator pilot program for Berkeley and Irvine is another
more recent example. This program is a direct result of Association lobbying efforts and
is designed to help subscribers resolve problems with their UC-sponsored medical plans. Likewise,
concern that a Medicare Supplement option might be dropped resulted in a reassurance that
the option would be kept.
In these activities, the campus associations gain enormous leverage from being part of
the Council of University of California Emeriti Associations (CUCEA) and the Council of University
of California Retiree Associations (CUCRA), organizations like the Academic Senate and Staff
Assembly that represent members throughout the University of California.
In addition to advocacy efforts, the Retirees’ Association offers a program of
social and travel events – quarterly luncheons with speakers from the scholarly and
cultural world of the campus and broader Bay Area, day trips to nearby attractions such as Monterey Bay Aquarium, Angel Island and
Sonoma, and occasional longer trips by public transport to special locations such as Hearst
Castle and Yosemite National Park.
The $15 annual dues for the Retirees' Association is well spent. To receive an application
for the Retirees' Association, download it here or call the Center. For Office of the President or Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory retirees, call
the Center for contact information.
Note: Membership dues are only $15 per year or $40 for three years!
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