The Purdue University Retirees Association (PURA) was created in 1976 by Purdue President Arthur Hansen in response to concerns raised by retirees that the university had become disconnected from the needs of its retired employees. At this time, Hansen also created and appointed the President's Advisory Council on Retirement (PACR) to oversee PURA operations. Originally, the council consisted of an Executive Committee, which was composed of the council chairman and other committee chairmen, and three committees: Benefits, Program, and Communications. Over the years, several other committees were formed but in the early years the original three committees performed the majority of the council's work. A top priority for the first chairman of the Advisory Council, Harland W. White, was to survey Purdue retirees in order to better assess their needs. The survey revealed that rising inflation in the mid to late 1970s had seriously affected the standard of living of university retirees. One of the retirees' major concerns was the escalating cost of health care. The Benefits Committee urged the administration to include all retirees under the university's group medical insurance coverage and in the summer of 1977 the Purdue Board of Trustees agreed. The Program Committee initiated a series of theater trips to the Beef & Boards Dinner Theater in Indianapolis. They also arranged monthly programs at the university that covered topics that ranged from tax tips to health care. The first annual retiree luncheon was held in the late summer of 1977 at Purdue's Memorial Union. Another annual event was started that year, the retirees' summer picnic, which was first held at The Hills and was later moved to West Lafayette's Happy Hollow Park. The Communications Committee created the retiree newsletter, which first appeared in the winter of 1977, and published the biannual retiree directory. Over the years PURA has worked with the university administration to provide retirees with comprehensive health care coverage, reduced prescription prices, and group life insurance. They have also urged the administration to provide additional benefits such as tuition reductions, complementary campus parking permits and reduced rates for convocation programs, athletic events, recreational facilities, and golf courses. PURA and the retirees worked together to make significant contributions to the university. In 1982, retiree donors gave $5,500 to equip the new Undergraduate Library. In the mid-1980s, PURA purchased and installed a $40,000 infrared sound system in both the Elliott Hall of Music and the Loeb Theater to aid the hearing impaired. PURA used profits generated from baseball and theater trips with additional funding provided by individual retirees. From 1979 to 1998 Purdue retirees have donated over seventeen million dollars to the university. PURA's primary purpose is to serve Purdue's retirees. At its beginning, the Council stated that, "The purpose of PURA 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." Today, PURA continues to work to improve the status of and opportunities for Purdue retirees.
From the description of Purdue University Retirees Association records, 1976-2003. (Purdue University Library). WorldCat record id: 62073682
