Claims Panel Committee Meeting Minutes

Meeting: May 12, 2026 | Posted: August 26, 2026 | SURS Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

The meeting of the Claims Panel Committee of the Board of Trustees of the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) convened on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 8:35 a.m.

The following Claims Panel Committee members were present: Ms. Carolyn Clifford, Hearing Officer; Ms. Suzanne Mayer, SURS Executive Director; Mr. Herb Pitman, Trustee (via video conference).

Others present: Ms. Bianca Green, SURS General Counsel; Ms. Heather Kimmons, SURS Senior Associate General Counsel; Mr. Albert Lee, Senior Associate General Counsel; Ms. Jennifer Bartell, SURS Director of Benefits Processing; Ms. Lisa Fink, Communications Manager (via video conference); Ms. Karen Nyi (via video conference) and Ms. Annette Ackerman, SURS Executive Assistants; Ms. Janet Cummings, Area Wide Reporting; Ms. Elizabeth Lusher, Claimant; Mr. Stephen Burkhart, Claimant guest; Mr. Norberto Rivera, Claimant (via video conference); and Mr. Ryan McDaniel, Claimant.

Initial Claims Panel Committee roll call attendance was taken with Assigned Hearing Officer Carolyn Clifford and Executive Director Suzanne Mayer, both present.

Trustee Participation Via Electronic Means

Ms. Suzanne Mayer made the following motion:

That Trustee Pitman be allowed to participate remotely in the Claims Panel Committee Meeting of May 12, 2026, via video or audio conference, as allowed by Section 7(a) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/7(a)) because he is prevented from physically attending this meeting due to 1) personal illness or disability, 2) employment purposes or the business of SURS, 3) a family or other emergency, 4) unexpected childcare obligations, or 5) performance of active military duty as a service member.

Ms. Clifford seconded the motion, which passed via the following roll call vote:

Ms. Clifford – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye

Roll call attendance for trustees participating via electronic means was taken: Trustee Pitman, present.

Approval of Minutes

Ms. Clifford presented the open session minutes from the Claims Panel Committee Meeting of February 10, 2026. Trustee Pitman made the following motion:

• That the open session minutes from February 10, 2026, Claims Panel Committee Meeting be approved as presented.

Ms. Mayer seconded the motion, which passed via the following roll call vote:

Ms. Clifford – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Ms. Clifford presented the closed session minutes from the Claims Panel Committee Meeting of February 10, 2026, for approval. Trustee Pitman made the following motion:

• That the closed session minutes from February 10, 2026, Claims Panel Committee Meeting be approved as presented and remain closed.

Ms. Mayer seconded the motion, which passed via the following roll call vote:

Ms. Clifford – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Presentation of Claim – Elizabeth Lusher
Case Number 2025-11

The administrative appeal of Elizabeth Lusher was called for a hearing before the Claims Panel Committee. Ms. Carolyn Clifford served as the Assigned Hearing Officer. SURS staff was represented by SURS Senior Associate General Counsel, Mr. Albert Lee.

Ms. Clifford admitted 356 pages of written documents into evidence. Mr. Lee provided a verbal summary of issues to be addressed by the Claims Panel Committee. Ms. Lusher then presented her case. Mr. Lee cross-examined the Claimant. Upon the conclusion of the cross-examination, Mr. Lee presented evidence on behalf of SURS by calling Ms. Jennifer Bartell, Director of Benefits Processing at SURS. She explained the factual and legal basis for the SURS staff decision.

Following the completion of all testimony, Hearing Officer Clifford closed the evidentiary proofs.

Claims Panel Committee Deliberations

Hearing Officer Clifford asked for a motion to move into closed session, pursuant to Section 2(c)(4) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(4)), to consider the evidence and testimony presented in open session in the Elizabeth Lusher Claim. Ms. Mayer made the motion to move into closed session. Trustee Pitman seconded the motion, and it passed via the following roll call vote:

Ms. Clifford – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Return to Open Session

Upon completion of the closed session deliberations, the Claims Panel Committee returned to open session at approximately 9:36 a.m.

Ms. Mayer made the following motion for the Elizabeth Lusher Claim:

• Motion to affirm the staff decision, finding that Elizabeth Lusher has not proven by a preponderance of the evidence that she is entitled to the relief sought, and that a written decision of factual findings and conclusions will be drafted by the Hearing Officer and signed by members of the Claims Panel Committee voting in favor of the motion.

Trustee Pitman seconded the motion, which passed via the following roll call vote:

Ms. Clifford – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Adjournment

There was no further business for the Claims Panel Committee. Ms. Mayer moved that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Trustee Pitman, and it passed via the following roll call vote:

Ms. Clifford – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Meeting adjourned at 9:40 a.m.

Ms. Carolyn Welch Clifford

Hearing Officer