News for faculty and staff from the Oct. 12-13 Board of Curators meeting, UM-Columbia -- Curators approved a 9 percent increase in faculty and staff medical plan premiums -- A committee of faculty staff and students will be formed -- Proposals for improving the University's retirement program -- This meeting of the Board of Curators marked the 150th anniversary of the first meeting -- Assessment here reflects assessment trends nationwide -- Academic computing needs more money -- The board is now formally involved in the process of discontinuing programs and academic departments