Reconnecting with a shared commitment to service
We are excited to announce that the University of Minnesota Retirees Association (UMRA) and the University Retirees Volunteer Center (URVC) have agreed to reconnect as a single organization to broaden and expand volunteer service opportunities for U of M retirees.
A Statement of Reaffiliation, developed by a joint UMRA-URVC Work Team after nine months of discussion and officially signed on April 10, 2022, outlines a reconnection in which URVC will become a center within UMRA, and the URVC Board of Directors will become the Volunteer Center’s Management Committee.
Our two organizations have a long and productive history. URVC began as a committee within UMRA focused on connecting retirees with volunteer needs in the University and the broader community. As volunteering became increasingly popular among U of M retirees, URVC—with support from the U’s central administration—was established in 1987 as an independent entity. Many dedicated individuals, including Alan Kagan, who has served continuously as a URVC volunteer since its inception, have contributed to URVC’s success over the years in matching the talents and energy of retirees with campus and community needs.
Working more effectively, together
In addition to our historical connections, several factors have led to bringing our organizations back together. First, we often heard that having two groups focused on University retirees was confusing. Second, the UMRA-URVC Work Team concluded in its final report that by working together we can more effectively develop connections with departments on campus and agencies in the community. Third, as part of the University community, we also wanted to signal our alignment with University initiatives to streamline service operations for efficiency and effectiveness.
Finally, we felt that bringing our two organizations back together would underscore our collaborative commitment to providing U of M retirees with opportunities for social engagement, intellectual stimulation, and service to others.
Earlier this spring, UMRA President Jan Morlock and U of M Provost Rachel Croson signed a new Memorandum of Understanding between UMRA and the University. The MOU reaffirms the central administration’s support for UMRA and acknowledges UMRA’s partnership with URVC in serving the University’s retirement community.
Details for the implementation of the UMRA-URVC reaffiliation agreement will be developed during 2022–23.
—Jan Morlock, UMRA president, and Jerry Rinehart, URVC chair
November 2022 Meeting
At A Glance
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Campus Club, Fourth Floor
Coffman Memorial Union
10:30–11 a.m. Check-in
11:15 a.m. Buffet lunch
Featured speaker
Kathryn Pearson, Ph.D.
Menu
Wild Pacific salmon crusted with sesame seeds, pan seared and drizzled with sesame ginger tamari sauce. (GF, DF) Served with roasted sweet potatoes, a seasonal vegetable, and bread.
Vegetarian bowl option.
RSVP by November 5
Prepayment of $30 per person.
Reserve and pay online or email Diane Young at young054@umn.edu.
Cancellations and refunds will be honored until November 5. We are not able to accommodate reservations on the day of the event.
Parking
For a discounted rate of $1 per hour in University parking facilities, use the QR code on the back of your UMRA membership card when exiting. Credit cards only.
NEWS
Inspired by a true story, this saga told by a WWII veteran is the tale of a destitute young man during the Great Depression who found a reason to keep living against all odds: driving two giraffes from New York City to San Diego. Learn more.
After a year of planning and site development work by the members of the UMRA web migration team, we will launch a new UMRA website in December. You'll still find all the content you've come to rely on as well as an annual calendar with recordings from past events, and article filters.
Contrary to popular belief, losing neurons is not a major occurrence with aging. However, loss of synapses is associated with aging, but it can be reversed with activities that promote synaptic growth. Learn more.
UMRA members and guests enjoyed being together "in real life" at the Campus Club in Minneapolis for UMRA's October 2022 luncheon forum featuring Jessica Hellmann, director of the U of M Institute on the Environment. Learrn more.
Future changes to Medicare resulting from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 were explained during UMRA’s October workshop along with the features that distinguish U of M retiree health plans from other, lower-premium plans.
This Tender Land is an epic coming-of-age story set in Minnesota during the summer of 1932. It chronicles a mesmerizing journey of four children who escape the horrors of the Lincoln Indian Training School and sneak away in a canoe in search of a home. Learn more.
UMRA Past President Jerry Rinehart retired from the University as vice provost and dean of students. He is admired for being a “powerfully gentle” leader, and he continues to be an exemplar of service to others. Learn more.
UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees program is an annual competition with applications accepted October 1 to December 31. Funding of up to $5,000 per grant is available. Retirees from all five campuses within the U of M System are eligible. Learn more.
After a year of planning and site development work, the UMRA web migration team will launch a redesigned UMRA website in December, reorganized, and with a fresh new look.
UMRA member Chip Peterson retired from the U of M Learning Abroad Center, and in his younger days hitchhiked through every mainland country in the Americas, some 100,000 miles. Learn more.
UMRA has reserved a block of 30 seats for the Gophers vs. Presbyterian College game at Williams Arena on Sunday afternoon, November 20. Email Will Craig to purchase your tickets by November 4. Learn more.
More than a dozen University units, including Northrop and U of M Bookstores, offer nice discounts to UMRA members. Let's show our support by giving them our business while enjoying a discounted price. Learn more.
Leaders of the University Retirees Volunteer Center have identified an important volunteer opportunity at the International Institute of Minnesota: helping refugees and asylum seekers complete the complicated paperwork required for visa applications and becoming U.S. citizens. Learn more.