2022 Professional Development Grants for Retirees
Each year UMRA provides professional development grants to support faculty, P&A, civil service, and bargaining unit retirees wishing to pursue projects related to their research, instruction, or other work history, and that contribute to the educational, scholarly, and academic reputation of the University.
The competition for next year’s awards opens October 15. The deadline for applications is December 31. Approved proposals will be announced in February 2022. Grants will start on April 1 and extend to June 30, 2023.
Allowed expenses for PDGR awards include travel and per diem costs related to research trips and conference attendance; stipends for undergraduate and/or graduate research assistants; the purchase of books, computers, and software; photocopying; and other relevant costs of scholarship.
The Application Instructions (linked below) provide information about funding requirements and how to apply.
The PDGR program is an annual competition. All University of Minnesota retirees from the Twin Cities, Duluth, Morris, Rochester, and Crookston campuses who will be fully retired by the time of their award may apply for grants of any amount. However, awards will not likely exceed $3,000 unless a student mentee is part of the proposal, in which case awards of $4,000 or more will be considered.
UMRA’s PDGR Committee reviews applications and makes recommendations regarding funding.
One may review a list of grants awarded since 2009 on the UMRA website at Previous PDGR Awards. Highlights of things accomplished by these awards can be found at PDGR Impact Study.
Support the PDGR program
If the PDGR program is to continue, member support is essential. One can make a tax deductible contribution by credit card online or by check payable to the University of Minnesota Foundation (P.O. Box 860266, Minneapolis MN 55486-0266). Please note “UMRA Fund 4867” on your check. We encourage UMRA members who have not yet made a contribution to do so, and if members have already made a contribution or pledge to consider adding to it.
Please contact John Bantle, MD, if you have questions or suggestions.
—John Bantle, MD, PDGR Committee chair
News
Since retiring from the College of Biological Sciences faculty, UMRA member Kathryn Hanna has pursued her longtime interest in the arts and antiques and is currently the co-president of the Fan Association of North America, a nonprofit organization of hand fan collectors.
October 1 marks the start of the 2025 competition for financial support from UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees program. Retirees from all five campuses within the U of M System are eligible to apply whether or not they are members of UMRA.
The Regents’ Special Committee on Academic Health is seeking feedback from the University community on a draft of the Health Sciences Strategic Plan drawn up by the deans of the University’s six health sciences schools and colleges.
The UMRA membership year runs from July 1 to June 30, and now there is a new and easy way to see whether you have already renewed for 2025. Look to the right of your name in the address field on page 12 of the September 2024 print newsletter you received, and you will see a four-digit year. If it says “2025,” it means you have renewed.
So, you have set up a new email account; set up your recovery emails and phone numbers for this new account (!!); moved your emails, contacts, and documents from Google Drive to the new account; notified all your friends and business associates. Now what??
Did you check all of your online accounts? Any that use the old UMN account will need changes -- you may need to change the login, or the contact info, or both -- to the new email address. This article lists other details to consider.
On December 7, many of us will lose our UMN email addresses and any files associated with these accounts. There are three basic things we need to do to prepare.
UMRA member Susan Kubitschek attended the University of Minnesota on the G.I. Bill and, after working at the U for 40 years, retired as assistant dean and director of Collegiate Life in the College of Science and Engineering.
Delegates to the Big Ten Retirees Association 2024 annual conference met at The Ohio State University in July to learn about Ohio State, share ideas, and develop closer ties among the 28 attendees from 12 of the 14 Big Ten schools. Minnesota will host the conference in 2026.
“UMRA members are engaged ‘University citizens’ with decades of experience at every level of this great institution, and we want to have a mutually useful and effective relationship with the Board of Regents,” says John Finnegan, UMRA’s new liaison to the regents.
UMRA member Mike Austin is taking full advantage of his retirement to volunteer in a variety of activities, travel, and learn a new language. He says, “I have the time, I have the ability, and I get bored sitting around.”
Members of UMRA’s 2024–25 Board of Directors were elected in May. Directors are elected to three-year terms and may serve two consecutive terms.
Funding of up to $5,000 per grant is available to support U of M retirees’ research, instructional history, new scholarship, or creative interests.