NEWS

Big Ten conference was collegial, productive

Both the weather and the collegial discussions were warm at the 2023 Big Ten Retirees Association conference held at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in late July. Current and past UMRA presidents Eric Hockert and Ron Matross represented UMRA and enjoyed exchanging ideas and practices with representatives from the other Big Ten associations.

The conference attendees discussed a number of issues. One that was of interest to all was the issue of how to help current members become more deeply involved in their associations so that leadership revolves. 

We also spent time sharing information about our programs. Of particular interest to our sister schools were UMRA’s Cabinet of Curiosities series and the Silver Gophers Service Corps. Both discussions gave us several ideas worth pursuing. 

The conference was also a chance for the UW–Madison Retirement Association to showcase its campus and faculty. We heard excellent presentations about land-grant universities, sustainability at UW–Madison, and how higher education can serve the underserved. These were a fine complement to our roundtable discussions. 

Next year’s conference will be at Ohio State University in Columbus. Minnesota will host the 2026 conference, and we need to assemble a planning group right away.  Please email Eric Hockert at if you’re interested in being the leader of this group or if you’re interested in being a member.

—Eric Hockert, UMRA president, and Ron Matross, UMRA past president (2022–23)


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News

Discounts to join Friends of the Libraries (with borrowing privileges) and to purchase season tickets to Gopher Sports events in 2024-25 are among the many benefits available to UMRA members. 

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The UMRA Travel Committee plans tours that are educational and offer UMRA members opportunities to socialize. The tours are produced by Road Scholar, either exclusively for UMRA or for the national Association of Retirees in Higher Education (AROHE), of which UMRA is a member. 

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UMRA has been working to expand our outreach to retirees across the University of Minnesota System. We’re glad that our membership includes retirees from several of the five system campuses, and we want all University retirees to feel welcome to join UMRA. 

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Since retiring from the U as a professor of counseling psychology, UMRA member Thomas Skovholt has continued his work related to resiliency training and burnout prevention in health and helping professionals—with support from UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees program.

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The application deadline for UMRA’s 2025 Professional Development Grants for Retirees competition is December 31. Funding of up to $5,000 per grant is available to support U of M retirees’ research, instructional history, new scholarship, or creative interests.

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Counting her time as a student, Pat Jondahl has been affiliated with the University of Minnesota for nearly 50 years. When she retired in 2021, the self-described “people person” knew she needed to stay busy, and she wanted to stay connected to the U. 

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I don’t think we should call it “retirement.” I think we should call it “metamorphosis.” It’s a time to transform ourselves, to become our best selves, to contribute, to be an example, even an inspiration, a time to look forward to what’s next.

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UMRA’s Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Report shows that our association’s overall financial status is good. There are a few noteworthy areas and some that may require attention going forward, including the effects of earlier dues collections, rising luncheon costs, increased costs for all operations, and our upcoming hosting of the Big Ten Retirees Association conference in 2026.

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The best way to make the University of Minnesota regents aware of your opinions on matters they consider is via the Board’s Virtual Forum, a public comment portal that becomes part of the regents’ public record. 

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