Meeting with Presidential Search Advisory Committee chair was candid and cordial
UMRA members participated in a special session about the U of M presidential search with Regent Mary Davenport, chair of the Board of Regents Presidential Search Advisory Committee, on October 20. Regent Davenport outlined a search process that begins with extensive community input, including visits to each of the five campuses in the U of M System.
A search firm will help the search committee identify two to four lead candidates by the end of January 2024, Davenport said. The board will formalize finalists from that list, and the finalists will participate in interviews on each campus. Davenport expects the regents will name the new president by the end of February or early March 2024.
UMRA members quizzed Regent Davenport about whether the job was too big for one person (not yet, she said), and whether the plan for an open process will stand (she said that’s what they are informing all candidates.) Members asserted the importance of a president being able to communicate the value of the University to the Minnesota Legislature and to all Minnesotans; a college education is a public benefit. An academic background would be of value in a candidate, as well as an understanding of the complexity of the University.
Regent Davenport emphasized that this is a great job and a great state, and the position should attract strong leaders who are willing to be known as candidates.
The Board of Regents is encouraging UMRA members who were not able to attend the special session to submit their thoughts to the Presidential Search website, or join one of the open listening sessions on October 23 and 24.
The candid and cordial session with Regent Davenport at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs in Minneapolis was a great example of how UMRA and University retirees generally can share their knowledge and experience in a meaningful way with current University leadership.
—Julie Sweitzer, UMRA president-elect and Program Committee chair
Help guide the Regents’ search for a new University president
Fri, Oct 20 2023, 9am
301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis 55455
Do you want to help guide the Regents' search for a new University president?
The Board of Regents has invited UMRA members to a session with Regent Mary Davenport, who chairs the Presidential Search Advisory Committee. Board of Regents Chair Janie Mayeron will also share her thoughts on leading the Regents.
The event will be from 9 to 10 a.m. on Friday, October 20, in Room 180 at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs on the West Bank of the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis.
You will be able to share your thoughts on what makes a great U of M president.
Information on parking facilities and more is available from University Parking and Transportation Services.
If you plan to attend, please email me to let me know.
—Julie Sweitzer, UMRA president-elect and Program Committee chair
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.