Help wanted: JOIE editor
Did you know the Retirees Association has its own open access, electronic journal? It’s called the Journal of Opinions, Ideas, and Essays or JOIE, and UMRA is looking for a qualified volunteer to become the new editor-in-chief.
Are you interested in reading a wide range of material? Do you find yourself critiquing what you read, thinking of ways to present it better? Do you like working with people? Do you like working on tasks that require judgment and organization? Maybe this is a position for you.
Sponsored by UMRA and supported by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing Services, JOIE has been publishing articles by retired and active U of M faculty and staff since 2011. Articles may be aimed at a broad, general audience or a more specialized readership. Topics range from University history, personal stories, and literary critiques to health issues, poetry—even a photo essay.
As an electronic journal, JOIE can accommodate graphics and illustrations in ways that traditional journals often cannot.
UMRA has an editorial committee but needs an editor-in-chief to take the lead in moving JOIE forward. Many potential authors are waiting in the wings.
For more information including a copy of the job description, please contact Will Craig at [email protected].
—Will Craig, UMRA Board member
News
The election of UMRA officers and new board members for 2024–25 will be conducted via an online poll from May 13 to 19, with the results to be announced at our annual meeting on May 21. Look for the ballot in your email inbox on May 13. Diane Young has been nominated to be president-elect.
“I convinced myself I could handle this problem without support groups or doing additional research, but that’s only because I didn’t want to make it any more real than it already was. Denial comes in many forms, and one is to avoid thinking about the problem any more than need be.” —Alice A. Larson
Meet UMRA member Peter Moe. He retired in 2023 after a career that spanned nearly half a century at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and is credited with developing the “Arb” into one of the few in the U.S. with world-class fruit and landscape breeding programs.
The University Retirees Volunteer Center (URVC) has welcomed two new members with valuable skills and experience to the URVC Leadership Council: Lynn Slifer and Jeanne Jacobson.
The University plans to remove retirees from the @umn.edu internet identity domain on December 7. UMRA has advocated for ensuring continued access to this identity (including email, Google Workspace, and associated services), citing University retirees’ enduring contributions to and engagement with the University. Thus far, our efforts have not prompted any change of plans.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to explore your photographic interests, hone your photographic skills, and hear what other retirees are up to, the UMRA Photo Club is a great place to be. We have fun! And whatever your skill level, there is room for everybody.
Leading the online Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays has been a labor of love for Kris Bettin. Alas, a change in family needs has necessitated her retirement. So, JOIE is seeking a new leader to join a savvy editorial committee of five and bring fresh ideas for continued development of the UMRA-sponsored journal.
Soon you will receive an email or letter inviting you to renew your UMRA membership for the 2024–25 year. Please renew before you get busy with your summer activities. Your support helps to make our programs and many other member benefits possible!
This will be a new regular column where you can find organizational tasks that need your help! We are currently looking for help researching a new UMRA Membership Database and URVC volunteer database, and a co-producer for UMRA's Zoom webinars. See more details: