JOIE has a new editor
Kristine M. Bettin is the new editor-in-chief of UMRA’s online journal, JOIE. She was appointed by a unanimous vote of the UMRA Board during its January 2021 meeting.
JOIE—the Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays—was launched by UMRA over a decade ago for publishing articles by U of M faculty and staff, current or retired. Articles are posted on the University Digital Conservancy, which provides free public access and long-term preservation of works created at the University.
JOIE’s profile dimmed in recent years, with few new articles being added, but readers know about it. Hundreds of JOIE articles are read and downloaded each month.
Kris Bettin retired from the University (and joined UMRA) in 2016 after 42 years in the biomedical field. She began her work as a researcher and has 27 academic articles to her credit. In 1999, she decided to switch fields and was hired as the coordinator for the then-new undergraduate neuroscience program at the University. From there she moved into her final position as executive assistant to the head of the Department of Neuroscience. Included in her many duties were reading and editing material written by faculty members. She joined UMRA in 2016.
Her recent discovery of JOIE’s need for a new editor-in-chief spurred her to volunteer to work on improving the journal’s visibility, increase its readership, and grow its treasure trove of varied and interesting articles.
—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: