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
Declining government funding, inflation, loss of purchasing power, low birthrates, and lack of trust in the nation’s institutions have combined to create a confidence crisis in higher education not seen for decades. Minnesota is no exception.
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UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees are intended to support projects related to University of Minnesota retirees' research, instructional or work history, or new scholarly interests that contribute to the academic reputation of the University.
After working decades in communications for the U’s Center for Transportation Studies, Pam Snople perks up whenever she sees transportation news. It’s usually the salacious stuff that makes the headlines. But, behind the scenes, vehicle automation research keeps rolling along — including key work by UMN researchers.
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Professor Emeritus Alan Kagan has played many roles in his nearly 30 years of service with the University Retirees Volunteer Center. From assisting with phone calls to becoming office manager and eventually serving on and chairing the Volunteer Center’s board, Kagan helped build the organization into the robust operation it is today.
We’re already getting organized to identify and recruit members to step into leadership roles in 2027. As a well-informed and engaged UMRA member, you are invited to play a role in the process.
I’ve been an UMRA member for more than a decade and each year I’m impressed anew by the energy and dedication of the volunteers who do the work of the organization. I invite you to join in their efforts. But if that’s not possible, there’s something else you can do to help support UMRA: Renew your membership.
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Beginning January 1, 2027, the University of Minnesota is making updates to medical plans, the pharmacy vendor, and the Wellbeing Program incentive that apply to retirees and dependents enrolled in these plans.
The University of Minnesota has had a presence at the Great Minnesota Get-Together for 167 years. And on September 3, 2026, UMRA made its Minnesota State Fair debut to talk with fairgoers (on Seniors Day) about retirement and to promote opportunities to volunteer through our University Retirees Volunteer Center.
Like all of us, UMRA member Barbara Heinemann has been reflecting on 9/11 and life in the 25 years since then, with mixed feelings.
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The UMRA membership year runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. If you haven’t yet renewed your membership for 2027, it’s definitely time to do so!
UMRA has a Facebook group that is open to UMN retirees and others with close ties to the University, for posting messages about anything University- or retiree-related. Learn more.
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: