The following article summarizes the original event which is listed below the summary.
October program recap: Members discuss UMRA’s future
Membership in UMRA is growing, a reality that prompted the UMRA Board to convene a Town Meeting-style discussion at the October luncheon to identify future activities and governance issues of importance to our members. Led by President Chip Peterson and facilitated by board member Jeanne Markell, the luncheon attendees were asked to discuss three questions at their tables. Following the discussion period for each question, table reporters were called upon to share selected ideas from their respective groups with the entire assembly. These and all other ideas will be written up in a report for use by the board.
Q. What are some ways UMRA members’ expertise and wisdom could be helpful to the U?
A. Some ideas presented: Find ways to be mentors to students and/or younger faculty and staff. Foster more intergenerational contacts. Legislative advocacy and networking. Fundraising. Outreach through connections beyond the U. Establish a scholarship program or study abroad fund.
Q. What additional opportunities for social and intellectual engagement might UMRA develop for its members?
A. Organize groups for campus tours and to attend local events such as Minnesota Orchestra and theater performances. Organize travel tours, both national and international. Connect UMRA with the University Retiree Volunteer Center for volunteer opportunities.
Q. What more could the U do to support UMRA?
A. Allow UMRA to communicate with retirees at retirement. Push for an UMRA Center; investigate the model of the Institute for Advanced Study at Northrop. Provide access to larger University space for free or at least for University rates. Continue the funding of research grants for retirees. Establish a speaker series on aging, open to the wider community.
An informal vote showed that most members present were in favor of aggressively growing UMRA membership. And when asked to choose from a list of items of what they value most about UMRA, most attendees picked luncheon programs with stimulating speakers, seeing old friends and colleagues, and belonging to special interest subgroups such as the photo and book clubs.
Chip Peterson concluded by thanking everyone and noting that he will use the president’s column in the UMRA Newsletter to keep members informed of progress in the board’s work on the future of our organization.
—Jean Kinsey
October Luncheon Meeting
Tue, October 24 2017, 11:30am
UMRA Board and Members
Town hall meeting:
Discussing the future of UMRA
Conference Room ABC,
Campus Club, Fourth Floor,
Coffman Memorial Union
At our October 24 luncheon, the UMRA Board will host a town hall meeting about your organization. We hope to engage everyone in a discussion of the purpose of the organization, current programming, and the future of UMRA in light of the growing number of retirees. President Chip Peterson will provide some global background information about UMRA (number of members, current programming, and current organizational structure), and Board Member Jeanne Markell will facilitate an open discussion focusing on what we can do to improve and expand your experience. While we think we have a solid foundation and structure, we want to make sure that UMRA addresses things that matter to you. In preparation for the luncheon, please be thinking about the following questions:
* What do you value or gain most from your UMRA experiences? Or, if you are a new member, what do you hope most to gain from your participation in UMRA?
* What could UMRA members and other retirees be doing for the University? Do we appropriately encourage support for and advocacy of University proposals, legislative priorities, and campus policies? How can the University better take advantage of retiree knowledge, expertise, and wisdom?
*What more would you like to see the University do for UMRA and its retirees?
* What additional opportunities for social or intellectual engagement might UMRA develop? Should UMRA more aggressively promote programs and events sponsored by other organizations (e.g., alumni association events, Campus Club, OLLI activities)? UMRA members have initiated groups focusing on special interests, e.g., photography, book club. What other areas would be of interest to you (cycling, hiking, travel)? Should activities/programs be spread more broadly across the Twin Cities?
* With the aging of baby boomers, the number of retirees from the University is likely going to increase. What would be the pluses, minuses, and implications of significant UMRA growth?
-- Jerry Rinehart, 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.