EVENT SUMMARY: FORUM

The following article summarizes the original event which is listed below the summary.

The University’s new president is happy to be here

Wed, October 16, 2024, at 10:45am
 

Rebecca Cunningham, MD, the University of Minnesota’s new president, spoke to a full house for UMRA’s October 2024 forum at Midland Hills. She described UMRA as a gift to her, and expressed gratitude for what we, as retirees, have accomplished for the University.

In her prepared remarks, Cunningham demonstrated a palpable excitement for the opportunities the University presents. She described her personal philosophy as “learning by listening,” and said she has been working closely with University faculty and staff, and the larger community. 

She outlined three top priorities:

  • Supporting health writ large, including clinical care, mental health, training, and research as well as animal and plant health
  • Providing an affordable, world-class education with flexible pathways to learning 
  • Harnessing the power of the University of Minnesota system, where the U is greater than the sum of its parts and touches every part of the state

The forum then switched to a question and answer format—and there were a lot of questions!

Regarding the possible purchase of the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Cunningham described the situation as "a complicated set of options,” and said she believes it is more important to get to the right solution than to meet an arbitrary deadline. She noted that the University trains most of the health care workers in the state, which makes the health system extremely important.

Regarding demographics and a shrinking pool of college-age students, the president said that this year the U of M has its largest incoming class ever—7,300 first-year students—and her administration is working on an enrollment plan across all campuses.

Demonstrations and bias? Cunningham believes that universities are the arena for strong conversations, but that students should feel safe and welcome no matter their beliefs. She has been meeting with students on both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict, and incoming students are receiving anti-bias training.

Why she chose to accept this job? “The U is amazing!” she said. Cunningham also has some history with the U and the state. Her father-in-law was a long-time faculty member on the St. Paul campus, and she has spent time in the Boundary Waters, summer and winter, with her three daughters. She came to love and appreciate Minnesota and believes that she can have an impact on the U’s public mission.

Plans for state funding? We are no different than other public universities in losing state funding, she said, noting that the U now has a new government relations team telling "our story" at the Minnesota Legislature. She reminded the UMRA audience that our research is statewide, we are in all 87 counties, and the U is an economic engine for the state.

How is artificial intelligence (AI) changing higher education? According to Cunningham, AI is here to stay, and the U is teaching students how to be better informed and think critically. AI is also being put to use in research, and the U is examining its value operationally.

Five years from now? The president said that she and her team are working on a strategic plan, and that her priorities include the U’s national reputation, student opportunities, workforce reinvestment, and leadership in the health area.

When asked, she also commented on her experience as an emergency medicine physician (good management training), the future of the Campus Club (on her list but there are higher priorities right now), and the role of the liberal arts in today’s world (she is a graduate of a small liberal arts college and believes the liberal arts teaches students to think critically).

In conclusion, Cunningham again declared “the U is an amazing asset for the state,” quipping, “Our humility [as Minnesotans] exceeds the data.” 

Together we can help tell the story, she said. And we need to tell the University’s story proudly—just as she intends to do.

—Lynn Slifer

 


 


FORUM

President Cunningham’s vision for the University of Minnesota

Wed, October 16, 2024, at 10:45am
Rebecca Cunningham, MD
President
University of Minnesota

Location
Midland Hills Country Club
2001 Fulham Street
Roseville MN 55113

 
 

We are thrilled that Rebecca Cunningham, MD, the new president of the University of Minnesota, has agreed to share her vision and priorities with us at UMRA’s Wednesday, October 16, luncheon forum at Midland Hills Country Club. 

It is always exciting and a bit uncertain when a university inaugurates a new president, with the possibility of new directions or priorities. We’re honored that President Cunningham chose UMRA as one of her early audiences, and we hope to have a big turnout to show her that our members are engaged and involved. 

As the 18th president of the University of Minnesota System, Cunningham’s experience as an emergency medicine physician and public health researcher will surely come to the fore to help drive the University’s commitment to the health, well-being, and safety of our state, nation, and world. She served the University of Michigan as the vice president for research and innovation and worked strategically across their three campuses immediately prior to becoming president of the University of Minnesota. 

Working together

On her presidential website Cunningham states: “By working together, I am confident we can push the boundaries of research and discovery, advance teaching and learning, enhance health, and strengthen our collective outreach for the public good.” We hope to hear more specifics from her in person.

The website also includes multiple communications in the short time Cunningham has been in office. (She officially took office on July 1.) Her reports to the Board of Regents range from the personal—she was the first in her family to go directly to college after high school—to a promise to lead by listening. In her first weeks in Minnesota, she met with tribal leaders, toured the four academic health facilities that make up the M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, connected with alumni networks, toured the St. Paul campus and its colleges, and threw out the first pitch at a Minnesota Twins baseball game.

Cunningham began her medical career with a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Michigan and a postdoctoral fellowship with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. She held faculty appointments in the University of Michigan’s Medical School and School of Public Health. Her research focuses on public health and injury and violence prevention, collaborating with colleagues across disciplines including engineering, communications, transportation, and public policy. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019. 

Please make your reservation now for UMRA’s Wednesday, October 16, luncheon forum at Midland Hills. As a colleague at another Big Ten institution recently said, “We (retirees) ‘set the table’ for everything that happens at the university now.” 

—Julie Sweitzer, UMRA president



Upcoming Events

Event Date: February 18, 2025, at 11am

Many life challenges that get in the way of quality of life and good health at home have little to do with medical issues. Cathy Lauring, our presenter for UMRA’s February 18 workshop, will explore a variety of resources to assist in keeping us healthy at home—including physical, emotional, cognitive, and financial services.


Event Date: February 21, 2025, at 2pm

John Bantle will lead the discussion of A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson when the UMRA book club meets via Zoom on February 21. 


Event Date: February 22, 2025, at 5pm

Join UMRA members to watch two of the best hockey teams in the nation. UMRA has negotiated a discounted ticket price of $33.


Event Date: February 25, 2025, at 11am

Barbara Klick, RN, MBA, the presenter for UMRA’s February 25 Forum, has decades of experience working in human and veterinary medicine, and will bring her wisdom and perspective to our discussion about what we can learn from our pets about facing end-of-life challenges and decisions.


Event Date: February 28, 2025, at 2pm

The Fourth Friday Book Club will meet via Zoom on February 28 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. CST to discuss The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.


Event Date: March 3, 2025, at 9:30am

Join members of the UMRA Hiking Club for a hike on March 3 at the Holland Lake Trailhead in Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan. It is the largest park in the Dakota County park system. Our route will take us on an unpaved trail with some roots, rocks, and easy hills. It will be about 5 miles for 2 to 2.5 hours. We will meet for an optional lunch afterwards somewhere nearby (TBD).


Event Date: March 5, 2025, at 10am

Will Craig discusses using local sources for family history.


Event Date: March 11, 2025, at 12:30pm

The THEME is Insects

The UMRA Photo Club will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library, in the small shopping center at New Brighton and St. Anthony Boulevards.  

For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 a.m. 


Event Date: April 7, 2025, at 9:30am

The UMRA Hiking Club will explore wildlife along the Mississippi River in Fort Snelling State Park. The 3.9-mile Pike Island Loop is generally considered an easy route and takes just over an hour. Hikers can leave at that point, or stay to add another short loop. The trail is located below the bluff on which the historic fort sits.  The last time we were there we saw a lot of deer, and the river always provides fascinating views.


Event Date: April 8, 2025, at 12:30pm

The UMRA Photo Club will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library, in the small shopping center at New Brighton and St. Anthony Boulevards. 

For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 a.m.

Theme to be announced.


Event Date: April 8, 2025, at 1pm

The University of Minnesota Archives, with its major holdings largely tucked away in two huge underground caverns along the Mississippi River under the West Bank campus, holds the essential records of our University of Minnesota’s past. University Archivist Erik Moore will interpret the holdings and bring out a sampling of what it holds. We will also get a tour of the caverns (Minnesota Library Access Center), revealing where these precious materials are housed, including the original tapes of KUOM, now Radio K.


Event Date: April 21, 2025, at 10am

You are cordially invited to see Rick Huebsch, Associate VP for Research, Technology Commercialization at UMN, who will discuss UMN Technology Commercialization. Tech Comm facilitates the transfer of UMN innovation beyond the research lab, to benefit the public good, foster economic growth, and generate revenue to support the University's mission.


Event Date: May 5, 2025, at 10am

Do you have a box or several albums of old family pictures that you are not quite sure what to do with? Or perhaps you just want to find out more about your ancestors and are not sure where or how to begin. This meeting of the Family history group will be an open discussion.