UMRA Board chooses Midland Hills for luncheon forums
UMRA will hold five of its in-person luncheon forums at Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville this program year (September, October, November, March, and April). The forums in January and February 2024 will be virtual events via Zoom. The May 2024 Annual Meeting and Luncheon Forum location will be decided later and may be either Midland Hills or the Campus Club in Coffman Memorial Union.
The UMRA Board selected Midland Hills for the following reasons:
Cost. Estimates from Midland Hills were considerably lower. If we were to meet at the Campus Club, we would have to raise the charge for our luncheon forums from $30 to $35.
Positive feedback. In our surveys, those who attended last year’s forums at Midland Hills gave it high marks for its food and service, and easy and free parking.
Uncertainty about the Campus Club. Ongoing discussions between the Campus Club and the U of M provost have left the future of the Campus Club in doubt. While the Campus Club would like to have our business, they told us it was not crucial to their survival.
Midland Hills has roots in the University and is considered by some to be part of the larger University community. It was started by faculty in 1921 as the original “University of Minnesota Golf Course.” The University Women’s Club and several other University organizations meet there today.
Reservations for our 2023–24 luncheon forums are now open on the UMRA website. Go to umra.umn.edu > Member Portal > Forum Reservations where you can make your reservations and pay for individual or multiple programs.
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.
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.
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.
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: