The following article summarizes the original event which is listed below the summary.
President Gabel attracts largest attendance in UMRA history
In front of the largest crowd in UMRA history, President Joan Gabel offered brief opening comments, responded to an extensive interview by two of our members, and then took questions from the audience attending UMRA’s November Forum. She was clear, direct, and genuine, and was a big hit with our membership. As musicians might say, she “blew the room away.”
President Gabel is well versed about trends in higher education and how they apply to the University of Minnesota. She articulated her early impressions of the University and promised a strong strategic planning effort in the coming months. There is already a website for the Systemwide Strategic Plan where visitors may offer comments on the proposed systemwide strategic commitments.
Gabel said the University is a world-class institution and, in her view, needs to address the subjects of health, food, and the environment in its plan. She believes the University is particularly strong in each of these areas.
She also believes it is urgent for the University to address issues surrounding student mental health on campus. She noted that 42 percent of 18–25 year olds have received a mental health diagnosis, and said that number is estimated to be even higher for our students. “Providing appropriate care is becoming as important as helping them with selecting their classes,” she said.
Endearing humbleness
President Gabel said she hopes to continue to expand the University’s commitment to access and excellence. Interestingly, she noted our “endearing” inclination toward humbleness. “It is a strength, but also a challenge,” she said. “We are a cornerstone economic driver and we have to be able to articulate in crisp, clear language” the long-term value we generate, she said.
President Gabel thinks Minnesota, unlike some other research universities, has retained its sense of place and strong connection to the communities which it serves. She was also complimentary to the Legislature, for its continuing support of higher education, and to the State. “The culture of the State around higher education is not about its value but how to make it better.”
She addressed the current renaming controversy on campus and the need for a new policy. She believes this is an ongoing issue and will require a good deal of attention and sustained educational programming.
Gabel also spoke briefly about her appointment of Rachel Croson, PhD, as the new executive vice president and provost. Dr. Croson is a behavioral economist and currently serves as a dean at Michigan State. She is scheduled to begin her appointment on March 30, 2020.
UMRA thanks Kathleen O’Brien and Frank Cerra for conducting a comprehensive and insightful interview with the new president before the 150+ people in attendance. Great event!
—Bill Donohue, UMRA president
UMRA welcomes President Joan Gabel to our November forum
Tue, November 19 2019, 11:30am
Campus Club 4th Floor, West Wing Dining Room
University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel will be the speaker at the Retiree Association’s luncheon on November 19. President Gabel is the 17th president of the University and the first woman to hold the position. She was unanimously elected by the Board of Regents on December 18, 2018, and assumed the office on July 1, 2019.
She was officially inaugurated on September 20 at a brief installation ceremony inside the McNamara Alumni Center, which was live streamed for the first time in the University’s history. President Gabel then proceeded along Scholars Walk, where members of the campus community lined up to greet her on her way to Northrop Mall, where she gave a rousing speech, also live streamed, on the steps of Northrop Memorial Auditorium. She has been well received by the University community and is universally described as warm, energetic, and engaging.
President Gabel comes to us from the University of South Carolina, where she was the executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. Prior to that she served as dean of the University of Missouri’s College of Business for five years. Earlier, she was a faculty member at Georgia State University and Florida State University, where she was a department chair. She is a 1993 graduate of the University of Georgia Law School and briefly worked as an associate in an Atlanta law firm before beginning her academic career.
We are honored to have President Gabel speak at our forum. We expect her to talk about her experiences to date as president and her vision and goals for the University. There will, of course, be time for questions. We hope to become better acquainted with the new president and learn some ways in which we can support her.
The West Wing should fill up quickly, so reserve your spot early.
—Bill Donohue, UMRA president, 2019–20
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.