Update: UMRA Transition Task Force
UMRA President Jan Morlock appointed a task force in August 2020 to explore, analyze, make recommendations, and report to her regarding aspects of UMRA returning to in-person meetings for its monthly forums and workshops. The task force members include Bill Donohue, Eric Hockert, Virgil Larson, Ron Matross, Jan Morlock, Kristine Mortensen, Jerry Rinehart, and Frank Cerra (chair).
The task force met several times over five months and explored when to return to in-person meetings, potential venues, the need for an event host committee, opportunities for member-proposed events, and public health COVID-19 restrictions.
A few of the salient recommendations the task force will make are:
- limit monthly UMRA programs to workshops and forums
- schedule the monthly programs via Zoom through February 2022
- continue workshops via Zoom after February 2022 and target March 2022 for the first in-person forum
- establish an event host committee for the in-person forums
- manage member-proposed events via the Program Committee
- require vaccination and compliance with existing public health COVID-19 restrictions for in-person meetings
The Task Force Report with its recommendations will be sent to President Morlock in time for UMRA’s January 2022 executive committee and board meetings.
—Frank Cerra, Transition Task Force chair
News
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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: