2021-04 From the President: Annual meeting and election will be May 25 via Zoom

“How not to sound old.” I hope you joined this UMRA workshop in early March. I found it enlightening and I do practice my voice exercises every morning.  

This year’s annual meeting will be held on May 25 via Zoom. Our guest speaker will be Ken Powell, outgoing chair of the Board of Regents. The business part of the meeting will include voting for UMRA officers and board members. The slate of candidates will be presented in the May issue of the UMRA News. There will be an opportunity for nominations “from the floor.” Also on the agenda: review and approval of changes made to the UMRA Bylaws and previously endorsed by the Executive Committee (EC), Board, and via email to the membership. Voting will occur via the polling feature of Zoom.

At UMRA’s February EC meeting, the new Organizational Continuity Committee (OCC) was approved. The UMRA History Committee was discontinued, and history became part of the OCC. If you are interested in joining the new committee, please contact co-chairs Jerry Rinehart or Chip Peterson.

JOIE, the Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays, is back up and running and accepting publication submissions, including several already under review. When you have an item you believe to be of interest, please send it to the editor, Kris Bettin, at [email protected].

The question of what UMRA programming might occur this June, July, and August (when UMRA has traditionally observed a summer break) has been raised by several members. The Program Committee is working on one program a month for two months and a potential outdoor get-together in late summer. A survey of the membership will also be done regarding attitudes about attending an outdoor get-together.

Please note the new masthead on the UMRA News. This is a very helpful addition; thank you Kris Mortensen, our news editor.

The Campus Club, planning on reopening soon, has received notice of a loss of its University subsidy and is seeking input, from UMRA and other important stakeholders, into developing a new business model. Please read “The Campus Club needs help.”

Stay safe, be well, and seriously consider taking the vaccination when offered.

—Frank Cerra, MD, UMRA president