2022-11 From the President: We are not alone

The University of Minnesota Retirees Association is not unique. Higher education institutions across the country have retiree organizations, and many of them like to connect with each other. The Big Ten has an association of retiree organizations, and the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE) has 121 member organizations. These groups hold webinars and meetings to share ideas and best practices.

UMRA is active in both groups. UMRA member Cherie Hamilton is an AROHE Board member and has been nominated for president. The Big Ten group revived its annual in-person conference this past summer at Northwestern, and UMRA Past President Jan Morlock, Secretary Julie Sweitzer, and News Editor Kris Mortensen attended. In 2026, Minnesota will host the conference, and we are already beginning to plan and save for it. (Let us know if you’d like to help with that planning!)

It's fun and instructive to compare notes with the other associations. When we do so, we generally find a convergence in mission (education, service, and socializing) but many differences in organization and specific programs. Some are like us, open to all retirees from the school, while others are emeriti organizations, restricted to faculty. Connections with the university’s administration vary. At some schools like the University of Southern California, the retirees’ association is part of a funded retiree center, which also provides pre-retirement planning resources. Some associations receive technical and administrative support from their university administrations or foundations and have paid executive directors or other staff. Many, though, are like us, in that they are independent organizations, primarily funded by dues and staffed by volunteers.

It’s in the realm of programming that we find the most diversity. Every association made a pivot to virtual programming during the pandemic shutdown, and now everyone is trying to figure out their return to in-person programming, while keeping some virtual events.  Our signature all-member event for many years has been the luncheon forum with a formal lunch followed by a guest speaker. Many schools have similar luncheons, but for some the lunch is a more modest box lunch. Other places, like UW-Madison, have breakfasts; or, like Michigan State, offer afternoon coffees.

So, the question for this month is, should we be thinking about changes or alternatives to our monthly luncheon forums?

—Ron Matross, UMRA president, [email protected]