Forum
All Forum articles are collected here.
A conversation with Regent Penny Wheeler, MDEvent Date:University of Minnesota Regent Penny Wheeler, MD, will be the featured guest for the UMRA luncheon forum on May 20. In place of the usual speech format for our forums, Regent Wheeler will be interviewed by UMRA member and liaison to the Board of Regents John Finnegan, professor and dean emeritus of the U of M School of Public Health. More... |
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Celebrating the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Earth DayEvent Date:UMRA’s Earth Day forum on April 22 will feature a presentation by UMRA member Peter Moe, the recently retired director of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. He is well known and admired for building an incredibly successful facility and program for the University. More... |
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The Warren and Roberts courts in perspectiveEvent Date:The U.S. Supreme Court led by Chief Justice John Roberts since 2025 is considered to be the most conservative and activist in history. But it has much in common with the 1963–69 Warren Court, widely viewed as the most liberal and activist. U of M professor of political science and law Timothy R. Johnson will put these claims into perspective as the guest speaker for UMRA’s March 25 brunch forum. More... |
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What our pets can teach our families about end of lifeEvent Date:Barbara Klick, RN, MBA, the presenter for UMRA’s February 25 Forum, has decades of experience working in human and veterinary medicine, and will bring her wisdom and perspective to our discussion about what we can learn from our pets about facing end-of-life challenges and decisions. More... |
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Winter Social will celebrate brighter days aheadEvent Date:UMRA's special event for this winter will again be a celebration of brighter days and the approaching end of winter. We'll have food, fellowship, and music provided by Urban Sound, one of the U of M’s premier student a cappella ensembles. More... |
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Making sense of the 2024 U.S. electionsEvent Date:The 2024 election season has been long and intense. To help us digest whatever happens, UMRA is extremely honored that U of M political scientist Kathryn Pearson will join us to provide her insightful analysis of this year’s elections as the guest speaker for UMRA’s November 19 luncheon forum at Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville. More... |
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President Cunningham’s vision for the University of MinnesotaEvent Date:We are thrilled and honored that Rebecca Cunningham, MD, the new president of the University of Minnesota, has agreed to share her vision and priorities for the University with us at UMRA’s October luncheon forum. And we hope to have a big turnout to show her that our members are engaged and involved. More... |
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Presidential elections, poison pills, and ticking time bombsEvent Date:There is no getting around it. Fall 2024 will include a national election, and to prepare us for the season, we’ll kick off UMRA’s fall forums with a fascinating presentation by UMRA member and former University of Minnesota senior associate general counsel Mark Bohnhorst. More... |
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Annual Updates Due dateEvent Date: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. More... |
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The impact of climate change on life in MinnesotaEvent Date:Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative. More... |
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What is generative AI and is it a good thing or a bad thing?Event Date:Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted substantial debate recently because it can be used in many contexts, including educational settings to do things such as answer exam questions and write papers. But what is generative AI? And how can we know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing? Law School Professor Daniel Schwarcz will enlighten us during UMRA’s Luncheon Forum on April 23. More... |
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Making the foreign—and the local—less foreignEvent Date:St. Paul-based journalist Fred de Sam Lazaro has reported from 70 countries focusing on the work of change agents to address the consequences of poverty. His remarkable perspective draws us closer to the people he meets and the challenges they confront. Join us to learn why and how he uses storytelling to enhance understanding of today’s pressing global issues. More... |
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A preview of 2024 Minnesota legislative politicsEvent Date:Melissa Hortman, speaker of the Minnesota House and a 1995 graduate cum laude of the U of M Law School, will be the guest speaker for UMRA’s February 27 Forum. She will help us understand the 2024 legislative session and efforts at bipartisan cooperation. More... |
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Planning for the (un)expected endEvent Date:Pat Miles, former TV news anchor and journalist, lost her husband suddenly and found the financial and legal challenges to be overwhelming during her time of grief. She wrote a book about her experience, Before All Is Said and Done, incorporating wisdom from other unexpected widows, and will share her learnings for the first UMRA Forum of the New Year. More... |
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Beyond the classroom, the student experience todayEvent Date:How are today’s students and their experiences different from when we went to college? Beyond grades, what are the greatest challenges they face to completing their degrees? Guest speakers Calvin Phillips and Maggie Towle from the U of M Office of Student Affairs will share their insights and the latest research on student life today for UMRA’s November forum. Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation. More... |
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