Monday, April 18, 2022
From your UNIEA Chair - 2022
From the 2022 UNIEA Newsletter
Judith F. Harrington, Professor Emerita, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
UNIEA Chair
As my message to you began one year ago, I continue to express concern for you all and your loved ones, hoping you this finds you in good health.
One year ago, this column informed you that UNIEA’s monthly lunches were on hiatus. Since then, many changes have occurred for our association’s local emeriti, and for all emeriti. Those changes will be identified in this and other Newsletter articles. As I describe these changes, my deep gratitude is extended to the UNIEA Advisory Council and Program Committee members (identified elsewhere in this newsletter), for their ongoing leadership and support, as each decision faced us.
We resumed monthly lunches & programs in August 2021 through December 2021. Programs were readily available, with speakers who had been cancelled one or more times during the earlier stages of the pandemic, as well as adding a few emeriti: Steve Carignan, Ph.D., Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center Executive Director; Elaine M. Eshbaugh, Ph.D., UNI Professor of Gerontology, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences--School of Applied Human Sciences, who spoke to us about the basics of Alzheimer's and related dementias; Nate Clapham, Assistant Vice President for Collegiate Development & Annual Giving; and two emeriti: Scott Cawelti and Bob Dorr, music legend. Programs were delightful and at times thought-provoking. Yet, attendance was slipping; and organizing was remaining in the hands of too few emeriti, as far fewer newer local emeriti were attending. Further, the location had become problematic, and no other site appeared to be available to accommodate our needs. Your officers chose to have the lunches go back into hiatus for January and February, while we wrestled, not only with the future of our local situation, but also with other concerns for all emeriti (two back stories found elsewhere in the Newsletter offer more information).
In January 2022, on a bitterly cold Cedar Falls day, 9 of us gathered in the 5th floor Schindler Faculty Lounge, socially distanced with some masking. Our two-hour meeting was content-driven, with camaraderie and mutual respect at its core. By conclusion, in addition to agreeing that our newsletter should become digital and our biennial directory should be ended, we had unanimously agreed that although there was sentiment, even yearning in some instances, for monthly lunches, pragmatically it was time to end that tradition. Our decision was announced to local emeriti in early March, along with noting newly organized local emeriti events. From that email:
“During our hiatus from monthly lunches in January and February, your officers studied the difficulties associated with the monthly lunch tradition. After careful deliberation, we unanimously agreed to end this tradition. We are pleased to announce that each semester, we will hold one or two gatherings with a guest speaker and other programming.” The email included a teaser about a gathering and program April 21st (details elsewhere in this Newsletter), and noted that ideas are being put together for two gatherings next fall.
These and other arrangements are being provided by the leadership of Leslie Prideaux, Assistant VP, Alumni Relations. Indeed, with the retirement of our long-time Foundation secretary, Virginia Thulstrup, Foundation stewardship has shifted from its Advancement to Alumni division. Jim Jermier remains Vice President for University Advancement & President of the UNI Foundation. Further, we are happy to announce that Tammra (Tammy) Chambers will now provide secretarial support. Her office is in Alumni Relations, her email: alumni@uni.edu
So many changes in our Association this year! Locate the other articles with all the news.
Best wishes to you all for a fulfilling, healthy year.
