Connect, Engage, Serve

Welcome to the UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association (UNL ERA)

It is shaping up to be another great year for the UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association. Your Board of Directors has been very busy working to implement the strategic goals that were adopted in December of 2023.

A major goal is to implement an on-line payment and events registration system for the UNL ERA.  In July, the University of Wisconsin-Madison provided a 2-hour workshop for the UNL-ERA Software Committee to examine software that would improve our capacity to register members for events and provide them with the option to pay for the registration on-line with a credit card.  The Committee is looking at organizational management software that will benefit association and its members.  The UNL-ERA is adding approximately 90-100 memberships per year so the need for updated management tools is crucial. 

Another committee (Branding and Marketing) has been meeting to develop a ‘brand’ for the UNL-ERA so the association can be more effectively identified and marketed to members, prospective members, and potential sponsors. 

The Diversity Committee has been engaged in developing recruitment and retention strategies so the UNL-ERA membership more closely mirrors all of the personnel throughout the University. 

The Partnership Committee (formerly The Mentoring Committee) has identified groups within and outside of the university that may be willing to partner with the UNL-ERA to provide volunteer opportunities for those who are interested. 

The Program Committee has planned a great set of speakers for the monthly membership meetings this Fall and next Spring. (Luncheon programs are scheduled from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM.) 

September 12, 2024 (Thursday) - Dee Dee Anderson, Vice Chancellor Student Affairs - Student Affairs Update.  East Union

October 17, 2024 (Thursday) - John Hibbing - Polarization and the 2024 Election.  East Union

November 14, 2024 (Thursday) - Barkley Center presentation and tour.  Barkley Center  

December 12, 2024 (Thursday) - Chancellor Rodney Bennett - Innovation Campus 
    Sponsored by the University of Nebraska Foundation and Alumni Center

January 21, 2025 (Tuesday) - Karen Kassebaum - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  East Union

February 12, 2025 (Wednesday) - Adrien Wisnicki - Artificial Intelligence (AI) Today and Tomorrow.  East Union

March 13, 2025 (Thursday) - Michael Forsberg - Photography program (not sure of the exact title).  East Union 

April 10, 2025 (Thursday) - Jeff Steven - Canine Research and The Many Dogs Project.  East Union

Additionally, the first ERA Coffee of the Fall season is scheduled at the Wilderness Ridge Clubhouse from 9:30 – 11:30 on Thursday, September 5; please plan to join in the fun.

Pam Edwards and I just returned from the Big Ten Retirees Association Annual conference at The Ohio State.  It was another opportunity to compare notes with other Big Ten associations and learn about successful practices.  Member engagement and Recruitment and Retention were the big issues for this year’s conference; we concur that member engagement is crucial as is recruitment and retention. 

Getting together with our Big Ten counterparts helps us focus on the strengths of the UNL-ERA: it’s members.   The more I am involved with the UNL-ERA, the more I realize how blessed we are to have the members we have; 600 plus.  They simply are among the best people I know; smart, fun, and friendly.  If you know someone who is looking to enjoy the camaraderie of a great organization please invite them to a luncheon or coffee or take them on one of the sponsored tours.  They will thank you for thinking of them.