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Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education |
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Editor's note: This issue of AROHE Matters highlights the upcoming virtual summit on the importance of social relationships to a quality later life, the inauguration of the AROHE Travel Institute by Road Scholar, and among other items, how one retirement organization strategizes to welcome new campus retirees to their next life chapters. |
Issue Highlights
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Retirement Organization News
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Retirement Trends and Resources
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President's Message
Summer is traditionally a time to relax and rejuvenate. I, along with my friends on the AROHE Board of Directors, wish you an enjoyable and memorable summer. Of course, once summer ends, we want to extend a warm welcome back to our retired colleagues and re-engage them in the activities and events that their retirement organizations (ROs) sponsor. This may require creative thinking and careful advance planning. Fortunately, this issue highlights one RO’s strategy to encourage its members to renew friendships and active RO participation. I hope this idea proves helpful as you plan for a new season of events and services.
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Finally, on behalf of AROHE it is with deep appreciation and admiration that we recognize the retirement of Janette Brown as assistant vice provost of the USC Emeriti Center. During her leadership of the USC Emeriti Center, Janette played a vital role in AROHE, having served both as president from 2007 to 2008 and as executive director from 2005 to 2019. Under Janette’s direction, the USC Emeriti Center served as AROHE’s executive office and provided essential support for conferences and special projects. In recognition of her professionalism, service, and leadership, Janette was named AROHE executive director emeritus in 2019. I speak for AROHE in wishing Janette the best as she transitions to a well-deserved next life chapter. We look forward to Janette’s continued association with AROHE and to benefitting from her many years of experience working closely with USC retirees.
Best wishes,
AROHE President Roger Baldwin
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Social Relationships: Key to a Happy & Successful Retirement
Sponsored by Road Scholar
In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory titled "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation," shedding light on "the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country." Even predating the COVID-19 pandemic, around half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.
Decades of evidence have accumulated pointing to widespread health impacts associated with social connection, or lack thereof. Social connection has been widely assumed to be a personal issue primarily associated with emotional well-being, underappreciating the mental, cognitive, and physical health ramifications. While the pandemic raised awareness, it simultaneously revealed gaps in our understanding on what to do about the issue.
Keynote Speaker
Professor Holt-Lunstad, Brigham Young University (BYU), professor of psychology and neuroscience, will enlighten us with her expertise on the vital role of relationships in enriching social connections, addressing the prevalent issue of loneliness among older adults and retirees. Professor Holt-Lunstad leads the Social Connection & Health Lab at BYU and serves as the founding scientific chair and board member for both the U.S. Foundation for Social Connection and the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection. In her recent TED Talk, she emphasized, "It’s time we prioritize our relationships like our life depends on it, because it does."
Dr. Holt-Lunstad’s presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring retired faculty and staff from across the U.S. and Canada. Together, we will explore avenues to foster joy and purpose in the next chapters of our lives post-full-time employment. There is no charge to attend the summit and everyone is welcome to register.
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AROHE Travel InstituteBrought to you by Road Scholar
At AROHE’s eighth biennial conference at Emory University in 2018 an idea emerged: the formation of an AROHE travel Institute. The vision was to bring together colleagues nationwide who share similar interests and life experiences, by providing avenues for collaboration amidst enriching group travel programs. We aimed to support member retirement organizations (ROs) and regional groups with travel program management resources, offering webinars and Zoom meetings to assist RO’s in developing their own travel initiatives.
Road Scholar Partnership
AROHE has established a partnership with Road Scholar with the tagline, “Connecting with each other and the world we live in.” Road Scholar has launched a dedicated website to serve as a hub for communicating via newsletters and to detail AROHE-sponsored group travel programs with comprehensive information on trip descriptions, dates, costs, registration deadlines, activity levels, itineraries, and registration instructions.
Get Connected
We remain committed to facilitating regional connections by organizing AROHE trips in each of seven regions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, Rocky Mountain, West, and Canada). We seek to designate a contact person from each institution to receive trip information for dissemination among their members. Additionally, we invite volunteer representatives from each region to serve on the AROHE Travel Institute Committee, collaborating on planning trips of interest for their respective institutions/regions, with full support of materials from Road Scholar.
Upcoming Trips
In the 2025 inaugural year, we are delighted to offer several trips. Click here to learn about these adventures. Our goal is to offer 10 trips annually, catering to retired or current college/university faculty and staff, along with their friends and family. It presents a splendid opportunity to connect with like-minded retirees from various institutions and forge new friendships.
To express an interest or receive more information, contact: Cherie Hamilton, chair, AROHE Travel Institute, pimentamalageta@hotmail.com.
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Reimagining Retirement Series: Results and Next Steps
At any point in life, we face changes and transitions. While many campuses provide financial planning support for retirement, fewer resources address later-life transitions, such as changes in relationships, purpose, meaning, and feelings of relevance derived from work.
On January 30 and February 13 and 27, 2024, the AROHE Research and Education Committee launched “Reimagining Retirement: Exploring Your Life Plan,” a pilot three-session virtual learning series sponsored by Fidelity Investments. This series aimed to help AROHE member organizations guide faculty, staff, and retirees in exploring life planning aspects of retirement and evaluating alternatives to full-time work. For program details, speakers, topics, and webinar recordings, visit the event home page: Reimagining Retirement.
A total of 2,342 individuals from 112 colleges and universities registered, with attendance ranging from 550 to 650 per session. Post-event surveys revealed that 71% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the financial aspects of retirement, compared to 53% satisfaction with the non-financial aspects.
There is a clear need for better support and resources for faculty and staff to plan for the non-financial aspects of retirement. Respondents currently navigate these aspects by talking to other retirees, participating in university pre-retirement programs, reading books, listening to podcasts, joining support groups, engaging in church activities, and consulting friends, family, and webinars.
AROHE is planning another webinar series in partnership with Fidelity for late February and early March 2025—stay tuned!
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Hear Ye, Hear Ye!
AROHE is NOW recruiting for an executive director, to start December 1, 2024. We are seeking a person who:
- wants a remote, half-time position with flexible work hours.
- is organized, tech savvy, and personable.
- has a bachelor's degree or higher.
- has experience working with faculty, staff, or retirees at a college or university.
AROHE Past President Bill Verdini here...I am not the Town Crier, but as chair of the AROHE Executive Director Search Committee, I ask you to WIDELY SHARE THE BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW.
Help AROHE transform retirement and our world!
AROHE invites you and your colleagues to consider the position of half-time executive director, to begin December 1, 2024. The executive director works remotely from her/his own office with occasional travel required for in-person conferences and other events. This position will have a two-year contract with a potential option to renew. The salary for this 50%-time position is set at a minimum of $40,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Review of applications will begin July 19.
For more information or to apply, visit https://www.arohe.org/ED-Search-2024/. Questions? Email Bill Verdini at bill.verdini@asu.edu.
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AROHE Nominations & Elections
2024 is a transformational recruiting year for the AROHE. Two officers and six at-large members are eligible to remain on the board of directors. However, AROHE will lose six veteran board members including immediate past president, treasurer, secretary, and three at-large board positions. AROHE's board of directors will issue the call for nominations for the 2025 - 2026 two-year term later in July.
While we await the official call for nominations, please let Bill Verdini, chair of the AROHE Nominating Committee, bill.verdini@asu.edu, know if you have questions or suggestions for president-elect, treasurer, secretary, and/or at-large board positions. You are welcome (encouraged) to suggest yourself!
A slate of candidates will be presented at the General Business Meeting to be held in the fall. The exact date has not been set. Elections will be held by electronic vote within sixty (60) days after the Business Meeting..
We are looking forward to seeing you at the AROHE 2024 Virtual Summit on September 18 and at the General Business Meeting later in the fall.
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Retirement Organization News |
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Winona State University Retiree Center:
Welcoming and Honoring WSU's New Faculty/Staff Retirees
Welcoming and
honoring Winona State University’s newest faculty and staff retirees to the WSU
Retiree Center begins with our Annual Spring Luncheon and the invitation to
attend our WSU Retiree Center Summer Breakfasts.
Each April, the
Retiree Center Social Committee plans the luncheon and decorates our East
Ballroom for the event. This year, 22 of our new retirees joined us at our
Southern Picnic themed event. Welcoming those of our university community into
our Retiree Center brings work friends and former colleagues together, enabling
our retirees to renew former connections and forge new ones. We are truly a
community.
Our Retiree
Center Breakfasts begin in May each year and run monthly through September. We
serve breakfast and have a featured speaker for a program of university
interest. For our final Breakfast in September, we host two morning sessions
for a ride and breakfast on the university’s Cal Fremling Riverboat. The
boat honors former retiree, Cal Fremling, author of The Immortal River.
With so many interested retirees, reservations are required for these
Mississippi River boat trips. Our first Retiree Center Breakfast featured
President Ken Janz, our newly appointed president, as our speaker.
The WSU Retiree
Center’s inclusive design allows retirees the opportunity to reimagine their
retirement with multiple opportunities for engaging activities, classes, and
events.
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Retirement Trends and Resources
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Older Adults Vulnerable to Impersonation Scams
Older adults may be even more vulnerable to fraud and scams than previously thought, according to an NIA-funded study that mimicked a real-world government imposter scam. The results suggest that a sizable minority of older adults, including those without cognitive impairment, are vulnerable to fraud and scams. The study results were published in JAMA Network Open. Click to return to the Issue Highlights. |
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Responding to Ageist Election Coverage in the Media
As the 2024 election cycle ramps up, there has been an increase of ageist media coverage focused on our elected officials and both Democratic and Republican candidates. Many of us have been unsure how to respond most productively. The National Center to Reframe Aging, the trusted source for proven communication strategies and tools to effectively frame aging issues, has created a guide to pave the way for us all to answer constructively. We believe it is important for all of us to have the tools to reply to these very public displays of ageism and remind the American public that, like the rest of us, (even) politicians grow in ways that improve their ability to do their work as they get older. NCRA Election Ageism Guide | reframingaging.org
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The Longevity Imperative
How to Build a Healthier and More Productive Society to Support our Longer Lives
Thanks to increases in life expectancy, we can now expect to live for a long time. Why do so many of us view the prospect of additional years with fear and skepticism? The reason is simple: society is not currently structured to support long lives. The Longevity Imperative is a book that outlines the innovations needed to make the most of these longer lives: substantial changes to our health system, economy, and financial sector, as well as in how we manage our careers, health, finances, and relationships. Economist Andrew J. Scott charts a course to address the individual, social, political, economic, and cultural changes required so that all of us—regardless of age—can live lives that are not just longer but healthier, happier, and more productive. The Longevity Imperative by Andrew J. Scott | Hachette Book Group
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Come Join Us in Transforming Retirement |
Since 2002 AROHE has supported both institutions and individuals by transforming the experience of retirement – the preparation, the transition, and post-retirement programming – into a smooth and productive life-course change.
To renew, join or learn more, visit arohe.org or contact AROHE by emailing info@arohe.org or calling (530) 219-1049. |
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AROHE members are encouraged to submit stories that reflect activities, news and events from your retirement organization and campus that highlight the value retirees bring to their colleges and universities.
The September issue of AROHE Matters will focus on how retirement organizations strengthen the connection, support and engagement of retirees with campus administration.
Articles are limited to 250 words. A relevant picture (jpeg or png) and web links are valued additions to any article. Share your story for the July issue of AROHE Matters by August 19, 2024, to Patrick Cullinane, editor, at pcullinane@berkeley.edu. |
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AROHE's mantra is "Transforming Retirement."
At AROHE, we know that higher education retirees are assets of society who reinvent, NOT retire from, life; positively impact their communities; and contribute to the greater good.
AROHE champions transformative practices to support all stages of faculty and staff retirement, their mutually beneficial engagement, and continuing contributions to their academic institutions. By sharing research, innovative ideas, and successful practices, AROHE emphasizes the development and enhancement of campus-based retiree organizations and programs which support this continuing engagement in higher education.
Privacy policy: AROHE will never sell or give your personal information to sponsors or partners without your expressed permission. This permission is typically done as a part of an event registration where members and registrants "opt in" to receive email notices from a partner or sponsor. In this case a member or registrant's email address is provided to the sponsor or partner.
Copyright © 2020 AROHE. All rights reserved.
Contact email: info@arohe.org
Contact phone: 530-219-1049
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