 Message from the President
Dear <<First Name>>,
A Hybrid Class by Any Other Name . . . Part 2
As of this writing, we received 245 evaluations for our courses and the overwhelming majority were very positive. High grades were handed out to the majority of our presenters and course content was generally well received. On a professional note, much credit also goes to those that work hard preparing each semester. Thank you once again to our volunteers who make this all possible.
Last month in this space I wrote about hybrid classes and the challenges they pose to presenters and the tech experts that support them. Was the experience enjoyable for both those online and in-person? Generally speaking, the answer was yes. Most evaluations were notably kind in their critique. Members understand what we are attempting to do and what the challenges are. That is very much appreciated.
Those members who did not enjoy the online experience cited their preference for in-person classes and the fact that they were closed out of the in-person option. This sort of problem is one of simple arithmetic. Twenty-five seats can only fit 25 members. When the largest classroom we were assigned was suddenly not available this last semester, our managers pivoted and succeeded in getting the class reassigned within minutes. That’s a great accomplishment for LLI, but we lost that classroom and all that extra legroom.
The planning for every semester is complex, time-consuming, and involves many moving parts. Once presenters and courses are selected, the process of finding classrooms starts moving onto another set of tracks. Large class or small? Zoom, hybrid, or strictly in-person? Do we have enough session and class managers to staff these classes? The responsible parties at Bard must be contacted to determine what rooms will be available (and there are several people to check with). As the clock ticks, important deadlines get closer: the schedule must be finalized, the catalog needs to be drafted, registration links need to be set, and communications need to be drafted. Do we have help with registration? And much more.
Back to hybrid classes. What we learned from this past semester is that classes with many slides are better suited to the hybrid format. The technology that is available to us is very advanced, but our choices regarding how to set up the room and where the presenter stands are limited. We will take these lessons learned into our spring 2023 semester and see if we have better success with the online side of the hybrid class. As for in-person classes on campus, we are limited by the number and size of the rooms assigned to us and the number of seats available in each one. Next month the process of finding classrooms for the spring begins. We will ask once again to get assigned the larger classrooms if they are available.
Finally, thank you to all the members who submitted evaluations. We are grateful for your useful feedback.
Best,
Robert Beaury
president@lli.bard.edu
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by Deborah Lanser
Once the holidays are over, LLI members can look forward to the diverse offerings of WinterFest 2023. On four consecutive Wednesdays starting January 4, LLI members will have the opportunity to attend two presentations. There is no need to worry about bad weather or parking since they will all be held on Zoom. Each week, we will receive a link for the day’s presentations, and we can share that link with a friend. Registration will not be required. Here is an overview of what we can anticipate.
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Feedback About Fall Courses
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by Deborah Lanser
This year’s evaluation form yielded hundreds of opinions about the courses we took, the presenters, and our overall enjoyment of the experience. The most common ratings were 4 or 5. However, opinions about a few courses were widely split, with one garnering three 2s and five 5s. And one member rated a class 0, while nine others awarded it a 4 or 5. Members appreciated the presenters, often granting ratings of 4 or 5 while sometimes offering constructive comments on how they could improve. And the general comments section offered some interesting insights into other issues, such as technology, classrooms, reading materials, and class discussions. Here is a brief overview of some of the opinions expressed.
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Your Photographic Eye Photo Workshop
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by Gary Miller
Every day, 4.7 billion digital photos are taken around the world. That’s 1.72 trillion every year. Not surprisingly, there are 21 photographers here at Bard LLI who want to be unique. They want to learn how to see differently, how to master the tools to turn their ideas into reality while at the same time having fun. Gary Miller’s course,Your Photographic Eye, attempted to do that and by many measures was successful. Each week the class viewed and listened to a photo and video presentation, then were given a homework assignment based on the presentation. Here is a sample of their work:
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When a Passion Becomes a Class
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by Felice Gelman
What makes an ex-IBMer teach a class on organs? One visit to Dale Ziegenfelder’s house would answer that question. Dale has a church-sized pipe organ installed in his home. (Newsflash: it’s a bit too big to fit in the living room.) LLI member Dorothy Baran, who frequently produces classes, knew of Dale’s interest in organs and, before COVID, asked him to do a class. She says, “I was delighted and surprised with the course he presented. It was well organized and full of information on the history of organs.” Class participants had a chance to see and hear Dale play the organ in his home and they toured other organs in Dutchess and Ulster County during the class. They learned that the instruments we barely notice in a church or at the Bardavon theater have fascinating musical and mechanical differences that create a unique personality for each one. But there’s a bigger story here.
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Bard Welcomes Ukrainian Student Refugees
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by Deborah Lanser
Once again, Bard will open its doors to international students whose education at home has been interrupted by local conflicts. A scholarship program will support 60 Ukrainian students who are displaced, under threat, or unable to continue their education because of the ongoing war with Russia. All will receive full tuition. They will also be eligible for housing and living stipends, according to need. Applicants will be considered for the spring 2023 semester, but the principal start of the program will be in the fall of 2023. Some students will attend classes in the Annandale-on-Hudson campus while others will study at Bard’s affiliates in New York City, Bard College Berlin, or Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. All will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English, the primary language of instruction.
The program is a continuation of Bard’s longstanding efforts to support refugee scholars and students. It started in the 1930s, when it provided a haven for distinguished writers, artists, intellectuals, and scientists who were fleeing Nazi German. It continued in 1956 by accepting more than 300 Hungarian student refugees who were escaping the Russian invasion. In this century, Bard has welcomed more than 250 students from Belarus, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Syria. And this year, two undergraduate Bard women, both from war-torn nations, won Rhodes scholarships for 2023.
Bard College President Leon Botstein has argued that it is time for the Biden administration to establish a new university sponsorship program for refugee students. He believes that the “challenge is far greater than just one country’s displaced population.”
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Upcoming Walks in December
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by Carmela Gersbeck
For December, the Bard LLI Walking Group will be meeting at 11:30 a.m. (please note earlier time) in the parking lots at the following locations:
December 1: Saugerties Lighthouse, 168 Lighthouse Dr, Saugerties, NY 12477
December 8: Vlei Marsh Preserve, 186 Vlei Rd, Rhinebeck, NY 12572
December 15: Val-Kill Farm Lane Trail, 106 Valkill Park Rd, Hyde Park, NY 12538
December 22: Montgomery Place, 26 Gardener Way, River Rd, Red Hook, NY 12571
December 29: Falling Waters Preserve, Dominican Lane, Saugerties, NY 12477
January 5: Ashokan Rail Trail, Woodstock-Dike Trailhead, 1285 NY-28, West Hurley, NY 12491
Join us for some walking, socializing and fun!
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Council Notes for November
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by Deborah Lanser
At the meeting of November 21, 2022, Council agreed to:
- Increase the amount of LLI’s donations to Bard College by approximately 20% to $30,000.
- Support separate luncheons for all committees in appreciation for the efforts of those volunteers.
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Highlights of the Bard Calendar
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by Felice Gelman
Bard is heading into exam period and winter break in the month of December, but there are still a few events worthy of note.
Saturday, December 10, from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. the Chamber Music Marathon will be played at the Bitó Conservatory. This nonstop auditory feast welcomes in the holiday season every year. Drop in for an earful.
Saturday, December 10, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Bertelsmannn Campus Center, the Center for Civic Engagement presents the Nimham Mountain Singers, a group of singers with the goal of fostering, preserving and rediscovering traditional Native American beliefs, values and spirituality.
Monday, December 12, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:55 p.m., the Jim Ottaway, Jr. Film Center will present three films on architecture: Brutality in Stone, a short German film illustrating the Nazis’ use of architecture to bolster fascism; The Conformist, Bertolucci’s tale of a Mussolini flunky’s descent into violence; and La Notte, the Antonioni masterpiece exploring the isolation of man and woman.
Monday, December 19 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:55 p.m. the Jim Ottaway Jr. Film Center will screen Bergman’s alarming family drama Fanny and Alexander.
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Important Dates for LLI Members
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Tuesday, December 13: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. Anyone interested in joining a meeting shold email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.
Wednesday, December 14: Membership Development Committee meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Membership Development meeting should email Robert Inglish at ringlish@lli.bard.edu.
Wednesday, December 14: WinterFest catalog is released.
Monday, December 19: Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Mary McClellan at mmcclellan@lli.bard.edu.
Wednesdays, January 4 - January 25: WinterFest will be held on Zoom on four Wednesdays beginning January 4, 2023.
Tuesday, January 10: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. Anyone interested in joining a meeting should email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.
Wednesday, January 11: Membership Development Committee meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Membership Development meeting should email Robert Inglish at ringlish@lli.bard.edu.
January 14-January 24: Call for Council nominations.
Tuesday, January 17: Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom. (MLK Day is on Monday, so this meeting has been moved to Tuesday.) Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Mary McClellan at mmcclellan@lli.bard.edu.
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This newsletter is a publication of Bard LLI Council. Communications Team Chair: Cathy Reinis. Writers and editors: Susan Christoffersen, Kathryn Clark, Felice Gelman, Carmela Gersbeck, Deborah Lanser, Jill Lundquist, Gretchen Lytle, Kathy OConnor, Susan Phillips, Margaret Shuhala. Photographers: Gary Miller, Chair, Carol DeBartolis, Carmela Gersbeck, Kathy OConnor
The opinions and views expressed in the LLI Newsletter are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of LLI or its members. In addition, any link to a website or content belonging to or originating from third parties are not investigated, monitored or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability or completeness by LLI, nor does LLI accept any responsibility for such content.
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