 Message from the President
Dear <<First Name>>,
Spring has arrived and with it we have wrapped up another semester at Bard LLI. Our Curriculum Committee put together another slate of courses that had something for everyone. In addition to four interesting courses on Zoom, the committee arranged 18 in-person courses covering the arts, music, economics, detective mystery, yoga, history, wine tasting, and more. We also had five outdoor courses that combined learning and movement.
Please make sure you complete and return the course evaluation forms you received. The Curriculum Committee reviews each one, and the feedback is essential for planning ahead.
You will also receive the annual survey shortly. The answers you provide will help us understand the changing demographics of our membership, and that information can be useful when deciding what types of courses we want to focus on presenting. All answers are confidential.
The period to renew membership runs from June 1 through June 21. Our Tech Team experts have been working on the software with representatives of ProClass, and we expect a smooth renewal process this year.
Finally, next week we have our annual meeting at Olin. You will have received the invitation late last month. If you have not registered yet, please do so by the deadline tomorrow, May 8th. You can look forward to food, live music, and business. Several members of Council will explain what has been going on at LLI this past year and what we can expect next year. Please join us.
Best,
Robert Beaury
president@lli.bard.edu
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by Mary McClellan
Bard LLI has once again successfully elected two officers and two members at large. Four LLI members have graciously stepped up to the plate to guide us over the next two years. Carol Goss, after serving two terms as Member at Large, will continue to serve as our new 2nd Vice President. Susan Simon, who has already established herself as a course presenter, session manager, and our unofficial DJ, will now take on the duties of Council Secretary. Eleanor Wieder, who has proven herself to be a super volunteer on the Catalog Team and Curriculum Committee as well as a vital participant of the DEI initiative, will serve as Member at Large. Lynda Christensen will bring her considerable experience in organizational systems to her new role as Member at Large. They will take office on July 1, 2023, the beginning of our fiscal year. Please welcome them and thank them for their dedication to LLI.
It is the work of volunteers like these newly elected Council members and all of you who serve on committees and teams, who presents courses, who manage Zoom sessions and in-person classes, who write and edit our catalogs and newsletters, who maintain our website, who provide the tech support that allows us to function, and to everyone else who gives of their time that makes LLI at Bard the wonderful community it is.
Thank you, Volunteers!
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An Invitation to our Annual Meeting
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by Deborah Lanser
Please join other LLI members at our annual meeting in Olin on Friday, May 12. A light brunch starting at 8:30 am in the atrium will provide a chance to socialize with other LLI members. At 9:15, we will proceed into the Olin Auditorium and listen to a performance of live jazz performed by Bard students. The business portion of the meeting will begin in Olin Hall at 10:00 am. President Robert Beaury will review some of the highlights of the 2022-2023 season, and our current second vice president, Felice Gelman, will discuss recent changes in our bylaws. Treasurer Jerry Brockett will review the state of our finances and present a tentative 2023-2024 budget for your review. You can join Robert in saying farewell to departing Council members Felice Gelman, Deborah Lanser, and John Mathews. Then Robert will introduce incoming Council members Lynda Christensen, Susan Simon, and Eleanor Wieder and congratulate Carol Goss for undertaking the role of second vice president after serving as member at large.
Please come. Your participation matters.
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by Cathy Reinis
Mark your calendar to renew your LLI membership between June 1 and June 21. You will get a reminder on June 1 with a link to the renewal application. This is also the time for nonmembers to apply to join LLI. If you have friends who are interested, tell them to go to our website, lli.bard.edu, to find directions on applying to LLI. If there are more applications than open spots, new members will be selected by lottery; occasionally, someone is admitted who brings skills that LLI needs immediately.
The annual membership fee remains $175.00. The membership fee allows us to fund the tools for remote learning, to continue to contribute to Bard College, and to keep LLI on a solid footing.
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SummerFest Registration Starts on May 26
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by Cathy Reinis
Time to get out our calendars and put in reminders: the SummerFest catalog will be available on May 19, giving us one week to plan for registration when it opens the following Friday, May 26, at 9:00 am. You can register in ProClass, so a good thing to do in the week in between is to check that you remember your Username and Password so you can jump right in!
The Curriculum Committee has finalized the schedule for SummerFest. There will be three Zoom courses: one single session class on Wednesday, June 7; one single session on Wednesday, June 14; and one four-week course on June 1, 8, 15, and 22. There will be eight on-campus classes on Fridays June 2, 9, 16, and 23. In addition, there will be four off-campus courses, held on varying dates.
If you have friends who would like to sample LLI during SummerFest, tell them about the catalog and registration dates. Nonmembers can create a ProClass account; they can create a Username and Password and register for class. ProClass will ask nonmembers to use a credit card to pay $25 per class. They can find videos on how to use ProClass on the LLI website by clicking here.
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by Mary McClellan
I think we have all noticed that the membership of Bard LLI has been transitioning, as have operations over the past few years. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which has been the digitalization of our systems and our responses to the pandemic. It has long been known that there is “ …a vital connection between individual well-being and late-life learning opportunities.”*
The 2023 survey will give us a snapshot of who we are as a community, which will, in turn, help us to be more responsive to our membership. Here are just a few reasons to collect demographic info:
- To allow us to track changes, e.g., gender mix, age mix, marital status/household size, income, education, location, and length of time with the organization.
- To compare our population with the populations of the villages/towns in the immediate vicinity, which is available through census data.
- To learn how many LLI members are new to the area and may need more introductory services.
- To learn what areas of expertise our population has.
The goal as always is “... to promote a feeling of community”* among our members and “... to pursue learning as an end in itself.”* Keeping these goals in mind, I hope you will take the opportunity for involvement in building a strong and caring LLI.
I have consulted with several experts who have experience designing and interpreting surveys. I would especially like to thank LLI’s own Donna Warner and Joanne Goodman, who generously gave their time and resources to assist me in this endeavor.
*Shinagel, Michael. (2012) “Demographics and Lifelong Learning Institutes in the 21st Century”. Continuing Higher Education Review, Vol 76, 2012; 29.
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by Robert Inglish
Lyn Walker is organizing a pickleball group at the Red Hook Rec Park during May and June. Your input is needed during the development stage! We want to know about how many are interested and participants’ skill level and access to the necessary equipment. Newcomers are welcome. If interested, contact Lyn at lwalker@lli.bard.edu. Dates and times will be determined and posted. Please note you will be required to sign a waiver of liability prior to participating.
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by Carmela Gersbeck
The Bard LLI Walking Group meets every Thursday at 10:30 am, weather permitting. The meeting locations are also posted on the website at lli.bard.edu. The walks are open to all LLI members. We will meet in the parking lots at the following locations:
May 4: Poets Walk, 776 River Rd., Red Hook
May 11: River to Ridge New Paltz Trail, 41 Springtown Road, New Paltz
May 18: Walkway over the Hudson, 61 Parker Ave, Poughkeepsie
May 25: Mills Mansion, 75 Mills Mansion Drive, Staatsburg
June 1: Saugerties Lighthouse, 168 Lighthouse Dr, Saugerties
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Seniors-to-Seniors Scholarship Recipients
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by Susan Phillips
The six recipients of this year’s six Dean Stuart Stritzler-Levine Seniors-to-Seniors Scholarship each presented a talk about their senior projects in the Lazlo Z. Bito ‘60 Auditorium on Friday, April 7th. This recognition seniors-to-seniors tea allowed LLI members and assorted Bard folk to hear about the always-interesting topics the Bard seniors chose and how they constructed their projects. The varied and intensely personal projects shed light on the diverse interests of Bard students. The scholarship offered some financial assistance to these lucky six to help support the costs of their required senior projects.
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Bard Refugee Students:
An Ambitious Program, A Perilous Journey
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by Felice Gelman
Did you go away to college, landing in a new climate, a new culture, speaking a new language? Probably not. Most of us found the first step into adulthood, away from our parents, challenging enough without that daunting scenario. Bard has accepted hundreds of students who are refugees displaced by war or military occupation. Most recently, it committed to accepting 100 students from Afghanistan, but its history of generosity to refugees goes back many decades.
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Class and Session Managers Celebrate!
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by Carmela Gersbeck
Thanks to our Curriculum Committee, Bard LLI puts on a terrific line-up of classes every year, and the class managers (in-person classes) and session managers (Zoom) support the presenters, notifying participants of information, sending documents and updates to participants, etc.
To show our appreciation, this past year’s class managers and session managers were feted at a celebratory luncheon at Aroi Thai in Rhinebeck on Friday, April 29th. Everyone enjoyed getting to know one another in a congenial setting.
If you are interested in becoming a class manager for the fall semester, we’d love to have you! Please send an email to Vicki Hoener (vhoener@lli.bard.edu) or Joanne Goodman (jgoodman@lli.bard.edu) for more information.
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A Memorial Service for Bobbi Katz
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by Cathy Reinis
A memorial service for long-time LLI member Bobbi Katz will be held on Monday, May 8, from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Woodstock Jewish Congregation. The Congregation is at 1682 Glasco Turnpike, Woodstock, NY 12498; 845-679-2218. All are welcome to join in remembering Bobbi.
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by Deborah Lanser
At the meeting of April 17, 2023, Council agreed to:
- Accept the preliminary 2023-2024 budget proposed by treasurer Jerry Brockett; that budget will be presented to the membership for review at the May annual meeting.
- Support a new special interest group on pickleball.
- Maintain the yearly membership fee of $175.
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Highlights of the Bard Calendar
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by Felice Gelman
Bard’s academic year ends in mid-May so the campus activities we highlight here are winding down. But this time also offers us the chance to see/hear some fascinating year end projects.
Monday, May 8 from 8:30 pm to 11:55 pm at the Jim Ottaway Jr. Film Center. The theme is “Entering the 21st Century.” The films being screened are Wong Kar-Wai’s acclaimed film In the Mood for Love and Claire Denis’ Beau Travail, which gives her take on Melville’s Billy Budd.
Wednesday, May 10 from 7:30 pm to 11:55 pm at the Jim Ottaway Jr. Film Center. This is the final screening of films illustrating the works of Orson Welles and those he influenced. The two films are Terence Davies’ The Long Day Closes and Raúl Ruiz’s film Marcel Proust’sTime Regained.
Saturday, May 13 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm in Gallery 2 of the CCS Bard Galleries at the Hessel Museum. You can hear Alex Forrest and Ikechukwu Ufomadu respond to artworks displayed there. The two comics, each in their own unique style, will take on humorlessness and comedy in examining art.
Monday, May 15, and Tuesday, May 16, from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, and Wednesday, May 17 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, all in Blum Hall. The Bard Music Program will finish out the year with a trifecta of performances: May 15, the Bard Electroacoustic Ensemble, May 16, the Spontaneous Composition Ensemble, and May 17, the Women Composers Ensemble.
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Important Dates for LLI Members
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Tuesday, May 9: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 am on Zoom. Anyone interested in joining a meeting can email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.
May 9 - May 30: The annual survey will be sent to all members.
Wednesday, May 10: Membership Development Committee meeting at 9:00 am on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Membership Development meeting should email Robert Inglish at ringlish@lli.bard.edu.
Friday, May 12: The LLI Annual Meeting will be held in Olin Hall. The business meeting will be called to order at 10 am. A light brunch will be served beginning at 8:30 am in the Olin Atrium, and live jazz music from the 1940s and 1950s, performed by Bard student musicians, will start at 9:15 am in the Auditorium.
Friday, May 19: SummerFest catalog will be available on ProClass.
May 26 - June 10: SummerFest Registration takes place.
June 1 - June 21: Current LLI members renew and pay for their membership, and new member applications are accepted.
June 1 - June 23: SummerFest 2023 takes place over four Thursdays (June 1, 8, 15, and 22) and four Fridays (June 2, 9, 16, and 23). Some off-campus classes occur on other days.
Tuesday, June 13: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 am on Zoom. Anyone interested in joining a meeting can email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.
Wednesday, June 14: Membership Development Committee meeting at 9:00 am on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Membership Development meeting should email Robert Inglish at ringlish@lli.bard.edu.
Tuesday, June 20: Council meeting at 9:30 am on Zoom. (Juneteenth is celebrated at Bard so Council will meet on Tuesday.) Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Mary McClellan at mmcclellan@lli.bard.edu.
Friday, June 30: End of the academic and fiscal year.
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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, Gretchen Lytle, 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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