 Message from the President
Our Summer Break
Dear <<First Name>>,
The summer break is that time of year when we enjoy more activities outdoors; long walks, a little pickleball, and some bocce too. There’s time for gardening, visiting with friends and relatives, and going on trips. For some members of LLI, there is also work to do to get ready for our next semester.
Our Curriculum committee is wrapping up work for the fall semester. They are in the process of making final touches to the schedule and lining up classrooms of various sizes. This semester is shaping up to be one of the best, with a variety of courses that should satisfy any intellectual taste. This committee always keeps an eye on the future, and planning for Winterfest and spring has already started.
Meanwhile, the Catalog team is busy creating a top-notch product from the approved fall course proposals, and new and archived pictures. It takes technical skill and an eye for detail to do the layout and formatting of the Catalog. It will be released on August 25th.
The Membership Development committee is fresh off organizing and delivering a great picnic for our members and guests at Robert Post Park in the Town of Ulster. Roughly 130 people registered for this event and everything about it: good food, wine, music, some dancing, lots of socializing, and bocce too, made for a terrific summer evening.
Membership Development is assigning mentors to new members and arranging IDs and parking permits, and of course, the new member orientation is coming up in September. Keep an eye out for more opportunities to socialize and attend tours at Hessel Museum and the Fisher Center, and much more.
Our Program Support committee is where tech resides, and they are always busy. They process all registrations and registration-related issues, and the new member roster is then handed off to Membership Development. Program Support works with our software programs, including ProClass and the Website. They also handle Zoom. The chair recruits, organizes, and delivers class manager training as well as frequent training for the team on updates to programs. They are the administrators for our Google Workspace program and handle a wide variety of tasks, including aiding other committees and teams, as well as members.
Our Communications committee is always busy planning and delivering our newsletter and other communications for our members. In addition to publishing articles on a wide variety of topics related to LLI, they keep us informed about what is going on around Bard. The committee goes to great lengths to keep the members engaged with LLI, and they deliver a high-quality product every month.
My journey at LLI started with a visit to a Curriculum committee meeting and a Council meeting, both in 2019 when I first joined. I started volunteering that fall as a presenter and became a Council member in 2020. It still gives me great satisfaction to know and work with such intelligent, driven volunteers who are committed to the quality and continued success of LLI.
We tell new members that this is your LLI. I encourage you to observe a committee meeting or two. There is no commitment. It is a great way to be introduced to other members, and you just might find yourself looking to volunteer your expertise and time to this terrific organization.
Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Best,
Robert Beaury
president@lli.bard.edu
|
|
Results of the Annual Survey
|
|
|
by Mary McClellan
This year’s survey had 180 respondents, which means that over 50% of our membership completed it. That is almost twice as many respondents as last year. Congratulations! This, I believe, is an indicator of an involved membership.
For the first time in several years, we included demographic questions. This was not a comprehensive demographic survey. Some members expressed the belief that a couple of questions were personally intrusive and objected to being “defined” by categories. I wish to assure members that there was never any attempt to attach responses to any individual, so no members will be defined by their answers or their decisions to withhold answers. The entire point of asking these questions was to get a sense of our organization—who we are as a group, where we may need to make accommodations for members who may require services not currently provided, and whether segments of our organization may be underrepresented in the governing and programming aspects of LLI. Some omissions included sexual orientation, physical disabilities, and a category for widowed members. These omissions will be addressed in next year’s survey.
|
|
New Member Orientation Set for September 7th
|
|
|
by Robert Inglish
The LLI community will welcome 39 new members on Thursday, September 7, at Weis Cinema at Bertelsmann Student Center. Irene Esposito, Hospitality Team chair, will host a coffee hour from 9 am to 10 am. The program organized by Fern Fleckman, Member Services Team chair, will begin at 10 am. Robert Beaury, LLI president, will lead off with some opening remarks. Linda Legendre, Curriculum Committee chair, will explain how classes are formed and presented. Then Carmela Gersbeck will briefly explain essential tech programs such as ProClass, which is used to register for events and classes. Robert Inglish, Membership Development chair, will emcee the proceedings and review some basic matters regarding classrooms, parking, student IDs, community, and volunteering.
Following the program, new members can join a campus tour highlighting food venues, classrooms, and event spaces along with parking options.
New members who have not previously picked up their name badges will be able to do so prior to the program.
|
|
Start Planning Your Fall Classes
|
|
|
|
by Deborah Lanser
With the release of the fall catalog on August 25, and its roster of engaging and rewarding classes, we will once again be reminded why we joined LLI. Are you interested in history, medicine, or science? What about literature and music? Protecting yourself against cyberhackers? Hiking or simply moving better to ease the aches of aging? Or meditation and spirituality? It’s all there, thanks to the hard work of the Curriculum Committee.
As usual, there will be Zoom courses on Thursdays starting September 14, and in-person courses on Fridays starting September 15. Final classes will be held on November 9 and 10, which allows for breaks on October 12 and 13 and November 2 and 3 to accommodate Bard’s schedule. Registration in ProClass will start on September 1, with enrollment on a first-come, first-served basis. Here’s a brief preview of what we can anticipate.
|
|
Need Tech Help? We're Here to Assist!
|
|
by Carmela Gersbeck
Many of us know the urge to throw our computers out the window in frustration when a website won’t let us in or respond the way we think it should. For LLI members, that may sometimes be true when registering for classes in ProClass. Never fear! Our Tech help team is more than willing to provide helpful tips and, in the event of maximum frustration, get on the phone and talk you through to success. Here are the basics.
Helpful Tips
- Remember which email you used when setting up your ProClass account.
-
Be sure to write down your password, or let the computer save it for you.
-
When you are in ProClass, read the instructions.
-
You do not have to be “tech-savvy” or a “techie” to navigate ProClass. If needed, try watching the helpful ProClass training videos available by clicking here.
-
Remember to scroll down and make sure you have checked all the boxes, and submit your choices at the end.
-
Once you think you’ve finished submitting, make sure you get a confirmation email, which ensures you followed through the whole process.
-
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Send techhelp@lli.bard.edu a message about your specific issue and provide good contact information, including your phone number.
-
If you didn’t get the email response you were expecting, check your spam folder.
|
|
|
Have you ever considered becoming a class manager? It’s a great way to get to know your other Bard LLIers. If you manage a class with limited enrollment, you are guaranteed a spot in it! You will get to know the presenter and producer as you prepare for the class, as well as others who are taking it. Class managers take attendance, send out emails to the class, and assist the presenter with any issues they have. You will be trained on any skills needed—and it’s a fun team! If you are interested in being a class manager for the fall semester, please email Joanne Goodman (jgoodman@lli.bard.edu) or Vicki Hoener (vhoener@lli.bard.edu).
|
|
|
by Cathy Reinis
When Peter Scheckner asked questions of class members in his first course for LLI, several hands went up and a lively discussion ensued. He was delighted. Teaching LLI classes was a pleasure.
Before teaching at Bard, he had taught undergraduates at Ramapo State College of New Jersey, and it had been a challenge to sustain a good discussion. It was frustrating, stepping into his undergraduate classes and finding everyone deep in their cell phones, not interacting with each other. “I don’t think young people in high school are generally taught to engage critically with one another and with their teachers, and communicating with cellphones doesn’t encourage class participation.”
|
|
Our Summer Picnic Was a Lot of Fun!
|
|
|
by Carmela Gersbeck
On July 19th, over 130 LLI members and friends gathered for a summer picnic at Robert Post Memorial Park, in Kingston. This park is a hidden gem on the banks of the Hudson River. Everyone enjoyed the food, company and view. Here is a little video, in case you missed it!
|
|
SummerFest 2023 Had a Variety of Classes
|
|
|
by Carmela Gersbeck
SummerFest 2023 offered a wide variety of interesting classes. The weather was pleasant, and there was a class available for almost every interest. Although we were unable to capture photos of every class, here is a selection of some of the classes that members of Bard LLI enjoyed during the summer.
|
|
Upcoming Walks is on Hiatus for August
|
|
|
The Bard LLI Walking Group typically meets every Thursday at 10:30 am, weather permitting. However, due to the hot weather in August, the walking group will take a break and resume in September. Meeting locations will be posted on the website at lli.bard.edu.
|
|
|
by Deborah Lanser and Susan Simon
At the meeting of June 19, 2023, Council agreed that:
At the Council Meeting of July 17, 2023, we discussed:
-
Treasurer Jerry Brockett is awaiting a report from Bard about the LLI June registration income.
-
Deborah Lanser was appointed Catalog chair.
-
Irene Esposito will be stepping down as Hospitality chair at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
-
Robert Inglish reported that Parkhurst, our catering supplier, will provide snacks for the hospitality room, in addition to coffee and tea, and provide clean-up services as well.
Next LLI Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, August 21, 2023 @ 9:30 am via Zoom.
|
|
HIghlights of the Bard Calendar
|
|
|
by Felice Gelman
This month Bard is not in session but, thanks in part to the Bard Music Festival, the August calendar has a lot to offer.
The 33rd Bard Music Festival is focusing on Vaughn Williams and His World. There are two panels at the festival that do not require tickets to attend.
Saturday, August 12, from 10-11 am at Olin Hall, there will be a panel discussion on The Artist in Time of War.
In addition, live streaming of Music Festival programs is free to Bard Fisher Center members. The full program is here.
Every Thursday in August, from 1-5 pm on Library Road, the Bard Farm Stand is open with all kinds of seasonal produce, local pasture-fed meat, and more. Don’t miss it.
Every day in August, except Tuesdays, from noon to 6 pm, the Bard Hessel Museum of Art is hosting its exhibit Indian Theater: Native Performance, Art, and Self-Determination since 1969, with over 100 works and performances by Native Americans.
|
|
Important Dates for LLI Members
|
|
|
by Carmela Gersbeck
Tuesday, August 8: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 am on Zoom. Anyone interested in joining a meeting should email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.
Wednesday, August 9: 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.
Monday, August 21: Council meeting at 9:30 am on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Mary McClellan at mmcclellan@lli.bard.edu.
Friday, August 25: Fall catalog is sent out.
Friday, September 1: Registration opens for fall classes.
Thursday, September 7: New members attend orientation and tour the campus.
Tuesday, September 12: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 am on Zoom. Anyone interested in joining a meeting should email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.
Wednesday, September 13: 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.
Thursday, September 14: Fall semester starts
Monday, September 18: Council meeting at 9:30 am on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Mary McClellan at mmcclellan@lli.bard.edu.
September 1–September 29: Classes can be added and dropped in ProClass.
|
|
|
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, Ann Green, Alan Katz, 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.
|
|
|
|
|
