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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About OLLI-USF
Where does the name “Osher Lifelong Learning Institute”come from?
What if my class/study group requires a textbook? How does second choice registration work? What if I need to withdraw from a class? What if I’m not happy with a class? What about access to the USF Library? What is the Renaissance Certificate program and why should I sign up for it? Why are you always asking for my email address? How can I find out about other events and programs at USF?
I’d like to suggest a class that OLLI-USF should offer.
Could I teach a class for OLLI-USF? What would I need to do? How can I get the most out of my OLLI-USF membership? How can I enlarge the fonts on the web site? How can I view the text only version of the web site? Why is the text cut off on the right side of some of the pages I print from your site? |
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Where does the name “Osher Lifelong Learning Institute”come from?
We’re glad you asked! For many years, the department who administered SeniorNet Tampa (established 1993) and Learning in Retirement (established 1994) was known as the USF Division of Senior Programs. In February of 2005, we received a (very) special gift—a grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation, (www.osherfoundation.org ) based in San Francisco. Since 2002, the Osher Foundation has been quietly “helping” programs such as ours—at first, just in Maine and California. Later, the Foundation decided to help fund a national network of Lifelong Learning Institutes. The Oshers, Bernard and Barbro, are philanthropists who
have channeled their generosity into education, medicine and the arts.
They have given us two grants thus far and we hope to qualify for an
endowment. There were very few strings attached to the Oshers’ gift—one
was that each institute be identified by a common name. We changed our
name to OLLI-USF in the summer of 2005. If you have reason to travel to
other states, you can find other institutes because they will be called
the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Duke, Tufts, Rutgers,
University of Wisconsin, etc. We are one of five Florida OLLIs—the
others are at Eckerd College, University of Miami, University of North
Florida and Florida International University in Miami.
We are a “member-run-and-led” organization.
Member-volunteers run this organization. LIR has a Board of Advisors
made up of elected members and appointed committee chairs; SeniorNet
Tampa has an appointed Board. Members also serve on committees, teach
courses, assist instructors and study group leaders, make decisions
about the courses we offer, volunteer in the OLLI office and are
involved in many other aspects of running this organization. We hope
that you will “answer the call” and pitch in to help in some capacity
during your membership year. OLLI has a small, mostly part-time staff.
OLLI-USF doesn’t offer programs FOR you; rather it enables you, the
members, to have the programs that you want. This differentiates us from
other adult education programs and from senior activity centers. We rely
on volunteer power to remain true to our “member-run-and-led” spirit and
to keep program costs down.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is part of the Division of Continuing Education and Educational Outreach at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The OLLI staff are the liaison between the university and the program and its volunteers. They work with the members, leaders and instructional volunteers to administer, provide information, coordinate programs, and promote the interests of OLLI-USF within and outside of the University. Please call or email us; we enjoy hearing from members!
Your new name badge and OLLI-USF lanyard are sent to you when you become a member. OLLI-USF is a community of learners; it can be difficult to build a community if you don’t know your fellow member’s name. Avoid that annoying, “I know that person, but can’t remember their name” situation—please wear your name badge to all OLLI functions, classes/study groups, coffees, and meetings. Your badge will also identify you as an OLLI-USF member when you are around campus or riding the Bull Runner Shuttle. If you misplace your name badge, please call
813-974-8422 to request a replacement. We will issue one replacement a
year. What if my class/study group requires a textbook? SeniorNet texts, disks and other materials needed are included in the cost of registration. Materials are distributed to students in class. If there are any exceptions to this practice, see the LIR text instructions below. Learning in Retirement (LIR) study group leaders
occasionally require or suggest a text. Text information is always
listed in Evergreen or on our web site descriptions of the study group,
indicating required or optional. Details about how and where to obtain
the text and the approximate cost are provided on the mailed study group
registration confirmation (receipt). The USF Bookstore will generally
attend our Open Houses to sell those few texts that are required. They
are also happy to ship your text to your home. Contact the USF Bookstore
General Books department 813-974-5026 for more information about book
pricing and availability.
How does second choice registration work? If you are willing to wait and take the chance that there will be space available in additional computer courses or study groups, registering for a second choice option can save you money and is a significant benefit of membership. Most study group second choices are $10; computer class second choices range from $10 to about $40. Remember that you must first be registered for an eligible full-price class in order to take advantage of the second choice registration option. Approximately one week prior to the class start date we will release all available seats at the second choice fee. Call 813-974-5848 or register online with your second choice selections. Note: Some classes are not offered as second choice
options, and some one- or two-day classes have restrictions, as noted
with their class descriptions.
What if I need to withdraw from a class?
It depends on when you withdraw. You should be familiar with our refund policy, which is published in every edition of Evergreen: we will issue a refund before a class starts, minus a $15 administrative fee, and no refunds after a class starts. By the time a class starts we have mailed you information, perhaps given you materials; we will not be able to “sell” your seat to another member after the first meeting. We want you to be happy with your selection and will work with you to try to come up with a solution. We can try to transfer you to another class in the same term; we cannot transfer you to a future class. Call any OLLI staff member if you have any issues or
concerns about our classes. We will work with you to find a solution
that will better meet your needs.
What about access to the USF Library? Access to the USF library is a privilege of OLLI membership. If you have previously received a green and white library card, hang on to it! It will continue to be valid with your continuing membership. If you’d like a library card, please call Mary Ettinger at 813-974-8422 or Joseph McAuliffe at 813-974-5166. New cards need to be bar-coded on your first visit to take advantage of your checkout privileges. Simply go to the circulation desk in the library, preferably during business hours Monday through Friday, and tell them you need to register your library card. Your access to the USF Tampa Campus library is the same
as for undergraduates: up to 20 books, for up to three weeks. Your card
entitles you to check out books only. It will not allow you to borrow
University Media Center items. If you run into a problem, during
business hours, ask to see the Director of Access Services, Merilyn
Burke, or call Joseph McAuliffe.
What is the Renaissance Certificate program and
A rounded approach to education was an ideal of the Italian Renaissance period. It is a persistent ageist myth that older adults are fixed in their ways of being and thinking. While familiar patterns of thinking and routines are comfortable, recent brain research indicates that the best thing we can do for our brains is to alter patterns, challenge our thinking, learn and do new things. The Renaissance Certificate program was established in early 2006 to help you do that. By signing up for the certificate program, you challenge yourself to complete 12 study groups− two in each of the six certificate fields of study: Political Science (Geopolitics), Literature & Writing, Arts & Humanities; Science and Mathematics, History, and Electives. It costs only $10 to start the program: we provide you with a fancy name badge and your Renaissance Passport. Your passport helps you track your own progress on the certificate. There is no credit awarded beyond the feeling of accomplishment you will have, and there is no time limit for completing the certificate. You can take one or more courses at a time as your schedule permits. A “Renaissance person” is generally considered to be
someone who is skillful or who excels in a broad range of intellectual
fields — become a modern Renaissance person! Why are you always asking for my email address? Email is a quick and cost-effective way to disseminate information to our members about our program, distribute news, and remind you about upcoming events. Postal, or “snail mail,” is expensive and inefficient for most of the messages that we send. In emergency situations, when we need to cancel/postpone classes due to weather, instructor illness or other situations, email is another way we can notify and update you. We have found that email addresses tend to change with
some frequency, so we will continually ask you to update the email
addresses we have for you. Expect to be asked to check your email
address and verify that it is correct on the first day of any OLLI
class. If you prefer not to receive most emails from us, just let the
OLLI office know. We don’t send very many, and of course, we NEVER share
that information with others.
How can I find out about other events and programs at USF? USF sponsors hundreds of lectures, concerts, symposia, conferences, and art exhibits every school term and supports research continuously. One of the benefits of living in a university town is the ability to attend and take part in such events—if you know about them. OLLI-USF began an email service, or listserv, several years ago to alert any interested person about events that might be of interest to adults in the community. The listserv is called USFSeniors. If you are interested in receiving periodic email messages from us about upcoming events, you should sign up. We endeavor to send no more than two messages in any one week and we will often combine event notifications to reduce the amount of email that we send. Occasionally, USFSeniors posts messages from
researchers who are looking for subjects. Participating in scholarly or
medical research is a way to learn more about yourself, your health,
and, sometimes, even make a little extra money. It is also a way that
OLLI members can contribute to the University’s research mission. All
USFSeniors opportunities are verified for authenticity and only the list
owner (Ara Rogers, Director of OLLI) can post messages—in that way, you
know that all requests for research participants are officially
sanctioned university research, having been evaluated for ethical
research practice. This also limits spam and junk mail. To join the
USFSeniors list, send an email to Ara Rogers, OLLI Director, at
Arogers@admin.usf.edu, indicating you want to join the USFSeniors
list.
I’d like to suggest a class that OLLI-USF should offer.
Since OLLI operates with volunteer
instructors, we appreciate member ideas for topics but can’t always
secure a qualified instructor who will teach on that basis. Members are
usually our best sources for ideas about new classes and, particularly,
for new study group leaders. We encourage you to contact us with
information about people you know or have heard who might be a study
group leader. If you have an instructor referral, contact one of the
OLLI coordinators on staff or contact our OLLI curriculum leaders:
Charlie Delp (charliedelp@hotmail.com)
for a Learning in Retirement study group or Shirley Deeter (sdeeter@mindspring.com)
for a SeniorNet course idea.
Could I teach a class for OLLI-USF? What would I need to do? YES! Members teach most of our classes. This is how we are able to diversify and expand our offerings. We are always looking for new ideas and new leaders. We would be looking for evidence that you know your subject and you possess (or are willing to learn) the necessary skills to help you succeed as an OLLI study group leader or instructor. If you think you would like to teach at OLLI, contact Joseph McAuliffe at the OLLI office. Here’s what you can expect: 1. Discuss your ideas and interest with Joseph or another member of the OLLI staff. 2. Staff will arrange a meeting with the program’s Curriculum leaders who may suggest modifications, or offer additional resources. 3. For some topics, a Lunch and Learn program (a 45-minute introduction to the topic) might be appropriate. 4. Schedule your class. OLLI also offers resources of various sorts to
prospective and/or new study group leaders. A study group on how to
develop an idea for OLLI, “A Course is Born,” is offered annually for
those with ideas they want to try out. New instructors/study group
leaders are also oriented and mentored by experienced leaders such as
Fred Barthmus, Ph.D. We encourage you to consider teaching for OLLI! You
won’t find a more rewarding group of students to work with!
How can I get the most out of my OLLI-USF membership? We have several suggestions: Don’t wait until the last minute to register. Members requesting a space-available ‘second choice’ will have taken most remaining seats the week before the class starts. Take advantage of the many free events (such as Lunch and Learns) that we offer. We are often able to get simply stellar speakers for a one hour lecture who can’t do an entire series for us. Get involved in OLLI by volunteering at some level. You will build lasting bonds with some really remarkable people and strengthen the organization for yourself and for others. Carry a sweater or light jacket. One member’s Sahara is another’s Antarctica. Meeting rooms are often cool. OLLI-USF is about learning in a relaxed, no-stress
environment. Relax, enjoy your classes and our members. Applaud the
talented volunteers who teach our classes and make it all possible.
How can I enlarge the fonts on the web site? On your browser toolbar, you may be able to change
some of the text to a different size by clicking on "View" then "Text
Size" and changing it to "Largest." How can I view the text only version of the web site? You should be able to get the text-only version of a
page (no graphics) by clicking on the "Text Only" link on the upper
right-hand side of the top USF page header.
Why is the text cut off on the right side of some of the pages I print from your site? Our pages are designed to print on 8.5 x 11 paper
with a .5" margin on each side. Before printing, on your browser menu in
the upper left area, click File, then click Page Setup and
change the left and right margins to .5" or less. Then click OK
and then print the page, which should print without cutting off any
text. Our How to Register page will give you step-by-step instructions. The web address for this page is www.outreach.usf.edu/conted/seniors/howtoregister.htm. |
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