12th Wisconsin Association for Lifelong Learning Leadership Conference

October 5-6, 2012

The 12th Wisconsin Association for Lifelong Learning Leadership Conference was held on October 5-6, 2012 at the Oshkosh Convention Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Program was hosted by the UW-Oshkosh Learning in Retirement Organization. There were 57 attendees from eleven organizations. Two organizations did not attend.

WALL Leadership Conference Member Organization / Number of Attendees
Beloit College / 0
Learning in Retirement at Nicolet College / 2
Northern Michigan University for Lifelong Learning / 4
NWTC Door County Learning in Retirement / 6
Phillips Senior Center - Chippewa Valley Learning in Retirement (Previously with UW-Stout) / 0
UW - Green Bay Institute for Learning in Retirement / 4
UW - La Crosse Learning in Retirement / 4
UW – Madison PLATO / 1
UW – Milwaukee Osher Lifelong Learning Institute / 3
UW – Oshkosh Learning in Retirement(Includes 2 from Evergreen Retirement Community) / 25
UW – Parkside Adventures in Learning / 2
UW – Stevens Point LIFE (Learning is Forever) / 1
WCTC Learning in Retirement / 5

Bus transportation was provided to and from all events to make it easier to navigate all the road construction in the area. KathiSawall served as host for bus riders and collected waiver forms required by the University.

Mary Bayorgeon, UWO LIR President welcomed attendees prior to a luncheon. Eileen Leinweber, Chair of the UWO WALL Planning Committee recognized the committee members and volunteers from the Steering and Membership/Promotion Committees. Dr. John Procknow, a founding member of the UWO LIR was remembered.

Dr. Karen Heikel, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Division of Lifelong Learning and Community Engagement at UW –Oshkosh, spoke during lunch about “Current and Future Trends of Continuing Education for Older Adults.” After lunch two sets of breakout sessions covered a variety of topics. They included: Leadership Tools, Liaison Group, Community/Corporate Partnerships, Administrative/Finance Group, Curriculum Group and Membership/Promotion Group. A half hour break was held between breakout sessions to enable members to view the document and brochure display tables as well as exchange ideas with others.

  • “Current and Future Trends of Continuing Education for Older Adults”, Dr. Karen Heikel

Dr. Heikel spoke to the changing face of education, the mission of the University and the role of online opportunities in that change that older adults can engage in. Her PowerPoint presentation is included in the materials posted at the UWO LIR and WALL websites.

  • “Leadership Tools”, Eileen Leinweber

Eileen Leinweber demonstrated several tools to make work easier for those in leadership positions. They included: Brief Roberts Rules resource, pivot tables, Microsoft Word Mark-up, demographic graphs, Office of CE and LIR roles, pricing template and a scrolling excel spreadsheet of WALL data. Discussion centered on how to use tools and what data an LIR might want to collect. The second half of the presentation was an analysis of WALL Organizations Data with group discussion about that data. That PowerPoint is included on the WALL website materials as well as several sample documents demonstrated during the presentation.

  • Liaison Group: Yvonne Hansen, Facilitator

Topics discussed included: parking, University room use and availability, liability issues and clerical support costs.

  • Members are generally happy with their affiliation to the UW campus

Parking

  • Parking on campus is problematic for many and cause groups to seek facilities off campus for classes
  • Waukesha and Stevens Point have plenty of parking and do not require permits
  • UWO issues permit for classes on campus but most are held off campus

Use of campus rooms

  • Oshkosh- rooms available for minimal fee but generally use off campus sites due to parking availability and handicap accessibility. They have a room for meeting use for small groups.
  • Green Bay has two rooms on campus for their use that hold up to 50 people
  • Milwaukee has no space available on campus
  • Stevens Point schedules classes on campus at times when campus activities are lower

Liability

  • Green Bay LIR group was involved in a bus accident a few years ago and members were injured. There are law suits pending against UW Green Bay. Therefore the administration is monitoring the group’s activities closely. Trips are limited to day only, no overnight trips are allowed at this time.

Clerical Support

  • Northern MI is the only campus that does not use UW employees. All others use staff members, the amount of time varies between campuses.

WALL website is updated with LIR organization information which includes membership fees and number of

members per group.

  • Community/Corporate Partnerships: Mary Bayorgeon Facilitator. Ken Arneson CEO Evergreen Retirement Community presenter-“Partnering for Success” , assisted by Linda Greene, Life Enrichment Manager at Evergreen.

This presentation described the current relationship of Evergreen Retirement Community and UW Oshkosh LIR and options other organizations could explore in developing a relationship with their organization and a Long Term Care Community. One size does not fit all. Both parties benefit from such a relationship. Ken Arneson’s Power Point presentation and the contract between Evergreen and UW Oshkosh LIR are available online with other conference materials.

  • Administrative/Finance Group: Kathi Sawall Facilitator

Several topics were discussed including: grants, dues, class fees, discounts, refunds, roles, technology and goals.

  • Dues and fees

UW-Green Bay just raised their dues to $100. They decided to raise dues by $25 and “take the heat” one time rather than raising dues small amounts several times. UW Oshkosh is considering raising dues

UW-Milwaukee is considering charging fees for classes. Most organizations dues and fees remain the same with no changes in the near future.

Most organizations do not give refunds for any courses requiring a fee. It is up to the member to find someone to fill their slot. If the organization cancels an event they issue vouchers. The no refund and vouchers eliminates work and financial issues.

Corporate contracts at UWO with Evergreen Retirement Community offers a discounted rate for their members. Other partnershipsare just for use of facilities at no cost.

  • Scholarships

NWTC has awarded scholarships to those who are on food stamps. They ask those individuals to do volunteer work for the organization.

UW-Green Bay provides scholarships to members who qualify for the homestead credit. They try to keep their costs down by using volunteers.

  • Technology

Several organizations are using online registration which is very efficient and cuts the workload. UW-Green Bay does a random selection process with the computer to fill classes and meet member requests in an equitable manner. Trips are handled separately first come first serve.

Google docs.com is a resource to do documents online.

Any group can have a nonprofit Face book page which you can monitor comments. Opportunity to teach a course on the use of Face book

  • Clerical support costs

The wide range of costs are not comparable. Need to compare dollars spent divided by number of members to determine cost per member which then would be comparable.

Nicolet does not have a clerical support charge.

  • Goals

UW-Green Bay does a 3 year plan that is measureable. They hired an outsider to lead the session.

UW-Oshkosh does annual plans that may include goals that are longer term than one year.

  • Grants and fund raising

UW-Milwaukee received a $100,000 grant when they were established and a million dollar endowment. The expectation was that they achieve a membership of 500. They are near 1000 members now.

UW- La Crosse received a $1500 local grant and another $250 grant via Festival of Trees.

WCTC received a $1500 grant for audio visual equipment,

WCTC raised funds as a Class C fundraiser(Permit fee $25) with a 50/50 raffle

  • Curriculum Group: Pat Worden, Facilitator

Topics the group identified to discuss included: length of programs, approval process, overnight trips, no shows and curriculum topics.

How do you find presenters without the well running dry?

  • People from within and without the University System
  • Kickoff program to find people interested in presenting
  • Constantly looking as you travel around for people who might present
  • Newspaper articles
  • Professional associations
  • Be more assertive in asking people to present
  • Questionnaire to members
  • Suggestions on evaluations
  • Pick a topic or idea and then look for presenter
  • People who do not create confrontation in class
  • Have a process for development bio, presenter needs and right size facility and AV

How do you decide what topics for classes to utilize? What criteria?

  • Be careful not to have too many of a similar subject
  • Do what the members want
  • Mix up the variety and balance
  • Connect with other programs at the University
  • If film used teaching required to keep from violating copyright laws
  • Discussion within committee
  • Never turn down an idea
  • Change up curriculum members, have a core but welcome new blood

Payments

  • Honorarium
  • Members pay for session, for course not a single session
  • Payment through financing
  • Lump Fund versus invoice
  • Gift-member lecturer gets paid membership

Off limits

  • Controversy in community
  • No hands on if college course
  • No soliciting
  • Promotional

Time of classes

  • Night and weekend options not liked by older members
  • Late afternoon
  • Programming in winter can be a problem with weather
  • Single versus multiple session offerings
  • Double sessions
  • Liability with overnight tours

Curriculum ideas

  • DVD sessions
  • Arts
  • Senior issues
  • Leisure
  • Foreign films
  • Professor series
  • Membership/Promotion Group: Doug Jirovetz, Facilitator

The group discussed recruitment, retention, legal issues and leadership positions.

Recruitment

  • News items in local papers
  • Purchased ad
  • Ad in College Catalog
  • Close association with Continuing Education
  • Local TV
  • Radio
  • Strong Relationship with media people helpful
  • Word of mouth by members
  • “Share the experience”
  • Newsletters

Retention

  • Good programming for wide variety of interests
  • Phone calls to non renewing members for feedback
  • Membership numbers: La Crosse 200, Madison 900, Milwaukee 1000, Parkside 400, Green Bay 900,

Waukesha Tech 400, Door County 200, Rhinelander 300, UWO 275

  • Some groups not looking to increase membership due to difficulty to meet bus trips selection, space issues with large group

Online registration a plus

Legal issues UW requires waiver form releases

Leadership Positions

  • Have easy to use guide and mentors
  • New member welcome by committee members
  • Co-leadership positions
  • Recruit during day trips

Friday evening the members enjoyed a delicious buffet meal at the Oshkosh Country Club. Out of town guests stayed at the Hawthorne Suites which served a hot breakfast Saturday morning.

Saturday morning the group heard presentations from Dr. Stephen Kercher on “The 60’s: Memories and History and

Boris Frank on “Recruitment of Members and Engaging Them in Participation of Committees and Leadership Positions.”

  • “The 60’s: Memories and History”, Dr. Stephen Kercher

Dr. Kercher compared the nostalgic memories of the 60’s revolution of drugs, pop art and music versus the dark depressing history due to violent behavior of assassinations, demonstrations about civil rights and Vietnam and the challenge to authority. Major points included discussion about the abundance of consumerism, influence of unions on wages and impact of feminism. His PowerPointslides enhanced the discussion but were mostly photographs and sound bites.

  • “Recruitment of Members & Engaging Them in Participation of Committees & Leadership Positions”, Boris Frank

Boris Frank discussed volunteerism statistics, the role of volunteers and how to recruit them. He encouraged thinking outside the box including: intergenerational integration on Board of Directors, using community resources in problem solving, asking people to do a single task rather than multiple tasks,knowing the background of the people who are your volunteers and requiring volunteers to sign a job description contract.

His advice: Be nimble and adjustable to the situation and process.

Volunteerism statistics

  • 74% people say they volunteer but only 60% in the Midwest actually do volunteer
  • 68% of volunteers are college educated
  • 72% of volunteers are weekly aligned with formal religion
  • 75% of volunteers do so because of moral issues
  • 47% of volunteers do so because they feel obligated because they had been the recipient of volunteerism at one time in their lives
  • 50% of volunteers prefer to donate dollars
  • 32% of volunteers feel it is easier to volunteer time

Reasons why people do not volunteer

  • 41% not asked or not asked appropriately
  • 5% asks use ads when face to face is more effective creating cultural relationships
  • 51 % are too busy, involved in multiple activities
  • 12% physically unable
  • 8% did not want to volunteer
  • 5% not available

Reasons by people lose interest in volunteering

  • Unfulfilled expectations
  • Not making a difference
  • No variety
  • No support
  • No chance for growth
  • Lack of planning/problem solving
  • Tension amongst co-workers
  • Not feeling part of a team
  • Not part of a team
  • No recognition

Recruitment of volunteers

  • Have a personal meeting with the prospective volunteer
  • Use connections with community leaders
  • Ask “I need your advise”
  • Ask for time and money
  • “Would you consider the possibility of………..?”
  • Do not lose eye contact
  • If does not have enough time ask “ Co-Chair, Tri –Chair, Can you suggest someone” or do not have to attend meetings- just 1:1 with you, serve as a pro bono consultant.

A short business meeting followed the speakers. Topics discussed included:

  • Future of the WALL organization: There was group consensus that the members wanted the organization to continue with a loose structure with no officers or bylaws and Conferences to be held on a biennialbasis.
  • Host for next Leadership Conference: UW- Milwaukee Osher Lifelong Learning Institute volunteered to host in 2014. UW-La Crosse Learning in Retirement volunteered to host in 2016. Northern Michigan University for Lifelong Learning asked that members consider if they would make the trip to Northern Michigan in the future. They suggested that perhaps those on the eastern side of the state could arrange a bus to pick up people as it progressed north making the commute easy and fun.
  • WALL membership criteria: There was a discussion about the membership criteria of association with a post secondary educational institution due to the change in affiliation of the UW Stout group. Chippewa Valley Learning in Retirement is now affiliated with the Phillips Senior Center. That group was not represented at this conference. Discussion revolved around ongoing issues with dollars and whether LIR’s would continue to receive support from the University they are affiliated with. The point was made that content versus activity related curriculum is weighted differently by University affiliated LIRs and Senior Centers. The group felt they should remain open to what criteria was used and needed more discussion in the future. A request was made to have the former UW Stout members speak at our next Conference.
  • WALL website maintenance/development: Stevens Point will continue to maintain the website and this year’s Post conference materials will be posted on that site. Members were encouraged to contribute materials to make the site more robust. Discussion also covered options of making a Facebookpage for individual organizations and/or for WALL. This needs more follow up at future meetings as well.
  • Possible logo for WALL: A logo was selected by the members with the request to add some color. That logo is on a separate page. The logo has been sent to marketing at UWO to follow up with adding color to the logo.
  • Evaluations, Follow up information: Members were asked to fill out the evaluation forms which were tabulated and posted on a separate page in the website materials. Feedback specific to individual presenters and facilitators was shared with them.

The business meeting was adjourned at 12 Noon. Eight people participated in an optional luncheon at Benvenuto’s and a guided tour of thePaine Art Center and optional Ansel Adams exhibit.

Only one organization sent updated data. Eileen Leinweber will call organizations to obtain that information so that the excel spreadsheet on the WALL web site can be current.

10/16/12

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