Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware 
in Lewes
Council Minutes
Frederick Thomas Building
May 18, 2015

In attendance were: Council members Bob Comeau (chair emeritus), Peter Feeney, Dolores Fiegel, Philip Fretz, Lynn Kroesen, Sabatino Maglione, Rob Morgan; Bill Sharkey (chair); librarian and archivist Ruth Barnett; committee chairs Bernie Fiegel and Joan Sciorra; and program coordinator Anna Moshier.

Chair Bill Sharkey called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m.

The following officers were duly elected for the next year without opposition:  Chair Bill Sharkey, Vice-Chair Lynn Kroesen, and Secretary Rob Morgan.

The agenda and the minutes of the April 21st meeting were approved without amendment.

Committee reports (*indicates report on file)

Social *
Bernie Fiegel noted that the picnic will be on October 13th.  He had nothing further to add to his report.  

Community Relations *
Dolores Fiegel reported that she had distributed 125 summer catalogues to five libraries and had replenished the supply at the Lewes Public Library twice since.  Twelve people had signed onto the log as potential volunteers; Delores had called those with phone numbers.  One of them was a former, and potential future, instructor. 

Bud Zimmerman will give a talk on OLLI to the Kiwanis on May 27th. 

Displays for the fall have been scheduled at various libraries for late July and early August, with the South Coastal Library making display space available for the entire month of August.  Phil suggested printing a poster that he could put up at the YMCA.  Per Dolores, Stephanie Scales had also suggested that and was going to look into it.

Library 
Ruth Barnett was thankful for the new chairs.  She will send out overdue notices next week and estimated that there would be about 20.

Long Range Planning
Peter Feeney had agreed to Bill’s request that he take on this responsibility from our late colleague Bo French.  Peter reported that he  has been reviewing materials from other organizations and would like to lead a review of what we want to do and how we can get there.  His approach was generally applauded.

Financial *
Outgoing Council member Jack Boettger prepared the report for this meeting.  Henceforth Phil Fretz will take over, using Excel and a short summary rather than QuickBooks.  Phil had nothing this month to add to Jack’s report.  

Anna noted that as of today  172 people had registered for the summer session while we had budgeted for 222, resulting in a $2,500 shortfall, so we are unlikely to have the $3-4k surplus Jack had previously projected.

Academic Affairs
Anna noted that only a few summer classes had been oversubscribed:  iPad, Pilates, meditation, and Kitchen Capers.

For the fall semester she expects a number of new classes and would like to add a few to Ocean View.

Garden
Ruth and Lynn noted that our garden looks gorgeous thanks to the efforts of our volunteers, especially George Dellinger, Sue Claire Harper, and Eddie Filemyr.

Communications 
Lynn will take the photo of the new Council at its meeting in June.  The next newsletter will come out in late July, with a deadline of July 20th for submissions.  Lynn asked for pictures of anything happening in classes. One focus of the July newsletter will be encouraging people to register. 

Travel  
Joan reported that the NYC trip enjoyed spectacular weather but suffered difficulties with the hotel and a misunderstanding with one of the drivers.  128 people took part.  

The Philadelphia trip was cancelled due to lack of support.  

The May trip to attend the opera Lakme’ was logistically challenged and uncomfortable, but the driver was excellent and the performance was great. 

The next trip, to see The Book of Mormon, will be on June 28th and is a go, with 35 paid up so far. 

There may also be a trip to NYC in the last full week of April 2016.

Old Business
Spring Timeline.  Bill announced that the spring semester will start the Monday before the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday, which was Bernie’s idea, because otherwise the semester would have only eight Mondays.  If the semester starts on January 11th we will have enough days with some at the back end for make-ups.  Anna noted that the early schedule will mean asking for course proposals in mid-August.

Rehoboth Art League Cottage Tour.  Bill gave an update on the RAL Cottage Tour, noting that George Dellinger and Suzanne Hain have agreed to be responsible for our assigned house and are hard at work and on track.

New Business
At the next meeting Bill would like to discuss Ocean View, and the following month to talk about diversity.  

Bob mentioned that there is room for expansion at our facility in Ocean View. Bernie suggested that we need more networking to find enthusiastic members.  We will have a promotional table at the 5k Run/Walk on August 2nd called Athletes To End Alzheimer’s, with a couple of promotional events leading up to the race and our materials going into every runner’s bag.  The Bethany Chamber has been helpful.

Anna reported that the catalogue and web will be re-designed for the fall semester.  She also noted that the mayors of Ocean View and Bethany are members.

(At Lewes we are two years into a five-year lease, while at Ocean View we are one year into a three-year lease with automatic one-year renewals if neither party gives ten months’ advance notice of non-renewal.)

Next meeting:  June 23rd at 12:15 p.m. (Bob Comeau and Rob Morgan will be away.)

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m.

Rob Morgan, Secretary