Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware 
in Lewes and Ocean View
Council Minutes
Frederick Thomas Building
November 20, 2015

In attendance were: Council members Bill Sharkey (chair), Bob Comeau (chair emeritus), Dolores Fiegel, Philip Fretz, Lynn Kroesen, Sabatino Maglione, Rob Morgan, and Carol West; committee chairs Bernie Fiegel and Joan Sciorra; program coordinator Anna Moshier; administrative assistant Renée Moy; Bill Ashmore, instructional support for Ocean View; and John Lafferty, instructional support for Lewes.

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

The agenda and the minutes for October 22, 2015, as amended, were approved.

Staff:
Anna Moshier introduced John Lafferty, new instructional support for Lewes.  
The new President of the University of Delaware was announced on Tuesday: Dennis Assanis, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Stony Brook University will assume his new position on July 1, 2016.

Anna reported that Jim Broomall of the University is asking that we institute an annual fund-raising program.  The funds raised would be designated for our program.  Anna suggests that we look for a long-term rental agreement with the School District, so that we could then raise funds for enlarging the parking lot beside the Frederick Thomas Building.

Phil Fretz, Dolores  Fiegel, and Bill Sharkey expressed interest in joining Anna at the diversity meeting in Dover.

Rite-Aid offered us a flu-shot clinic at no cost to Osher.  The Council thought well of the idea, so Anna will pursue.

Anna and maybe Renée will take CPR training in Dover.

Committee reports (* indicates report on file)

Travel:  
Joan Sciorra reported that 25 people went to see Heartbreak House and the reports were good.

For the trip planned for December 11th to see the Philips collection, 22 have signed up and we need eight more.

The next repertory theater show is Wait Until Dark on January 24th, and then  To Kill A Mockingbird on March 15th.  

Opera Delaware is almost sold out, with almost 50 signed up for each performance.

In the spring she hopes to plan a trip to the Renwick Gallery after its two-year remodeling, and also a trip back to the Library of Congress.

Anna mentioned that she had received an email from the OLLI Network offering a European River Cruise in 2017 to be run by Grand Circle Travel.  Several Council members expressed interest, though details are not yet available.

Social:
Bernie Fiegel reported that 160 people have signed up for the Holiday Luncheon on December 3rd.   He said he had received l lot of comments from people who were glad the spring luncheon was smaller because they finally got to talk to others.  Renée said she will need to give the Sands a final number five working days in advance, although they will add a small number on a couple of days notice.

The catalogues for the spring semester should have been mailed yesterday.

Community Relations: *
Twelve Osher volunteers have signed up to serve as docents at Dorothy Greet’s home.  Cindy Foster, the chair of the Lewes Historical Society’s Christmas House Tour for the Greet house, sent an email to Dolores complimenting Osher for being good to work with.

Steve Twilley, Executive Director of the Lewes Senior Center, requested a speaker for one of the Center’s weekly Thursday lunches.  Mr. Twilley agreed with Dolores’ suggestion to schedule the talk for late March or April when our classes are not in session.  He also asked that the talk not be on health or aging, since the Center has those topics well covered.  The talk will include an introduction to Osher’s lifelong learning program.

We accepted an invitation to participate in the Selbyville Christmas Parade, December 4th at 7:00 p.m. Bud Zimmerman of the Community Relations Committee has agreed to take the lead in planning our part in this event and will work with Martha and on signage with Dolores.  Dolores hopes to get volunteers, maybe from Carol West’s Ocean View boosters, to march alongside the parade and hand out candy, since we will not be allowed to throw it as in the Lewes parade.

Anna and Dolores said they had agreed to decline taking out a quarter-page ad in Coastal Delaware since the cost is $556 and it is not our target audience but more aimed at visitors.   There was discussion of other papers in which we might advertise:  the The Coastal Point is a possibility, and The Wave (an insert in the News Journal); the High Tide News seems too expensive.  Carol moved that Dolores be authorized to spend up to $200 on ads in The Coastal Point or The Wave, and the motion passed without opposition.

Dolores mentioned that we got good press in Beach Life when they photographed her Kitchen Kapers class.

Please see Dolores’ written report for more information.

Scholarships:
There is already one application for a scholarship for the spring semester.

Financial *
Financially, Phil reports that the month was quiet.  Please see his written report and spreadsheet for detailed information.

Anna will set up a meeting among Phil, Bill, and herself to draft the budget for FY17.

Academic Affairs: 
Carol reported that a committee was formed to organize the Instructor Recognition Breakfast to be held at Kings Creek on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, from 9:00 to 11:00.  Anna asked to see a budget, and Carol will ask the committee for one, with line items.

The invitations will offer a choice of American or plant-based breakfast.  

It was discussed whether to hire the Cape Henlopen High School jazz quartet to play during the meet-and-greet and the breakfast buffet for a $100 honorarium to the school:  on the one hand, loud music makes it more difficult for people to talk with each other, while on the other hand it is good to have music and to encourage youth.  It was suggested that they be hired for a limited performance time.  

To reduce expenses there will not be table decorations beyond what Kings Creek provides.

Anna reported that evaluations will be ready by December 2nd.

Communications 
Lynn Kroesen reminded the Council that the deadline for The Tides is Saturday, December 5th, and asked for photographs, such as of the parade, our participation in the House Tour at Dorothy Greet’s house, and the luncheon.  Lynn like to get the issue out by December 7th or 8th, before priority registration.  

Bill Sharkey informed the Council that although Lynn’s term expires in May and having served six years she is ineligible for a third term, she has offered to continue publishing The Tides.  The news was greeted with general acclaim.

Old Business:
Vending machine:  Anna reported that if we decide to have a vending machine installed, the vendor will supply cans of soda and water for 75¢ at no cost to us.   The machine will be at the end of the hallway away from the classrooms.  The machine will free Renée up from keeping the refrigerator in the break room stocked. Concern was expressed about the possible diminution of socializing in the break room.  Phil moved and Dolores seconded a motion to approve having a vending machine installed, and the motion passed 4-3.

Bylaws:  Anna reported that she has reviewed a dozen membership policies at other Osher programs, and among those policies only ours and Dover’s, who copied ours, even mentioned an instructor membership.  Under our bylaws instructors cannot attend other classes unless they register, although they receive other benefits such as the student rate on trips.  Twenty-four instructors this semester are not members.  

It was mentioned that since instructors are not members they do not appear in the members’ directory so it can be hard to reach them; Renée will add a question to the course proposal form asking whether the instructor wishes to be added to the directory.  

There was also a discussion of the age requirement in our bylaws, which is not uniform among Osher programs and which we ourselves reduced from 55 to 50 at some point.

Bill said that an item on the next meeting’s agenda would be setting up a group to review the bylaws as a whole.

New Business:
Bill informed the Council that Lynn has kindly agreed to chair the Nominating Committee.

Next meeting:  January 20th at 12:20 pm.

The meeting was adjourned at noon.

Rob Morgan, Secretary