OLLI

=Welcome to the= =Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UCSC*=

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UCSC is a community of men and women from diverse educational, occupational, and geographic backgrounds who are devoted to the pursuit of learning. The members enjoy spirited discussion, reading, and exploring new interests. Money raised from our activities is used to fund scholarships for re-entry students at UCSC.

We have over 30 peer-led interest groups focusing on the arts, literature, film, science, community programs, horticulture, and social science. As well, we offer several short courses every year designed for mature adults. We are associated with UCSC as a 'Friends Group' and are part of a network of 118 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLIs) across the country.

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UCSC Lifelong Learners was founded in 1984 by Margaret Byrnes, Jim Faris, Barnie Farneroff, Silvia Miller, and Mary Ann Raedler. In 2010, we became an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and changed our name to Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Our history: http://ucsc-osher.wikispaces.com/history.

We have about 700 members. We enjoy a special relationship with UCSC as a University Friends Group and have our home on campus with ucsc Services for Transfer and Re-entry Students (stars). Through stars our members will give approximately $40,000 in scholarships this academic year to deserving re-entry students.


 * Membership: ** Our membership year is July through June. We ask for an annual donation (which may be waived in case of hardship) for membership. Because our organization is run by volunteers, we are able to keep donation requests low and at the same time provide scholarships for re-entry students through our **Silvia Miller Scholarship fund**. Acknowledgements for your tax-deductible donation are issued by ucsc’s University Relations Department. Instructions for updating your contact information.


 * STARS: ** We enjoy a special relationship with UCSC as a University Friends Group and have our home on campus with UCSC Services for Transfer and Re-entry Students (STARS). STARS provides us with administrative support.


 * General Meeting: ** We meet once a month (usually the third Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon) from September through May (no meeting in December). The meetings are held in the Colleges Nine and Ten Multipurpose Room where we conduct business and socialize, and except in September, hear an expert speaker. The September meeting is largely about interest groups. We have special events at times, including the end of year party in June. Usually, the University hold a holiday party in December for members of friends groups.


 * Interest Groups: ** Our volunteer-run Interest Groups are many and varied. Groups are formed around a common interest or set of activities and are led by volunteer members. Interest Groups must be Board approved and cannot be used to solicit funds or proselytize. A listing of existing groups, along with contact information, may be found on our website at http://ucsc-osher.wikispaces.com/interest-groups. Some groups are not open to new members, but most of these maintain a waiting list.


 * Courses: ** Courses are offered during the year. A Course differs from an Interest Group in three ways. A Course is of limited duration (typically four to eight sessions), while an Interest Group is on-going. Courses are led by an expert in the topic, while Groups are attended by interested OLLI members and are peer led. We ask a $20 donation for each Course taken, unlike the Interest Group Program, where participation is included in the yearly membership donation. Suggested membership donation is $60/year/person. Scheduled courses, with times and location, are on the website at http://ucsc-osher.wikispaces.com/classes.


 * Film Seminars: ** Jim Faris (founding member) and his wife Paula host Film Seminars to view and discuss films. There are several sessions a year and they are limited in size. Priority is given to members who have never attended before, but repeats are allowed if space is available. The small donation for participation in this group goes directly to the Silvia Miller Scholarship fund and is not used for general expenses.

All newsletters are online at http://ucsc-osher.wikispaces.com/newsletters.
 * Communications: ** Our website, http://ucsc-osher.wikispaces.com, is an excellent source of information about our organization. From our website’s home page you can register for membership as well as sign up for OLLI courses, change your contact information, or find help for OLLI-related problems or questions. Every other month, September through May, we distribute by USPS mail a printed newsletter. Members may opt-out of receiving the printed newsletter and receive by email a link to a PDF version instead. On alternate months during the academic year we send an email newsletter to members who have given us their email addresses.


 * Osher Foundation: ** We hold an endowment from the Bernard J. Osher Foundation. The earnings from the endowment provide support for our programs, but cannot be used for scholarships for UCSC students.

 * To correct contact information, go to the home page, http://ucsc-osher.wikispaces.com, and follow instructions for logging in or obtaining an account to enable you to log in to the membership system, which is hosted by the University. Once logged in, a member can register for courses, renew membership, or update contact information. Find further contacts to get other types of help or information on the home page.