COMMITTEES
The Five College Learning in Retirement Program depends on its members to do just about everything that is needed to provide an interesting, quality program for retired people in the Pioneer Valley. We organize seminars, workshops, trips, special programs, meetings, and events. This takes a lot of creative effort by members, and it is done through standing and ad hoc committees and sub-committees.
Appointments to committee membership are for three-year terms. Ideally, new appointments are made each year to ensure a constant supply of new people and new ideas. This rotation offers a wonderful opportunity for new and recent members to get creatively involved and to get to know other members better. Our organizational year is from July 1 to the next June 30. Each year we ask members to indicate what committee(s) they would volunteer to serve on. This list is used to select new committee members, as openings occur during the year.
Let the office know of your interest or obtain a sign-up sheet here.
Office Hours and Contact
The office is open weekday mornings from 9-1. (except Friday)
OFFICERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
OMBUDSMAN: Anne Lombard
Role of the Ombudsman:
Any member of 5CLIR who has a complaint of any kind or a dispute with another member will be encouraged to consult the ombudsman as a first step. The ombudsman will strive to resolve the problem with strict impartiality and confidentiality.
The following are the main features of the proposed system:
- The ombudsman will be appointed by the President, with the approval of Council, for a term of one year, subject to reappointment with no term limits.
- The ombudsman should be a past member of Council or past chair of a 5CLIR committee, who possesses a broad knowledge of the organization as well as a temperament appropriate to the task.
- All the work of the ombudsman, including even the fact that a case has been brought to her/him, will be strictly confidential. The report of the ombudsman, delivered yearly to Council, shall contain only statistical information on number and types of cases dealt with and the percentage resolved, with no names included.
- In the event that the ombudsman does not succeed in resolving the issue to the satisfaction of the party or parties involved, the ombudsman, in consultation with the parties, shall determine the appropriate next step for resolution.
- The identity and contact information of the ombudsman shall be prominently mentioned in the registration material distributed yearly to members.
Council established the position of ombudsman on 2/11/2010.
COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS
Curriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee administers the peer-learning program of 5CLIR by establishing the annual academic calendar, recruiting seminar and workshop moderators, reviewing and approving seminar and workshop proposals, appointing a liaison from the committee for each seminar and workshop to assist moderators and participants, providing content for the fall and spring course catalogs, conducting lotteries for oversubscribed courses, and suggesting policies for the peer-learning program to the 5CLIR Council. The Curriculum Committee meets on the first Thursday of the month. Please consider volunteering for this vital and interesting committee.
Finance Committee
The primary responsibility of the Finance Committee is to propose the annual budget to Council. This process involves soliciting input from all committees and others who spend the organization’s funds, assembling this information into a financial plan, making adjustments as appropriate, and presenting the plan to the Council. Additionally, at least quarterly the Finance Committee reviews current financial statements and periodically makes recommendations concerning financial practices and procedures. The committee meets between three to six times a year, usually between December and May, and consists of the Treasurer (Chair), the Assistant Treasurer, the Vice-President and three or four other members, appointed by the Council.
Great Decisions Committee
Do you dream of preparing and lighting up the 4th of July fireworks? Then join the committee which prepares the “Great Decisions” program sponsored by the FPA (Foreign Policy Association) and is presented in the spring by 5CLIR to more than 150 guests from the Valley. In five sessions we will introduce five outstanding speakers on five of the most burning subjects of the time. September–October will be the time to select the coming subjects and to recruit the speakers. From November to January you’ll do your part in planning the process and beating the drums (a.k.a. promotion) and in March and April all hands will be on deck to provide our members from 5CLIR as well as non-5CLIR attendees as satisfying an experience as possible. May–June will (we hope) be the time for self-congratulations.
January and Summer Programs Committee
The January/Summer Programs committee provides a variety of activities while seminars are not taking place. Every year we have a bus trip to Tanglewood in the summer as well as perhaps a bus trip to a museum elsewhere. There are also lectures of many kinds, perhaps a River boat cruise, and an outdoor activity in both January and the summer. These may be followed by lunch together. Our final event before resuming seminars in September is a potluck picnic, always an enjoyable occasion when we welcome new members.
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee has a two-fold function: to support the needs of both new and ongoing members. The committee oversees the smooth integration of members into 5CLIR by organizing special events such as coffee hours to welcome new members. Our goal is to have one large social function each year for all members. In the spring of 2009, we organized a membership-wide LIR 20th Anniversary Brunch program, with the goal of getting to know each other better. In January of 2010, the committee arranged for a luncheon open to all members. Contributions to the “well-being” of the organization often overlap with other committees, such as the Summer Programs, in highlighting new members at the picnic. For the Finance Committee, we monitor and project membership demographics. The Committee meets as needed, usually about eight times a year.
Public Relations Committee
The mission of the 5CLIR Public Relations Committee is to (1) promote in our communities awareness of 5CLIR as an option to those at or near retirement age; (2) to maintain good relations with our host, Five Colleges, Incorporated, and the five colleges and (3) to contribute to maintaining and recruiting a vital and engaged membership in 5CLIR. In implementing this mission, the committee develops materials which are used to acquaint our members, potential new members and the public with the activities of 5CLIR. We seek and arrange for opportunities to present 5CLIR to the public through a variety of methods. The PR Committee also regularly assists our other Committees in publicizing 5CLIR events through local media.
Special Programs Committee
The Special Programs Committee oversees the numerous short or long, frequent or infrequent, workshops, study groups, lecture series, go-see trips and other member organized activities. These Special Program adventures are in contrast to the seminars in their informality and flexibility. Often the programs are open to “drop-in” 5CLIR members who need not make a presentation or have past experience with the topic at hand. Members of the Special Programs Committee help facilitate these activities and provide continuity and communication with Council. We operate with a total of nine members, three are appointed each year for 3 year terms. We especially need “tech-savvy” people who can help with projection equipment (the Travel Interest group currently needs this assistance). The committee meets monthly as needed.
Technology Committee
The “Tech” committee watches what is new and exciting in technology with a special attention to how these technologies can best be enjoyed by each of our members and/or put to good usage by our organization as a whole. To be a member of the committee the only requirement is to be curious about technology and to be ready to share knowledge with one’s peers. Together the members of the committee do their best to provide the membership with information on all these wonders and to provide it in a way understandable to all.
On a day to day level, the Tech. Committee is responsible, within the limits of its resource for:
Membership education: on computers, internet, digital photography and the like…
5CLIR web site: (www.5clir.org) maintenance and enhancements.
Audio/Visual Equipment: acquisition, maintenance and management.
Office Manager Support
Digital Memory of the organization: Statistics and photographic pictures. We have even put together a history of our committee.
The Tech. Committee meets generally once a month for an hour or two.