ALLMN Meeting Notes May 15, 2009

Submitted by Janet Jacobson:

The Winona Learning Club and Winona State University Retiree Center co-hosted the spring ALLMN meeting. Most attendees arrived Thursday evening and participated in a tour of Winona and wine/cheese social that evening. Overnight accommodations were in the Tau Center on the WSU campus. The Friday meeting began at 9 a.m. and adjourned at 3 p.m.

Introductions

Participants introduced themselves and their groups, highlighting staffing arrangements, funding, program publicity, and the best learning event of 2008-2009.

Business meeting:

Janet provided a summary of this year’s legislative developments. During the session, bills were introduced in both the House and Senate, authorizing funding for the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) through the Legacy Amendment (the amendment authorizes a small increase in the sales tax to finance environmental initiatives and to support the arts and culture). Amounts have changed during the session, but currently MHC stands to receive $1.5 million, part of which is to be made available to organizations and programs that support ethnic and cultural diversity in Minnesota. Unlike previous legislation, the bill (H.F. 1231) does not include any language requiring MHC to allocate a percentage of funds to lifelong learning. However, Stanley Romanstein, President of MHC, has promised that should MHC receive state funds, it will devote a portion of that money to support lifelong learning in Greater Minnesota. The bill is currently under discussion in conference committee. [Editor’s note: The legislature approved a total appropriation of $1.3 million for MHC on May 18.]

Janet introduced the members of the ad hoc Leadership Group: Ron Anderson (Duluth), Renee Ehlenz (St. Cloud), Bob Manning (Crosby), Reena Shetty (St. Cloud), and Janet Jacobson (Minneapolis). This group met in February to develop a list of recommendations for the general membership to consider. These recommendations were discussed, and several changes made. (A copy of these recommendations will be sent to ALLMN members soon.) Chrisanne Pieper (Rochester) agreed to serve as ALLMN liaison for the next year. The recommendations were approved by voice vote.

Steve Benson announced that the U of M’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) has offered to develop a speakers bureau, consisting of OLLI presenters. OLLI will make these speakers available to ALLMN groups at no charge. A fund of up to $2,000.00 has been set aside to pay for speaker travel and materials. ALLMN members requesting a speaker are asked to pay for any food or lodging costs incurred by speakers. Steve indicated that the speakers bureau was still in the planning stages and invited questions and comments from ALLMN members. Send proposals, comments, questions, to Steve at benso006@umn.edu.


Tips for Successful Grant Writing

Nancy Peterson, Director of WSU Grants and Sponsored Projects, gave a presentation on grant writing. Topics included:

· Resources for locating grants
· How grant proposals are reviewed
· Tips on writing grants, including:
o Title
o Project summary
o Introduction
o Problem/need statement
o Objectives
o Work plan
o Staff
o Evaluation
o Conclusion
o Budget
· Writer tips

Contact her at npeterson@winona.edu if you would like a copy of her PowerPoint.

Panel on Boomers and Lifelong Learning

Panel members: Steve Benson (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute/U of M); Jane Dolter (University for Seniors/UMD); Renee Ehlenz (Third Age University, Whitney Center, St. Cloud); Janet Jacobson (Minneapolis Community Education)

· 78 million Boomers in America
· Many Boomers are “sandwiched” – still have children at home and are caring for aging parents
· Boomers juggle work, volunteer commitments, family responsibilities; many feel time-pressured
· Retirement for Boomers is being re-defined; some may not retire; others may seek entirely different careers during “retirement”; some may move in and out of retirement; retirement has been postponed for many Boomers due to economic climate
· Boomers are well-educated: 30% have college degrees. Boomers as a group view lifelong learning as a high priority
· Flexibility in programming will be essential
o Consider shorter courses
o Offer courses at different times – e.g., Sundays, late afternoon (when Boomers head home from work)
· Consider important events in Boomers’ lifetime as basis for programming (e.g., Vietnam War, civil rights movement, space race, etc.)
· Involve Boomers in program planning and in other volunteer capacities; remember that short-term volunteer commitments may be most popular with Boomers
· Use technology for course registration, and to connect Boomers with each other, publicize programs, provide updated information
· Combine travel with more formal learning opportunities
· “Me” generation is becoming “we” generation; combine learning with opportunities for service to community. Boomers want to leave a legacy
· Consider possibilities for intergenerational learning/ service projects
· Boomers want learning to be an “experience”; building relationships among program participants, between participants and presenters, and between participants and organization, is essential

Small group discussions

1. Several individuals interested in establishing a foundation to support their individual learning groups met with Jane Dolter (University for Seniors/UMD)

2. Ideas for maintaining positive relationships with “host” institution:
· WSU Living History program
· Advising undeclared majors
· IT students teach older adults about technology
· OLLI Scholar – graduate students paid to teach OLLI courses

3. Ideas for collaboration within ALLMN:
· Develop ALLMN speakers bureau; each group should contribute the names of 5 speakers (and bios) at next ALLMN meeting
· Share best practices at next meeting

4. Ideas for resource sharing:
· Write grant application together
· Joint programs – e.g., picnic with speaker
· Have same speaker make presentation to multiple groups

5. Ideas for developing programs consistent with MHC’s goal to fund programs celebrating ethnic heritage and diversity:
· Programs on variety of ethnic groups in Minnesota (e.g., Amish, recent immigrant groups)
· Focus on the creative arts of different ethnic groups (e.g., music, dance, art)
· Comparative religions

Next meeting

Marty Leistikow will inquire whether her group, Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning, would be willing to host the fall 2009 meeting in conjunction with ALL in Bemidji and NELL in Bagley area. If not, the Minneapolis groups may be able to host.

If we meet in the Twin Cities in the fall, it was suggested that we invite Stanley Romanstein to attend the meeting. Possibly we could hold the ALLMN meeting at MHC.

An ALLMN website was briefly mentioned as a possible next step, as well as investigating the possibility of forming a 401(c)(3) organization. These may be agenda items for the next meeting.