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Omnilore 2015 January Newsletter:

Message from the President on Omnilore’s 25^th Anniversary Initiative!

A happy 2015 to all of you and a happy 25th anniversary for us, the members of Omnilore. As the new year unfolds, we celebrate Omnilore’s 25 years as a unique institution for learning and the beginning of another 25-year period to continue its tradition.

Our celebration will span the entire year with various facets. Among the facets will be the July Forum, which Lori Geittmann, Forum chair, has confirmed will be our designated anniversary luncheon. A private lunch for past presidents, newsletter articles related to Omnilore’s history and planning for the future are other facets of our celebration. As our creative genes kick in, we will consider other means to celebrate the tradition of collaborative learning, the hallmark characteristic of Omnilore.

Our Board also has initiated several activities to prepare for the future, which I have taken the liberty of calling the 25th Anniversary Initiative and to which I have added components. Those components were derived from Board meeting discussions to which I listened carefully as recording secretary, conversations with Board members and members with whom I became acquainted in discussion groups and at the Forums. As I listened, I made mental notes and also wrote side notes for future use. I did not expect to become president of Omnilore, but when I did there were those notes to consider.

So, when the 25th anniversary came to mind, which I mentioned in this past November’s newsletter, I also thought of those mental and written notes and considered their relevance to what could be celebrated. The idea of a 25th anniversary was triggered during an Omnilore Board meeting in which Teresa Stevens, our CSUDH facilities representative, spoke of being the administrative assistant when in 1992 Omnilore decided to link with California State University, Dominguez Hills. She said Omnilore members had been meeting for two years when the CSUDH contact occurred, placing the beginning of Omnilore’s discussion group in 1990. Later, when there was a minor controversy as to which was actually the “birth year” of Omnilore, I spoke with Mike Scordan and John Taber, and also read materials provided by Diana Cutler, wife of our late founder Burt Cutler, and newsletter copies dating back to 1992. (More on the history of Omnilore in a separate article.)

I settled on 1990 as Omnilore’s birth year because the first discussion group, focused on “Islam,” met in Spring of that year. Mike Scordan attended the last session of that first discussion group and joined it for subsequent years. John Taber joined in mid-1991 and subsequently served as treasurer and president after Omnilore had become an organization with a name, governing documents and elected officers.

Planning for the Future

Now we can say recognition of the 25th anniversary began in 2014, but the celebration was taken into 2015. And the celebration will lead to planning for the next 25 years through the 25th Anniversary Initiative. As mentioned, action has begun on some facets of it. First, the Board established a committee to study the feasibility of autonomy for Omnilore, referred to as Plan B, with Rick Spillane as chair. Rick, as many of you already know, is also chair of the Curriculum Committee and the Computer Working Group.

While his committee is focused on “Plan B,” there are three basic operational models as options for Omnilore, the first being the current relationship with Omnilore as a program within CSUDH’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). The second model, named “Plan B” when the Omnilore Board authorized formation of a committee to explore the option, calls for full autonomy for Omnilore as a non-profit organization separate from CSUDH. A third model, informally referred to as “Plan C,” would have Omnilore become an autonomous, non-profit organization affiliated with CSUDH and its OLLI programming. Indeed, Omnilore helped generate significant membership and core programming in OLLI’s early days and in turn has benefited from support provided by the University. At present, as directed by the Board, Rick’s Plan B committee has been exploring options in terms of a facility and will consider other aspects of autonomy down the line. The two other operational models will be given review as the Plan B Committee generates information which can be used for other options.

Another facet of celebrating our 25th anniversary and preparing for the next 25 years has begun in the administrative and academic areas. Linda Jenson, our Vice-President of Administration, and Carol Johnson, Office Manager responsible for procedures, are spearheading a review of current procedures, By-laws and other operating rules and guidelines to bring them up to current practices and needs. When Omnilore was given structure in 1992, that is, election of officers, by-laws, a board of directors and other trappings of organization, the group first grew from about 14 to 60 members in a short period, then continued to gradually grow until membership rose above 300. That change in group numbers has generated the need for improved communication, clear statement of responsibilities and other factors to ensure Omnilore continues to function as effectively as possible within the framework of a volunteer organization. It must be said that it has taken remarkable talent, skills, dedication, continuity and intense volunteer service by committed members to maintain Omnilore’s superb programming and responsiveness to member interests. And we want that great tradition to continue.

Given we love learning, academic programming is the heart of Omnilore, even if administration provides its skeleton and volunteer leaders provide its backbone and muscle. Thus, Kathleen Fitzgerald, our Vice-President of Academics, has decided to continue surveying members of our discussion groups to help evaluate what needs to be improved, what innovations might be considered to support the enjoyment we derive from collaborative learning with fellow Omniloreans. She will be meeting with the Curriculum Committee and is preparing a summary report of information obtained from survey responses to help us maintain the quality of programming we have enjoyed and look forward to in the future.

Others are undertaking review and improvement activities in their respective spheres. Hal Hart and Dennis Goodno have been looking at our website to see what could be improved, what may need to be added, or eliminated, to ensure we can rely on the website as our source of fully accessible information and support. They, Mary Golob and Bill Gargaro, new chair of the Website Working Group, will be recruiting members with technical expertise, or interest, to develop a support group for long-term maintenance of our website and electronic communications. And the story goes on, but I will stop here and bring you more news about our 25th Anniversary Initiative, as well as the history of Omnilore, in upcoming newsletters. Again, it’s a happy new year because we have Omnilore, a wonderful experience in learning and camaraderie in the company of learning lovers of the same kind. Feel free to volunteer your time, ideas and recommendations. My email is on your membership roster. . . .

Thanks to all!

Arturo (Art) Irizarry