I. Responsibilities of the Sponsoring Institution
The minimum commitment of the Sponsoring Institution includes:
- Assignment of a staff person as liaison to the LLI
- Public notice of the connection between the Sponsoring Institution
and the LLI (i.e., granting permission to the LLI to use the name of
the Sponsoring Institution).
Very few Sponsoring Institutions will restrict support to the minimum
commitment. Sponsoring Institutions are typically colleges and universities
and offer substantial support services. None is required, but this support
may include:
Start-up funding to launch the Institute
- Space and equipment for study group meetings, office tasks and social
activity
- Library privileges, student rates for events and activities offered
by the sponsor, use of recreational facilities
- Fiscal management
- Provision for parking
- Reduced cost or fee waiver for other educational offerings of the
sponsor.
Alternate sponsorship arrangements may be considered on an individual
basis.
II. Benefits to your Campus
LLI members and their sponsor campuses agree that an LLI does much more
than enrich the lives of older learners. Sponsoring campuses are enjoying
a multitude of benefits - some anticipated, many unexpected - that extend
well beyond those experienced as a result of more traditional programs.
Retirement age students have been welcome on campuses for a long time.
Colleges and universities have granted them special access to regular
classes, designed programs specifically for them, and reached out to senior
centers.
But the Institute concept does even more. It forges intense bonds among
its members, the LLI, and the campus they share. How? By empowering its
members, who in turn enrich and support campus life. As the age of the
majority of Americans shifts upwards, institutions that draw in older
learners will prosper.
On campuses that have embraced LLIs, the benefits are clear:
Empowering Older Learners. LLIs build on the unique strengths
and characteristics of older students, putting them in charge of their
own educational programs. This is empowerment through education, the finest
tradition of higher education.
Developing a New Constituency. As our society moves further into
the 21st century we are rapidly reorienting ourselves to an aging population.
Campuses which remain exclusively focused on traditional age students,
or even on traditional age "adult" students, ignore our fastest growing
and soon to be dominant age group. LLI members champion and support their
sponsoring campuses.
Preparing for the Future. There are special skills required to
work successfully with older learners, both in the classroom and in administration.
These skills will be in ever increasing demand as older people become
a prominent force on campuses. The time to develop those skills is now,
while innovations are being put in place and society is in a transitional
phase.
Building Community Support. Older people are quickly becoming,
and in many communities already are, the dominant group in reference to
voting and political action. As a group they enjoy a high percentage of
discretionary income. Their support for higher education on a national
level will be won by involving them in large numbers in programs specifically
designed to meet their needs and interests. This is no less the case on
the local level. Community support for an institution cannot remain strong
if older people are left out of its educational program.
Increasing Community Recognition. A LLI is a highly visible community
activity. Media coverage is extensive and exceptionally positive. Older
learners are themselves active sales people, building support for the
campus among an extensive and influential network of friends and associates.
This positive image of the campus extends throughout the community, far
beyond the peer group of the active membership.
Creating New Community Ties. The creation and ongoing operation
of a LLI provides a way to work with community groups and leaders from
whom the campus might otherwise be isolated. Political leaders, senior
citizen groups, governmental agencies, service clubs and local businesses
can play important roles in initiating and sustaining a LLI, creating
new partnerships that traditional programs have not established.
Developing New Resources for the Campus. It is axiomatic to refer
to the wealth of wisdom and experience older people possess. In LLIs around
the country, time and again this wealth is tapped. LLI members help:
- in the career counseling department * tutor international students
- volunteer in libraries * act as research subjects for students
- work with administrators * sponsor cultural events
- host other programs such as Elderhostel * counsel adult learners
- consult with business and community groups
Enhancing the Campus Environment for Students of All Ages. Older
people help set a new tone on campus. They take education seriously. They
view campus life as a joy and a privilege. They actively support cultural
events. Their very presence, their enthusiasm, and their dedication to
learning provide role models for students in other age groups, affecting
their attitudes about education and transforming their images of their
own aging.
Extending the Development Effort. LLI members become dedicated,
effective campus boosters. They may volunteer in traditional fundraising
efforts, contribute to scholarship and building funds, or take on fundraising
projects that promote the LLI and the campus too. Their good will and
support have an expansive effect in the community, enhancing the campus'
standing and credibility in all its development efforts.
Involving Alumni. LLIs offer meaningful academic and leadership
roles to local alumni, enabling them to be more than socially connected
to campus.
Rewarding Emeriti Faculty. Retired professors have been instrumental
in establishing many LLIs. The chance to continue to teach and to be part
of the campus and a community of scholars is perhaps the most rewarding
service a campus can provide its retired faculty.
Enriching the Work of Staff and Faculty. Administrators like their
work with older learners. Faculty are invigorated by teaching people who
are responsive, knowledgeable, and full of insights and experiences of
their own to bring to the subject at hand. The presence of a successful
LLI is an uplifting experience for everyone connected with the campus.
Fulfilling the Mission of the Institution. The active, high profile
involvement of older learners is a forthright statement of a campus commitment
to the creation of an education-oriented society, and to education as
a way of life.
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