Administration and Finance Committee
The Finance Committee decides on the length of each term (ten weeks, eight weeks, etc.), membership fees, expenditure of endowment funds, and other administrative decisions. They meet only when there is a decision about changing the current fees, term lengths, etc.; they generally meet once per term.
Curriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee seeks competent instructors to teach a well-balanced variety of classes for each term. The committee is divided up into subcommittees based on interest areas of our members from History or Finance to Art and Hobbies. Each subcommittee is charged with finding a particular number of courses for each term to keep our schedule diverse. This committee usually meets three or four times in a term to plan the courses for the following term.
Social Committee
The Social Committee plans our fun times together outside of the classroom. Listening to the membership, this committee puts together all sorts of events like Welcome Back to School receptions, baseball games, theater outings, and supper clubs. The committee is made up of a few who coordinate the many members who host events all year long. Like to plan parties? Like to help others have fun? Enjoy the details of making an event shine? Then this is the group for you!
Faculty Support Committee
This committee's focus is keeping and supporting our incredible faculty. Through mentors for new instructors, training sessions that give instructors helpful tips and guidance for more effective teaching, and pre-term instructor lunches this committee is there for the instructors. You'll fit in this group if you are a past educator or just someone who likes to get the most out of people! This committee meets a couple of times each term.
Gray Matters Editor
Gray Matters is produced four times an academic year. The editor oversees the collection of articles and information from the membership and committees, assembles it and turns the newsletter in to the office for printing and distribution. Writers, photographers, and editors are always needed!
Long-Range Planning Committee
The Long-Range Planning Committee consists of former OLLI @ Furman presidents and other interested members who want to make OLLI even better. They consider the needs and goals of OLLI @ Furman for three, five, and ten years into the future. This committee meets about once per term. If you are a strategist or visionary, or just love OLLI and have ideas on how it could be enhanced then this is the place for you.
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee works to recruit new members, increase retention of existing members. They communicate with class liaisons, personally call new members before the term begins and again at the end of their first term, set up an orientation program for new members, and survey existing members to identify their needs and interests. If you like having your ear to the ground and knowing what is going on or if you like making people feel at home, this is the place for you!
Class Liaisons
Class Liaisons are members who volunteer to act as a bridge between the instructor, students, and the office staff in a class in which they are currently enrolled. The primary duties of class liaisons are to introduce and assist the instructors, meet and greet new members, and relay important messages from the office to the membership. Simply indicate your interest in being a class liaison during registration and you will be notified before classes start which class you have been assigned. If you enjoy making people feel welcome, this is the place for you. For a more thorough description of the duties of a class liaison, please click here.
Instructors
Ever thought you might want to be a teacher but the real world got in the way? Well, this is your chance to share your passions with others in a friendly environment. Our instructors are all volunteers with a love of learning and sharing their ideas and life lessons. Whether your hobby is genealogy or dancing, your passions are with train sets or baseball, you may have a talent or skill that others could learn from.
New instructors to OLLI @ Furman University are asked to submit a Course Proposal Form. After submitting the CPF you will be contacted by a Curriculum Committee member to confirm the course and your questions will be answered by our Faculty Support Committee. In other words, you won't be alone as you embark on this new adventure! Instructors are given a handbook that answers common questions and are invited to a preterm lunch with all the other term instructors to meet one another, meet the OLLI staff, get a chance to visit their classroom, and receive some effective teaching tips.
Staff members are available Monday through Friday from 8:30-4:30 to help you through media and copy needs and a class liaison will act as a bridge between you, your students, and the office during the 10 week fall term or the 8 week winter and spring terms. Click here to view the Calendar.
Office Assistant
Whether you can volunteer one hour a week, one day a week, or one day a month, we are glad to have your help. Volunteering in the office can be a fun, rewarding experience. It is a great time filler between classes or just something to do while you are on campus. You'll get to know a lot about the program and how it works. You'll meet lots of people! The office has many opportunities for you: answering the phones, creating reports, mailings, copying, editing, special projects, running errands on the golf cart, greeting people, answering questions, filing and much more. To learn more or to volunteer contact our Volunteer Coordinator Nancy Kennedy.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
What is a SIG? A SIG is a group whose focus is one area of interest and social interaction. It is not a teaching course; however, learning from each other will occur. A SIG is self-driven and self-motivating. A SIG is an ongoing group; meeting as scheduled by the group. Any current OLLI @ Furman member may be a member of an OLLI SIG. SIGs provide interaction for members with common special interests. SIGs provide a means of fostering friendships (fellowship) with peers. How is a SIG formed and approved? An individual contacts the SIG subcommittee of the Membership Committee and is given a proposal form and guidelines for SIGs. The form is returned to the SIG subcommittee and reviewed, evaluated and approved. (The form is located on the FORMS page under Current OLLI Members.)